How long to boil shrimp till done?

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georgevan

Senior Cook
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I probably cooked with shrimp twice in my life. Does shrimp have to be boiled? What if is eaten raw? What about fried?
 
In my opinion, shrimp shouldn't be boiled - it's too easy to overcook them, which makes them tough. I prefer to poach them. I bring a pot of water to a boil and add the juice of half a lemon, and the cut lemon, a few crushed peppercorns, a couple bay leaves and salt. Then I turn the heat off and let the water cool down a little. Then I add the shrimp, stir them around, and let them sit in the hot water for about 10 minutes, stirring every few minutes. Cut into one to check whether they're done.

I like fried shrimp, but I don't make it at home. I wouldn't eat raw shrimp, although I have had shrimp ceviche, very thinly sliced.
 
Shrimp is small and cooks very very very quickly. Depending on the size, it can take as little as a minute or as long as 3-4 minutes. Anything longer, and it's overcooked. You want to cook shrimp until it curls into a "C" shape. If it curls all the way to an "O" shape, it's overcooked.
 
Check the package label. Most shrimp in the fish market of the store states cooked shrimp on the label. Add thawed rinsed & drained shrimp as the last ingredient in your recipe.
 
I thaw the raw IQF easy-peel shrimp in a bowl of cold water while my pot of water comes to a boil.

I cook the thawed raw shell-on shrimp in a pot of simmering/boiling water until they float aggressively, approx. three minutes after the water comes back up to temp.

I transfer the shrimp to a bowl of ice water and peel them. I store the peeled shrimp in a covered container, lined with a paper towel, in the refrigerator for up to three days.

This method gives me dry crunchy shrimp for salads and shrimp cocktails.

Here is another method from a familiar face.

 
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Bring liquid of your choice to a boil. Add shrimp (I always buy 15 count) return to boil, turn off heat and let steep until shrimp are pink and done. It only take a few minutes.
 
I steam or poach them. Cook until they start to form the "C" as above. Remove from heat immediately.

I would much rather eat a slightly undercooked shrimp than overcooked dry, tough shrimp.
 
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