Boiling shrimp

[FF_T_Warren]

Ok guys normally I can cook pretty much anything including crawfish, crabs etc. However I have never boiled shrimp. I need to know the secret to boiling them so they peel good and taste good(don't they require a little extra seasoning because they don't soak up much seasoning?)

Thanks for the help

[joshdomingue]

this is how We do it .......... My uncle got this from an offshore cook........ get the water boiling and add shrimp. When the water comes back to a boil wait 5 minutes and kill the heat. Let them soak for 10 minutes then pour them on a platter and let them cool. they peel great for me

[fishinpox]

Get water boiling dump in shrimp .. Depending on amount of water it may not need to come back to boil just check em pull one out cut it in half if it looks done or close turn it off , throw in a few sticks of butter this helps with the peeling . After the butter melts throw a 10# bag of Ice in the wAter to cool it down and stop cooking process , it also help the shrimp soak up flavor faster. Also if u see the shrimp float to the top during boil shut it off they r done

[cabwiz2]

Try putting the shrimp in the water before you put it on the fire. yes sounds dumb but works. Stops most of the sticking problems. I turn off when water starts to boil and try one or 2 every min or so till it s cooked how i like it.

[southern151]

The method that has worked very well for me is to not add anything more than liquid boil until after they are done boiling. The salt makes the shell stick. In boiling water, add shrimp. Bring back to a boil for approx 2-3 min. Pick a few out and see if the top of the shell(the ridge of the back) is starting to seperate. If so, they are cooked. Cut the fire off. Add seasoning and ice(adjust to amount of water). Let em soak for about 20 minutes or so. Adjust soak time and amount of seasoning to spice level preference.

Again, this is something that has worked very well for me. I'm sure there are other methods that work as well.

[evidrine]

I hear a lot about the "ice" method. I'm seriously thinking about giving it a try. Never any problems with the way I do it now, but I am getting curious to see if it works. I'm one of those who will have to try it myself before I'll take anyones word for it. The concept seem right...

[Gerald]

Warren..... here is how I boil my shrimp. I have not tried to put butter or oil in the water..... but I hear it make peeling shrimp easier. I find when the boiling pot comes back to a boil after putting in the shrimp, in a short time [less than 5 minutes] and you turn off the fire after 1 mimute of boiling...... the shrimp should peel fairly easy. If they are cooked too long = hard to peel.

.
Boiling Shrimp [for 5 lbs]

Crab boil......I only use Zatarain's liquid "Shrimp & Crab Boil". How much....depends on the amount of water and how much shrimp you are cooking. A general guide would be about 8 oz plus 8 oz more for every 5 lbs of shrimp. If you are cooking say 10+ lbs or more.....cut this down to say 5 oz per 5 lbs, so that would be ~ 28 oz of "crab" boil to cook 20 lbs of shrimp. Put enoug water in the pot so that the shrimp will be covered with water, plus a little more.

Seasoning.......I use liquid crab boil, 1 toe of garlic [cut up or crushed], a couple of teaspoons of Tabasco sauce, a couple of teaspoons of both red and black pepper, 2 or 3 onions cut in half and 2 or 3 whole onions. Salt and lemons are added after the fire is cut off.

After the seasoning boils for a few minutes, I take out a sample of the water and let it cool some before giving it a taste. After boiling seafood a few times, you get an idea to know if the seasoning is about right. I then put the shrimp in and stir the water a couple of times. If I am just cooking say 5 lbs, I will put the shrimp in the bag that onions are often sold in. This makes it easy to just take the sack out when the shrimp are ready. No scooping required.

After the water starts boiling.....I let it boil for 1 minute and turn the fire off. I then add 3/4 of a round can of plain salt. This is ~ 20 oz of salt. I also add 3 or 4 lemons [cut in half and squeezed]. Stir up the water to dissolve the salt. . I let the shrimp soak for ~ 10 minutes and taste a couple. I usually let the shrimp soak for 15 to 20 minutes.

Potatoes & corn......are nice to eat also when cooked in seasoned water.
Potatoes take 15 to 20 minutes and corn ~ 10 minutes in boiling water. I prefer to cook these as a "second" batch because the corn [and maybe the potatoes] can get too much seasoning if you put them in first. When cooked as a second batch......add the rest of the salt [1/4 can] when boiling 4 or more potatoes.

If you are cooking more than one batch of shrimp.....cut back on the amount seasoning you add to the water. Only use about 1/2 as much.

Don't try to cook more shrimp than what will easily fit in your pot because it will take much longer to bring it back up to a boil and the shrimp may not be easy to peel. Also, I find "fresh" shrimp much much better than buying frozen shrimp. I cooked some frozen shrimp this spring.....they just did not taste as good as fresh shrimp.

[joshdomingue]

the thing with shrimp is you want them to cool as fast as possible or they keep on cooking in the shell and become hard to peel.......... at least thats what i've been told

[booyagasha]

yea yea on the butter...that's my secret for easy to peel, and juicy crawfish/shrimp

i've heard people adding a cup of oil at the beginning of soak time, for crawfish, supposedly helps with peeling and makes them juicy.....i rather butter

[evidrine]

....yea I may try the butter thing next time also!

[flounder_smacker]

how much you cooking? i usually do 5 pounds for me and the lady. i started doing mine on the stove some old black woman gave me this method. you need a good size pot i use a magnalite 8quart and its plenty for 5 pounds. cut up 2 onions and one bell pepper into bite size pieces these are good to eat when eating the swimps. put that in the pot with some diced garlic and a lil olive oil and cook till onions start to clear. next add a whole stick of butter melt that and then throw your swimps in. cover and let cook for about 5 mins then stir them around and keep cooking and turning them over trying to keep the lid on as much as possible. you dont need any water as the shrimp throw off water. dont overcook them as they get hard to peel. when they turn good redish orange color cut one open and see if its cooked. as far as seasoning i use a good bit of tonys and just a lil salt. i like doing it on the stove cause its quick and dont have to pull out the big pot and burner.

[FF_T_Warren]

thanks for all the tips guys. came out great and peeled like a charm