| Want to strike fear into the hearts of most | | | | completed before beginning to cook your |
| cooks? Ask them to prepare shrimp. It's | | | | shrimp. |
| reportedly one of the most unnerving foods to | | | | |
| make, according to Global Seafood Magazine. | | | | Size plays a big role in cooking time with |
| That perception seems odd, considering shrimp | | | | larger shrimp, requiring a minute or two |
| are - in actuality - one of the easiest of | | | | longer than smaller ones. Tiny salad-sized |
| all entrees to make. | | | | shrimp (100 per pound) can take less than a |
| | | | minute to cook while extra large (10-12 per |
| Part of the aversion to shrimp is a fear of | | | | pound) can take several minutes. Generally |
| food poisoning. Cooking school graduates and | | | | speaking, medium-sized broiled shrimp can be |
| professional chefs will attest, however, that | | | | done in about two minutes. Saut饤 |
| undercooking shrimp is difficult simply | | | | shrimp are normally ready to eat in under |
| because they cook so quickly. Still, most | | | | four minutes. |
| people have a tendency to overcompensate, | | | | |
| thus ruining the texture and flavor. | | | | The More Liquid, The Lower the Heat |
| | | | |
| Fresh and Flavorful | | | | How do you determine the right temperature |
| | | | for various shrimp recipes? One Las Vegas |
| A great shrimp meal starts at the grocery | | | | culinary school instructs its students to use |
| store or fish market. You want to buy shrimp | | | | the guideline of "the more liquid, the lower |
| that smell like the ocean. You do not want | | | | the heat." For instance, when cooking a |
| shrimp that even have the slightest scent of | | | | seafood gumbo, there is obviously a lot of |
| ammonia. Depending on your cooking method, | | | | liquid. You would use lower heat and cook the |
| you can choose shrimp that are already | | | | shrimp for a longer period of time because |
| shelled and deveined. This works well for | | | | the liquid of the gumbo would keep them from |
| soups, stews, frying, sauté©(R)g or | | | | drying out. |
| grilling. | | | | |
| | | | If adding medium-sized shrimp to a finished, |
| Don't Overcook | | | | simmering gumbo, you might expect a cook time |
| | | | of about eight to 10 minutes. If, however, |
| The biggest and most common mistake cooks | | | | you are grilling shrimp that have been |
| make with shrimp is overcooking. When shrimp | | | | sprinkled with dry seasonings, you'll want to |
| are overcooked, they become tough and | | | | use medium-high to high heat. The shrimp will |
| rubbery. They also lose their naturally sweet | | | | cook within just two or three minutes. |
| flavor. That's not a meal anyone would want | | | | |
| to eat. | | | | Regardless of the recipe, remember that |
| | | | overcooking can ruin your shrimp. Start with |
| It is important to remember that shrimp cook | | | | fresh shrimp then cook them until their color |
| lightening fast whether tossed into a bisque | | | | turns a solid white or light pink. When you |
| or grilled on skewers. In fact, they cook so | | | | do, you'll have juicy, flavorful shrimp your |
| fast that some culinary school instructors | | | | family and friends will love. |
| advise having your side dishes almost | | | | |