Doc Ford’s Yucatan Shrimp Recipe

Yucatan Shrimp Recipe – 2 Versions

If you’ve ever been to Sanibel, Captiva, or Fort Myers, Florida it’s likely you’ve heard of Doc Ford’s Rum Bar (and hopefully you’ve been there). If you have, then for sure you have had their signature dish – Yucatan Shrimp. This peel-n-eat shrimp appetizer is hands down awesome. It’s spicy, it’s addictive, it’s messy, and it’s oh-so-good. In the video I’ll show you how we make Doc Ford’s Yucatan Shrimp recipe at home. It’s really easy and you can do it too. In this article I’ll give you the traditional recipe (shell-on) and which I made for about a decade.

As a bonus, I’ll also give you my NEW version of Yucatan Shrimp which I’ve been using the last couple years (HEAD-on, but no shells). Why might you want to have shrimp with the heads on but no body shells? So you can suck on the heads and get an amazing mouthful of flavor! In addition, all the ‘Yucatan’ spices will be on the shrimp body and not the shells so the shrimp will be more flavorful. And best of all it’s less messy because you don’t have to peel anything at the table.

That said, both versions are outstanding so Enjoy!

Version 1: Doc Ford’s Yucatan Shrimp Recipe – Traditional, Shells-On/No Heads

To wet your appetite check out this pic I snapped from the first time I had Yucatan Shrimp at Doc Ford’s marina in Fort Myers…

Yucatan Shrimp Recipe Ingredients List:

8 tablespoons unsalted butter
1-2 Large cloves of Garlic (minced)
Juice of two large limes
1-2 tablespoon Sambal Oelek Chili Sauce (or substitute Siracha in a pinch)
1-2 pound large, fresh, shell-on shrimp without heads
2-4 tablespoons chopped cilantro.
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 loaf crusty bread

Step-by-Step Directions to make Yucatan Shrimp at home

In a small saucepan melt **2** tablespoons of butter over low heat.
Add the garlic and cook, stirring for 2 minutes.
Add remaining **6** tablespoons butter to saucepan. When it melts, stir in the lime juice, chili sauce, salt and pepper, then turn off the heat. Well done – you’ve just made the sauce for Yucatan Shrimp! Now let the sauce rest while you cook the shrimp.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil.
Add the unpeeled shrimp and cook for 2 minutes (or until they are just firm and pink). Important: Do not overcook the shrimp — as soon as they are pink get the shrimp out because they will keep cooking a bit in the sauce while on your plate.
Drain the shrimp in a colander and shake over the sink to remove excess moisture.
In a large bowl, toss the shrimp and Yucatan sauce mix together.
Plate the shrimp and be sure to put plenty of sauce in the bowls.
Serve with crusty bread (lots of it) for dipping.

Congratulations, you’ve just made Doc Ford’s Yucatan Shrimp at home!

Serves 4 very happy people – just be sure to give them lots of napkins!

Source: recipe adapted from Doc Ford’s Rum Bar of Fort Myers, FL

Yucatan Shrimp Recipe Video

Version 2 – Yucatan Shrimp HEADs On, but no shells on body

The ingredients are the same but for the shrimp – in this case you want shrimp with the HEADS on. They will come with the shells on the body too, but we’ll be taking those off. Additionally, this is a one pan dish so that means less clean up later!

Yucatan Shrimp Recipe Ingredients List:

8 tablespoons unsalted butter
1-2 Large cloves of Garlic (minced)
Juice of two large limes
1-2 tablespoon Sambal Oelek Chili Sauce (or substitute Siracha in a pinch)
1-2 pound large, fresh, unpeeled Shrimp with HEADS on
2-4 tablespoons chopped cilantro.
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 loaf crusty bread

Step-by-Step Directions to make Yucatan Shrimp at home

Peel the shrimp but leave the heads on.
In a large frying pan melt **2** tablespoons of butter over low heat.
Add the garlic and cook, stirring for 2 minutes.
Add remaining **6** tablespoons butter to fry pan. When it melts, stir in the lime juice, chili sauce, salt and pepper and let the flavors marry together for a minute or two.
Add the shrimp with the heads on to the frying pan that has the sauce still in it and cook for 1-2 minutes until the side that’s down turns pink. Then flip the shrimp and cook for 1-2 minutes until the entire shrimp is pink.
Serve the shrimp WITH ALL THE SAUCE in a large wide bowl that allows for the shrimp to be spread out AND allows the buttery sauce to be accessible for dipping.
Serve with crusty bread (lots of it) for dipping.

Here’s an example of cooking this version with the heads-on shrimp…

As you can see the bodies of the shrimp are absorbing all that buttery goodness and the heads are going to produce an amazing flavor bomb when you suck on the heads before you eat the shrimp body. (Note – it should go without saying that you do not EAT the heads, you just suck out the juices and then you throw away the heads just like the tails).

This version is far less messier at the table and in my opinion tastier too!