Yucatan Shrimp

Recipe from Greg Nelson

Adapted by Sam Sifton

Updated March 24, 2026

  • Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
20 minutes
Rating
5(1,433)
Comments
Read comments

This is a dinner to evoke deep summer, when the heat lies heavy even at dusk and humidity wraps you like a blanket: shrimp tossed in garlic butter made fiery with Indonesian sambal and jalapeño, cut by lime, fragrant with cilantro. It is a kind of scampi for the sun-kissed and sun-desirous alike, a vacation on a plate. Add a mojito and a couple of beers. The recipe comes out of southwest Florida, from Doc Ford’s Sanibel Rum Bar and Grille, a restaurant that sits off the road that runs slow and sultry along Sanibel Island toward Captiva, past the placid, russet waters of Tarpon Bay. Randy Wayne White, one of the owners, named the place after the fictional protagonist of his mystery novels. The air smells of salt and mangrove there, of tropical rot and fresh-cut grass. He graciously sent along a recipe, which we adapted for use at home, in 2010. —Sam Sifton

Featured in: The Cheat: The Sunshine Plate

  • or to save this recipe.

  • Subscriber benefit: Give recipes to anyone

    As a subscriber, you have 10 gift recipes to give each month. Anyone can view them - even nonsubscribers. Learn more.

    Subscribe

  • Share this recipe

  • Print this recipe

    or to print this recipe.

Advertisement

Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter

  • 1 large clove garlic, minced

  • Juice of two large limes

  • 1 tablespoon Indonesian sambal (preferably sambal oelek, by Huy Fong, though sriracha will work as well)

  • Kosher salt

  • freshly ground black pepper to taste

  • 1 pound large, fresh, shell-on shrimp

  • 1 teaspoon jalapeño, seeded and chopped (optional)

  • 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

5 grams carbs; 213 milligrams cholesterol; 215 calories; 3 grams monosaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 7 grams saturated fat; 12 grams fat; 1 gram fiber; 405 milligrams sodium; 23 grams protein; 1 gram sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Powered by

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    In a small saucepan set over low heat, melt 1 tablespoon of butter. Add the garlic and cook, stirring for 2 minutes.

  2. Step 2

    Add remaining 3 tablespoons butter to saucepan. When it melts, stir in the lime juice, chili sauce, salt and pepper. Turn off the heat and allow the sauce to rest.

  3. Step 3

    Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add the shrimp and cook for 2 minutes or until they are just firm and pink. Do not overcook. Drain into a colander and shake over the sink to remove excess moisture.

  4. Step 4

    In a large bowl, toss the shrimp and chili sauce. Add jalapeño, if desired, sprinkle with cilantro and toss again.

Private Notes

Leave a Private Comment on this recipe and see it here.

Ratings

5 out of 5
1,433 user ratings
Your rating

or to rate this recipe.

Have you cooked this?

or to mark this recipe as cooked.

Comments

AmyR

Tip when using frozen shrimp - defrost them in salted water. Adds a lot of flavor!

Wendy

Man oh man! Sam Sifton never lets me down. I made the sauce then cooked the shrimp in the sauce until they were almost pink. Then I removed the shrimp and reduced the sauce to a glaze. I added the shrimp back into the pan, coated and cooked for one more minute. Delectable. Seriously. Sam, you are a culinary genius. Thank you thank you from Toronto.

Sue Llewellyn

I also removed the shells and oven roasted* the shrimp--salted, peppered, and tossed in a little olive oil--on a foil-lined sheet pan about 10 minutes @ 400 degrees, then proceeded as above, adding any accumulated juices to the sauce along with the shrimp.
*Broiling or even grilling 'em would also work.

Lakebluffer.

where’s the “chili dauce” in this? And if the recipe meant Salmon Oelek (sp?) why not say that!?

Thomas Stohlmeier

My changes to this receipe: use half a pound of butter and a bulb of garlic. Rest stays the same. The shrimp must swim in the sauce.

Cosima

The shells add a depth of flavor you can't replicate. Why is everyone removing them, contrary to the recipe? It is absolutely delectable as is. Sitting around a table, sharing a meal with people you care about, peeling shells -- it's all part of the celebration of this incredible dish.

Private comments are only visible to you.

Credits

Adapted from Greg Nelson at Doc Ford’s Sanibel Rum Bar and Grille, Sanibel Island, Fla

Recipe Tags

or to save this recipe.