Preserved Shrimp in Vinegar Brine

Readyto make some kickass pickled prawns for your Bloody Mary or as a tasty snack? Here's a straightforward recipe inspired by Southern-style pickled shrimp, tailored for prawns:

What ya gonna need:- 1 pound of peeled, deveined prawns (go for smaller ones if available)- 1 cup sliced up red onion- 1 cup thinly sliced cucumber (optional)- 1/4 cup white wine vinegar- 1/4 cup H2O- 2 tbsp pickling spice- 1 tsp kosher salt- 2 tsp fresh lemon juice- 1/4 tsp black pepper- 2 tbsp olive oil- 2 tbsp chopped parsley or dill for decoration

Step 1: Thaw those frozen babies if using, and give 'em a quick boil if they ain't already cooked. Once they're pinky, chill 'em.

Step 2: In a saucepan, mix that vinegar, water, pickling spice, salt, lemon juice, and black pepper. Heat this bad boy over medium heat until the salt dissolves, then take it off the damn heat.

Step 3: Throw the sliced onion and cucumber (if you're feeling fancy) into a bowl. Pour the warm pickling liquid over 'em and let 'em chill till room temperature.

Step 4: Once the pickling liquid has cooled, toss in those chilled prawns. Give 'em a gentle stir to make sure they're all submerged. Cover that bowl with some plastic wrap and stick it in the fridge for at least 24 hours or up to 3 days.

Step 5: Remove the prawns from the pickling juice, dry 'em off with some paper towels, and serve 'em with the pickled onion slices. Garnish that shit with parsley or dill for a pop of color.

Optional Mayonnaise Topping for Snack: If you wanna take it to the next level as a snack, mix mayonnaise with a tad of lemon juice or Dijon mustard and spread it on some toast before topping with those pickled prawns.

Makin' 'em work in Bloody Mary: Just slide a few pickled prawns on a cocktail pick or skewer with other garnishes and serve in a Bloody Mary cocktail.

Feel free to customize the flavors by adding more spices to the pickling liquid, like garlic or chili flakes for an extra kick. Enjoy, you saucy devil!

This recipe includes prawns that are imbued with flavorful pickling liquid, which consists of 1/4 cup white wine vinegar, 1/4 cup H2O, 2 tbsp pickling spice, 1 tsp kosher salt, 2 tsp fresh lemon juice, and 1/4 tsp black pepper.
To make the pickled prawns, initially, thaw the frozen prawns, boil them if necessary, then refrigerate them until they become pink.
Submerged in the cooled pickling liquid, along with sliced red onion and thinly sliced cucumber (optional), the prawns get refrigerated for at least 24 hours or up to 3 days before serving.
Once the prawns are pickled, they can be served on their own with pickled onion slices, or as a tasty topping for toast smeared with a mixture of mayonnaise, lemon juice, or Dijon mustard, giving it an additional flavorful twist.