The Only Boiled Shrimp Recipe You'll Ever Need

Boiled shrimp may sound fussy: You have to peel shrimp, devein it, boil it, drain it, and then pat it dry before offering it up on a platter for hungry friends and family. But we do this because we want the boiled shrimp to absorb as much flavor as possible in its short cooking time—and it is indeed short.

So to get the most flavor, you'll cook the shrimp with the shells in order to create an aromatic broth that the shrimp will soak up along with all the seasonings. The resulting boiled shrimp is a lot more flavorful than shrimp boiled in water or even beer.

Learn how to boil shrimp, and enjoy making this quick and easy appetizer or dinner any time you have guests over.

Ingredients for Boiled Shrimp

The shrimp shells pull double duty to create a supremely flavorful poaching liquid. You'll just add to that with a few seasonings and some citrus. Here's what you'll need to make boiled shrimp:

• Extra-large unpeeled raw shrimp: Don't go smaller than 21/25 shrimp for this recipe because the larger shrimp make for a better eating experience and allow you to cook the shrimp a little longer.
• Tap water: The precise measurement for tap water is needed so that the concentration of the poaching liquid is spot on.
• Kosher salt and black peppercorns: For seasoning.
• Garlic powder: Adds great depth to the poaching liquid.
• Dried bay leaves: Bay leaves lend a bit of herbal flavor to the broth that you won't get from any other herb or spice.
• Lemons: Lemon halves are used in the poaching liquid, and lemon wedges are used for serving.
• Cracked black pepper: A final sprinkle of cracked black pepper over the shrimp balances the natural saltiness of the dish.
• Cocktail sauce: We love the classic combo of cocktail sauce and shrimp, but you can use a variety of dipping sauces.

How To Boil Shrimp

Our recipe for boiled shrimp breaks everything down to the basics, but we take steps to make sure the final dish is as flavorful as possible. That does require an extra step or two: We suggest you use shell-on shrimp and then peel and devein it so you can use the shells for the poaching liquid.

The shrimp cook quickly, so it's a good idea to know the process before it starts. Here's a brief outline; the full recipe is further below:

• Step 1. Prepare the shrimp: Cut through the shells, and remove the vein on each shrimp. Then, peel the shrimp—but leave the tails on—and don't throw away the shells.
• Step 2. Prepare poaching liquid: In a large stockpot, combine the water, salt, pepper, garlic powder, bay leaves, and lemon halves. Bring to a boil. Once boiling, add the shrimps shells, and simmer for several minutes to extract flavor and get the liquid ready for cooking the shrimp. Remove the shells before adding the shrimp, and discard them.
• Step 3. Boil shrimp: Add the prepared shrimp to the poaching liquid, and simmer until the shrimp are just cooked through. Immediately drain the shrimp in a colander, and run cool water over them. Toss out the bay leaves and lemon halves.
• Step 4. Prepare to serve: Spread the shrimp on a platter, and pat dry. Serve right away or chill until ready to serve. Finish the plate with cracked black pepper, lemon wedges, and cocktail sauce.
  

How Long To Boil Shrimp

For this boiled shrimp recipe, we suggest cooking the shrimp two to three minutes, or until they are bright pink and just cooked through. Smaller shrimp need less time.

The shrimp will continue to cook after they're drained and rinsed, so you want to keep an eye on them while they're cooking. Immediately rinse them with cool water to stop the cooking process so they don't overcook and become bouncy.

Should Shrimp Be Boiled With Shells On or Off?

It depends on what your final dish is. For boiled shrimp, you can poach the shrimp in its shell, especially if you are cooking for a large crowd and peeling all the shrimp is too time consuming. The shell imparts a deeper flavor to the shrimp and will somewhat protect them from overcooking should your attention be diverted during cooking.

If you're boiling shrimp without shells, add the shells to the poaching liquid if you still have them to create an aromatic broth to cook shrimp in, like we did in this recipe.

How To Pick Fresh Shrimp

Avoid shrimp that smell like ammonia or have shells that feel soft, and skip any shrimp that are slimy.

Wild-caught shrimp have a more pronounced shrimp flavor. If you can't find wild-caught, choose responsibly farmed ones.

Our Tips for the Best Boiled Shrimp

The Southern Living Test Kitchen offers a few tips and variations that will make this recipe even better:

• Leave things intact: You can devein the shrimp after they're cooked if you prefer. This will result in shrimp that curl a little less, if you want straighter shrimp.
• Flavor the boil: You can use any seasonings in the boiling water. Add some hot peppers or a pre-made mix of your favorite seasonings. You can also change the flavor by using various aromatics like fennel and leeks.
• Skip water: Instead of water, use wine to poach shrimp, and serve with warmed butter.
• Dip choices: Serve with a punchy remoulade, creamy jalapeño dip, or warmed spiced butter or good olive oil.
  

How To Store Boiled Shrimp

Store cooked shrimp for up to two days in an airtight container in the shrimp. If you bought shrimp that was previously frozen, we do not recommend freezing them again, even after cooking. If the shrimp was fresh, you can freeze them in an airtight container for up to a month.