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Shrimp are a wonderful seafood delicacy. Their meat is delicate and sweet, they take only a few minutes to cook, and presentation is never a problem with a half of a lemon. Here is a surefire way to cook shrimp or prawns. For best results, use fresh, wild shrimp.
Ingredients
- 1 lb fresh, wild shrimp
- 1/4 cup cider vinegar
- 1 pinch salt
- 3 to 4 tablespoons Old Bay Seasoning, or to taste
- Ice-water
- 1 lemon, sliced in half, for garnish
Steps
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Bring a large pot of water to just to a boil. You want enough water to comfortably hold all the shrimp. There should be about 1 to 2 inches (2.5 to 5.1 cm) more water than there is shrimp.- To the water, add:
- 1/4 cup cider vinegar
- Pinch of salt
- Seasoning. Zatarain's Shrimp Boil seasonings may be used, or Old Bay seasoning, or a combination of both. Either use a small box of Zatarain's, 3 to 4 tablespoons of Old Bay, or a box of Zatarain's with 1 tablespoon (14.8 ml) of Old Bay.
- To the water, add:
- Boil the water for a few minutes to season well. This helps turn the water into more of a broth or brine, which you'll then sink the shrimp into.Advertisement
- Boil the shrimp until a few start floating on top of the water. There is no set time for boiling shrimp, but smaller shrimp (50+ per pound) will take around 2 to 3 minutes, while larger shrimp (~30 per pound) will take around 5 to 7 minutes. This is only a guideline however.
- If you feel like you want to check for doneness, shrimp is cooked when the thickest part of the flesh is opaque.
- Take care not to overcook the shrimp. Overcooked shrimp become tough and rubbery. Remove the shrimp from the heat as soon as a few begin popping up to the top of the water.
- Drain the shrimp in a colander and shock immediately in an ice-bath. Just submerge the colander in the ice bath and take out immediately. This will more or less stop the shrimp from overcooking.
- Drain all water from shrimp, set on platter, and garnish with a half of a lemon. Enjoy!
Community Q&A
- QuestionHow can I avoid frozen shrimp turning rubbery while cooking?
QamarTop AnswererAvoid over-boiling the shrimp and cooking it for more than needed. Allow frozen shrimp to thaw fully before boiling. - QuestionI forgot to put Old Bay seasoning when I cooked my shrimp. Is there any way I can fix that?QamarTop AnswererTry sprinkling salt and black pepper over the shrimp to give it more flavor, or use another seasoning instead.
- QuestionWhat is a good substitute for Old Bay?
Community Answer3 parts salt, 1 part cayenne pepper, 1 part herbal poultry seasoning (mixture of powdered bay, sage, thyme, rosemary, marjoram).
Tips
- Do not overcook the shrimp it makes them tough with no flavor.Thanks
- Garlic cloves 2-4 and / or 1-2 Onion's can be added to the boil to kick it up a notch or two.Thanks
- Old shrimp or frozen shrimp do not peel well.Thanks
References
About This Article
To cook boiled shrimp, start by bringing a large pot of water to a boil. Then, add 1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar, a pinch of salt, and your favorite seasonings. Next, drop some fresh shrimp into the pot, and let them cook until they start floating to the surface of the water. Finally, drain the shrimp in a colander, and dunk them in an ice bath before serving them. To learn how to garnish boiled shrimp, scroll down!
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