Name: How To: Perfectly Boil Shrimp
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 4 quarts cold water; 2 lemons, halved; 1 small onion, sliced; 1 large thyme sprig; 2 cloves garlic, peeled and bruised; 2 bay leaves; 1 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning; 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns; 2 pounds fresh shrimp (16/20 size)

Ingredients

Scale

4 quarts cold water
2 lemons, halved
1 small onion, sliced
1 large thyme sprig
2 cloves garlic, peeled and bruised
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
2 pounds fresh shrimp (16/20 size)

Instructions

Fill a large pot with 4 quarts of water. Squeeze the juice from the lemons then toss in the lemon halves, onion, thyme, garlic, bay leaves, Old Bay, and peppercorn to the water.
Bring to a boil for 5 minutes.
Add shrimp and return to a boil.
Once it reaches a boil, cover and remove from heat. Let sit for 5 mins.
Drain shrimp in a colander and dip the colander in an ice bath to prevent overcooking.
Enjoy with cocktail sauce or use in a recipe that requires cooked shrimp.

Notes

The size of shrimp will affect how long you boil them. The key is to look for a separation of the shell from the shrimp. As soon as you see this drain the shrimp because they are perfectly cooked.