Brian in the Kitchen Recipes
BRIAN IN THE KITCHEN brought to you by Stittsworth Meats
September 17 2020
How to Cook Shrimp
Image From tipbuzz.com
Shrimp is generally really easy to cook, and there is a style of shrimp and a shrimp recipe to suit everyone’s taste. You can cook shrimp based on the following techniques/equipment, cuisines and seasonings.
FRYING / SAUTÉING
Sautéed shrimp is the best way to cook shrimp, and often the fastest. Popular recipes using this technique include Teriyaki Shrimp, Blackened Shrimp and Garlic Butter Shrimp.
For this method, you need to place a non-stick pan or skillet with oil over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add shrimp (seasoned or marinated) and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes each side until they turn pink and start to curl up.
BAKING
Baked shrimp is another common way to cook shrimp. If your dish includes other vegetables, usually you need to bake those vegetables first and then add shrimp at a later stage.
Bake your shrimp at 400°F for 7-8 minutes until they turn pink and start to curl. Sheet Pan Baked Shrimp Fajitas is a popular baked shrimp recipe on my blog.
DEEP FRYING
Fried shrimp is not as common as the two methods above, but produces a crispy texture that is so delicious and found often in restaurants. The cooking technique starts with coating and breading the shrimp, and then deep frying them in at 375°F for 1-2 minutes until golden brown.
Bang Bang Shrimp and Coconut Shrimp are popular fried shrimp recipes that use this technique.
BOILING
Boiling is an easy and simple way to cook shrimp and is used for Shrimp Boil, Shrimp Salad, and other recipes. With this technique, you need to boil the water and add other ingredients.
When everything is cooked, add shrimp. Stir and cook for 7-10 minutes. This method works well with both thawed and frozen shrimp, and you can also leave the shell on.
BARBECUING / GRILLING
Shrimp works beautifully for barbecuing and grilling. The basic technique is to start by brushing the shrimp with oil, add seasoning and grill for 2 minutes per side until the shells turn hot pink.
HOW LONG TO COOK SHRIMP
Cooking time for raw shrimp varies slightly for different sizes and different methods. It takes 3-4 minutes to sauté medium-sized shrimp on the stove, while it will take 7-8 minutes in the oven. Cooking frozen shrimp will take longer.
Shrimp tastes best when it’s properly cooked. It should taste firm and slightly chewy. Over-cooked shrimp are rubbery and too chewy. Most raw shrimp are grey and translucent. As they cook, they start to turn pink and opaque in color and curl up in shape.
SOME TIPS:
Most shrimp recipes use thawed raw shrimp instead of precooked shrimp, so make sure you have the right ones for your recipe.
If your shrimp is frozen, you’ll need to thaw them before cooking. An easy way is to thaw them in the refrigerator overnight, or place the frozen shrimp in a colander in the sink and let the cold tap water run through the shrimp. Here is detailed information on How to Thaw Shrimp. Remember to always pat them dry with a paper towel to remove excess moisture before cooking.