How to Cook Shrimp

One of the most popular seafood choices in America is shrimp, and many people love eating this tasty seafood. However, many times you'll find that shrimp are frozen and processed out at sea, and when you purchase them, often they will still have the shells on them. Wondering how to cook shrimp? Well, here is your simple guide to cooking shrimp so you are able to enjoy a wonderful meal of shrimp when you are done.

Shell and DeveinThe first thing that you need to do if you want to know how to cook shrimp is to shell and devein them. This is important, and it can take a little work. You may want to look for shrimp that is "easy peel" when you are purchasing it to make sure you can easily get this job done. Also, you can purchase shrimp that is already peeled and deveined for you, but it will cost you a bit more.

Start the CookingIf you want to know how to cook shrimp, once you have all of your shrimp shelled and deveined, it's time to fill a pan with about two quarts of water per pound of shrimp you plan on cooking. Turn the stove on high and bring that water to a rolling boil. Once it comes to a boil, add a bit of salt and perhaps some lemon juice if you wish. Then, shut the heat off and put the entire pound of shrimp into the hot water. The shrimp should stay in the water from about 3-5 minutes or longer if they are not quite done yet. Shrimp will taste the best when they are very gently cooked.

How to See if They're DoneWhen you are trying to figure out how to cook shrimp, you may need to check to see whether or not your shrimp are done. You can do this by cutting one piece in half and making sure that the flesh is totally opaque all the way through. If this is the case, then it is done. You may want to do this on a couple of the larger pieces to make sure all of the shrimp is done. Once you are sure that they are totally done, then take them out of the water right away.

Other MethodsOf course there are some other methods of cooking shrimp as well if you are interested in how to cook shrimp. Some of them include frying, sauting, grilling, steaming, or even baking them in an oven. Of course the most important thing you need to remember is to never overcook the shrimp or they can become quite tough.