How do you cook shrimp?

[SandwichShortOfAPicnic]

How about?

What did you cook or eat today (April 2024)?

Or

What did you cook/eat today (December 2017)?

Actually just posting those links to show how gently poached shrimp don't curl much. Though, French winter truffles should be available now.

Spain is a very truffley country. Quite easy to get and not quite so eye wateringly expensive as they are in the UK!

Poaching prawns, that’s not something I’ve done before. Any tips?

 

[medtran49]

Spain is a very truffley country. Quite easy to get and not quite so eye wateringly expensive as they are in the UK!

Poaching prawns, that’s not something I’ve done before. Any tips?

Just like you'd poach an egg, very gently in shimmering liquid.

And a tip from a real chef long ago, it's better to have slightly underdone shrimp than over cooked.

 

[SandwichShortOfAPicnic]

..it's better to have slightly underdone shrimp than over cooked.

Couldn’t agree more!

 

[medtran49]

Couldn’t agree more!

Yep, it just kills me to watch the "chefs" on TV talk about being sure not to overcook the shrimp, yet let them cook 3 or 4 times the length of what they should be cooked, all the while repeating you shouldn't overcook shrimp 2 or 3 times, then the "chefs" plate shrimp that are shaped like tight C's or even O's. Craig and I both yell at them.

 

[SandwichShortOfAPicnic]

Yep, it just kills me to watch the "chefs" on TV talk about being sure not to overcook the shrimp, yet let them cook 3 or 4 times the length of what they should be cooked, all the while repeating you shouldn't overcook shrimp 2 or 3 times, then the "chefs" plate shrimp that are shaped like tight C's or even O's. Craig and I both yell at them.

Lol. Yep!

I often adopt Jas’ method of cooking seafood separately so I can get them just so.
Although I am prone to throwing them in something lke a stirfry at the end because they’re the last ingredient in I can whip them off the heat at the optimal time.

Down on the beach here a lot of the seafood is served barely cooked, like it just touched the heat so it wouldn’t be cold!
The razor clams don’t feel/taste cooked at all!

 

[JAS_OH1]

Lol. Yep!

I often adopt Jas’ method of cooking seafood separately so I can get them just so.
Although I am prone to throwing them in something lke a stirfry at the end because they’re the last ingredient in I can whip them off the heat at the optimal time.

Down on the beach here a lot of the seafood is served barely cooked, like it just touched the heat so it wouldn’t be cold!
The razor clams don’t feel/taste cooked at all!

I know it sounds odd because I love sushi but in a dish where the seafood is supposed to be cooked, I sttongly dislike it undercooked. Fleshy clams would be off-putting.

 

[SandwichShortOfAPicnic]

I know it sounds odd because I love sushi but in a dish where the seafood is supposed to be cooked, I sttongly dislike it undercooked. Fleshy clams would be off-putting.

Google tells me they’re called Atlantic Jackknife Clams in America

I didn’t like them at all, they were translucent, squelchy and popped squirting fluid when you bit into them. Essentially they tasted raw and they have quite a tough outer membrane that’s also chewy.
I ate two or of the three on my plate.
The second one to try and find something I liked about it.
I couldn’t!

 

[JAS_OH1]

Google tells me they’re called Atlantic Jackknife Clams in America

I didn’t like them at all, they were translucent, squelchy and popped squirting fluid when you bit into them. Essentially they tasted raw and they have quite a tough outer membrane that’s also chewy.
I ate two or of the three on my plate.
The second one to try and find something I liked about it.
I couldn’t!

On the Food Network shows they call them razor clams. I've never heard them called Jacknife clams though it makes sense I suppose. I've never eaten one, though we have a lot of other types of clams here. It's just touch and go with some seafood (clam, squid, scallops, and octopus in particular). A tad underdone and they are unpleasant, and overcooked they turn into rubber.

 

[SandwichShortOfAPicnic]

On the Food Network shows they call them razor clams. I've never heard them called Jacknife clams though it makes sense I suppose. I've never eaten one, though we have a lot of other types of clams here. It's just touch and go with some seafood (clam, squid, scallops, and octopus in particular). A tad underdone and they are unpleasant, and overcooked they turn into rubber.

They’re not like any other clam I’ve ever tasted. I even thought at the time Why did they call this a clam?! Although its obvious why

 

[JAS_OH1]

They’re not like any other clam I’ve ever tasted. I even thought at the time Why did they call this a clam?! Although its obvious why

I think I would probably just chop it up and throw it in some chowder and call it a day.

 

[SandwichShortOfAPicnic]

I think I would probably just chop it up and throw it in some chowder and call it a day.

No chance of that.
There was no hiding from the squelchy chewy translucent slug like tube

 

[JAS_OH1]

View attachment 121787
No chance of that.
There was no hiding from the squelchy chewy translucent slug like tube

No, no that's not what I meant at all. I meant if cooking them at home. But, OTOH, I have been known to take food home from restaurants and repurpose it in another meal to my own liking on more than one occasion.

 

[Puggles]

I always follow the C and O rules to avoid overcooking shrimp.

When you cook it, it will tighten into a C shape. That is perfect. If it tightens all the way to an O shape, it's overcooked.

I like this. I can use this.

 

[karadekoolaid]

I need another way too cook raw shrimp besides boiling them

I never boil them. Poach, at just barely a simmer, in equal parts of white wine/water, salt added. As soon as they begin to change colour, pull them out.

 

[Justfoodandlife]

Oh my. I love shrimp. Let me count the ways! I have found that they often will curl up when they are fresh and that's hard to avoid. I like to butterfly the jumbo 16/20 count shrimp/prawns and lay them flat in a baking pan with a roasted garlic butter sauce and topped with parmesan/romano cheese before baking, and they tend to not curl up as much when I do that. A few months back I prepped them like that in a foil pan and we stuck them in the smoker, and the butter garlic parmesan sauce had this fantastic smoky flavor that was so good being soaked up with some crusty bread (baguettes made with my sourdough starter, thank you Puggles).

I also love breading them in a buttermilk eggwash with a mix of regular breadcrumbs and Panko. Also yum. Edit to add that I fried them after.

And of course there is always the good ole shrimp cocktail. Or using the shrimp in a seafood chowder or seafood pasta...and more. Whatcha gonna do?

Thanks for sharing. I love the roasted garlic butter sauce baking method, especially with parmesan on top. Need to try it out!