Easy Poached Shrimp
- PREP 5min
- COOK 5min
- TOTAL 10min
How to poach shrimp so they turn out perfectly cooked and flavorful. Cooking times will vary depending on the size of your shrimp. The recipe below assumes large shrimp, but we have provided guidance for other sizes of shrimp in the article above.
You Will Need
1 pound large shrimp (31-40 per pound), see notes for cooking more than one pound
2 quarts water
1 lemon, cut in half
2 cloves garlic, peeled and lightly crushed
1 bay leaf
3 twists pepper grinder
1 ½ tablespoons salt
1/2 teaspoon Cajun seasoning, optional
Directions
Prepare shrimp: Depending on your serving preferences, you can choose to peel the shrimp or leave the shells intact. For salads, we peel and devein the shrimp before poaching. For a shrimp cocktail, you may want to peel and devein the shrimp while leaving the tails on.
Prepare poaching liquid: Add 2 quarts of water to a large pot and place it on the stove over high heat. Squeeze a little lemon juice into the water and drop the lemon halves into the pot. Add the garlic, bay leaf, pepper, salt, and Cajun seasoning. Bring the liquid to a rolling boil.
Poach the shrimp: Once the water reaches a rolling boil, remove the pot from the heat and immediately submerge the shrimp into the hot water. Use a timer to set the recommended cooking time: 2 to 3 minutes for medium shrimp, 3 minutes for large shrimp, and 4 to 5 minutes for jumbo shrimp. Shrimp turn from translucent to opaque when cooked. They should also feel firm and springy to the touch. If the shrimp is still floppy, it needs more cooking time.
Using tongs or a slotted spoon, carefully transfer the cooked shrimp to a plate. Allow them to cool by placing them in the refrigerator or plunge them into a prepared ice-water bath.
If you plan to poach another batch of shrimp, make sure the poaching liquid returns to a rolling boil before adding the second batch.
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- More than 1 pound of shrimp: Our poaching liquid recipe can accommodate multiple pounds of shrimp, but we recommend cooking 1 pound at a time. If you plan to poach more than one pound of shrimp, after poaching the first batch, ensure the poaching liquid returns to a rolling boil before removing the pot from the heat and adding the second batch of shrimp.
- The nutrition facts provided below are estimates.