Shrimp are small crustaceans commonly served in many different types of cuisine. Shrimp meat is tender, succulent and easily overcooked if heated incorrectly. Simmering shrimp prevents their delicate meat from drying out during the cooking process. Once cooked, you can eat the shrimp warm or chill them in ice water before serving them. Approximately 5 minutes is required to simmer shrimp. This recipe yields four large servings or six small servings.
Step 1
Place the shrimp into a strainer, and rinse them under cool, running water for 1 minute.
Step 2
Sprinkle the shrimp with the salt, if desired, and shake the strainer to coat all the shrimp.
Step 3
Pour 4 inches of warm water into a pan, and place it over high heat. Bring the water to a boil and reduce the heat to medium.
Step 4
Place the rinsed shrimp into the pan, and cover it with the lid. Allow the shrimp to simmer for 5 minutes or until their flesh turns opaque.
Step 5
Remove the shrimp from the pan. If you would like to serve the shrimp cold, transfer them to the bowl of ice water. Allow the shrimp to cool for 10 minutes before removing them from the water to serve. Otherwise, allow the shrimp to cool at room temperature for 3 minutes before serving them.
Tips and Warnings
- Refrigerate leftover simmered shrimp immediately and consume them within 24 hours.
Things You'll Need
- 1 cup fresh or thawed shrimp, peeled and deveined
- Strainer
- 1 tsp. salt (optional)
- Large bowl of ice water (optional)
References
- "The Ultimate Shrimp Book"; Bruce Weinstein; 2002
- "Louisiana Seafood Bible: The Shrimp"; Jerald Horst, et al.; 2009
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