DESCRIPTION
This is the best way to cook frozen shrimp. They end up so tender and juicy.
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 large frozen shrimp (21–25 count per pound, deveined and peeled or deveined and easy peel)*
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/2 of a lemon (optional)
- 8–10 peppercorns (optional)
- a handful of fresh parsley (optional)
Instructions
- Fill a 3 quart saucepan 3/4 full of water.
- Add salt. If using, squeeze the juice of the lemon into the pot and add the peel and flesh once squeezed. Add the peppercorns and parsley if using.
- Bring the pot to a rapid boil over high heat.
- Remove from the heat and let it stop boiling.
- Add the frozen shrimp. Stir. Put the lid on the saucepan. Cover the pot. Let sit off of the heat for 5-6 minutes**, until shrimp are opaque and pink.
- If serving cold, prepare an ice bath: In a large bowl put two cups of ice cubes and fill halfway with cold water.
- When shrimp are cooked, drain off the hot liquid and serve immediately or transfer shrimp (but not the aromatics) to the ice bath. Let them sit in there for a few minutes to fully cool off before draining.
- Serve as is or peel them first.
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Notes
*NOTE: You can do as many as 20 shrimp in that same sized pot with that same amount of water. They’ll just take longer to all cook through, about 8-10 minutes. If you want to do more shrimp than that, use a bigger pot with more boiled water in it and it will work perfectly.
**It is better to err on the side of more time than less time. If the shrimp look done but aren’t quite ready, they will be mushy. So if you’re not sure, leave them a bit longer. And if you try one and it’s a bit mushy, let everything stay in the water a bit longer.