Conference turris::cooks

    How long are you cooking it for?  I use medium to large shrimp and
    I've never cooked any longer than 5 minutes!  As soon as they're
    a nice light pink, they're done.
    
    for cocktail - drop in boiling water for about 3-5 minutes
    for stir fry - add as last ingredient and again 3-5 minutes.
    
    When I bake them with stuffing they don't seem to shrink all that
    much - cook 1/2 hour to 45 minutes.

    My guess is that you are cooking it too long.  Shrimp should be
    cooked until a nice pink color if you are using frozen uncooked
    shrimp.  Precooked shrimp need only be heated through for about
    5 min. or less.

    
    Cook unfrozen medium shrimp for 2 min.

    
    Peter

    Shrimp should be cooked at exactly 119 degrees farenheit until the
    internal temperature is 104 degrees. this way the shrimp will not
    shrink or lose any of its moisture and it can be stored for days
    without losing moisture or flavor.
    
    							Geoff
    

    RE: .4
    
    You are joking about cooking 'exactly 119 degrees' and an internal
    temp of 104, aren't you?  I haven't found a thermometer small enough 
    to fit into a shrimp! :-)                       
    
    If you aren't joking, how do you determine this?  (I am very gullible
    as you can see.)

    "JP"
    
       We can't all afford "WICKED" big shrimp.  We work
       for DEC remember.  Now, how do we check the temp.
       on "LITTLE" shrimp.  Your the culinary expert. 8-)
    
    "Nanski"                                             

    Has anyone ever cooked their shrimp in beer...
    
    1 can of beer
    1 cut up onion
    garlic salt/or cloves of garlic
    celery salt/or celery cut up
    red hot pepper flaked/if you desire..hot to taste
    almost any spice you want to add for flavor
    
    bring all to boil..shut off heat and let set in mixture till flavor
    desired...
                                                                
    
    or just boil in beer for 5 - 7 min. and enjoy with cocktail sauce
    or melted butter...
    
    

    I do it by taste.   If the shrimp taste very salty and/or oceany
    it's not done.  Shrimp should taste like shrimp, not the sea.
    
    Also, shrimp that is not cooked enough will have a sort of transparent
    look about it.
    
    dave  
    
    Hi Geoff!

    If you like garlic, onions, and shrimp, try this:
    
    1 to 1.5 pounds medium fresh-cooked shrimp  (not frozen - poor texture)
    10 - 20 cloves of garlic individually 'squashed'
    4 medium onions cut into bite size chunks
    several peppercorns
    good olive oil to cover
    
    Put everything into a large ceramic pot and let in marinate AT LEAST
    overnight in the refrigerator.  The longer the better.  The shrimp
    picks up the flavor of the garlic and onions and is delicious.
    Serve with toothpicks and napkins.  Only one word of caution :
    keep some breath mints handy !!!

    I forgot - When these are served, put some onion and garlic pieces
    in the bowl too.  The onions are especially good.

    It's also good to put a few whole peppercorns in the water while
    you boil the shrimp.  Adds a nice "sparky" taste.
    
    dave

    In a Chinese cookbook I got courtesy of pointers in this file, it
    says after cleaning the shrimp to let them stand under cold running
    water and to gently massage them.  I was skeptical, but it works
    - they are like the shrimp you get in a good Chinese restaurant,
    they "pop" when you bite into them and aren't mushy.
    
    Basically, I just grab each one between thumb and index & middle
    finger and kinda wiggle.  You can feel them get firmer, and you'll be
    able to tell which ones you haven't done yet.  This doesn't take
    much time, just do it in the sink in a colander when you're rinsing
    them.
    
    Terry

    This is probably too late .. but my husband works for a fish company,
    and this is how they cook shrimp "professionally".
    
    Buy raw frozen shrimp.  Boil a pot of water, then add shrimp.  Once the
    water starts to boil cook the shrimp for exactly 1 minute, then drain
    and put in a bowl of ICE water.  (Yes, a bowl with ice cubes in it.)
    That stops the cooking immediately. 
    
    More often than not, people overcook shrimp, which is why it tastes so
    chewy.

    Thanks for the info on boiling shrimp.  How would you go about cooking
    shrimp for shrimp scampi.  I put the raw shrimp in melted butter,
    garlic, etc. and bake and then brown in the broiler.
    
       I'm making this Christmas Eve so would appreciate any professional
    advice.
    
       Flo

           For my shrimp scampi I  marinate my raw shrimp in a mixture
    of white wine, olive oil, fresh garlic, italian seasoning, lemon juice,
    black pepper and onion powder. I try to marinate for 3-4 hours turning
    shrimp every hour. I then saute the shrimp with a little of the
    marinate that I used on the shrimp. When one batch is done  put them
    right in the already heated clam sauce that I buy right from the store.
    I beleive that the brand I use is Palstien (sp??). I serve this over 
    pasta with garlic bread and salad. Be sure again not to over saute the
    shrimp, just about a minute on each side.

    
    Beware.  If you're going to marinate shellfish in an acid solution
    (wine, lemon juice, etc.) take care not to over do it.  I made the sad
    mistake of marinating a whole lot of shrimp in a lime juice/tequila
    marinade overnight.  They "cooked" in the marinade and when grilled
    were the texture of steel-belted radials.
    
    I'd say an hour at most, and pull 'em quick if they turn opaque. 
    
    Mike.

    RE: .18
                  Sounds like you should of thrown away the shrimp and
    drank the marinate. Actually, I only use the juice from a couple of
    slices froam a real lemon. 

    -1.
    
    Well, yes.  But it also had coriander, garlic and red pepper flakes,
    which makes for a peculiar cocktail.  (It's really good stuff if you
    don't leave it too long....)
    
    

    After an all nighter in the marinade... the shrimp might have been real
    good without further cooking.