Shrimp is really quick to make and it’s delicious. So why don’t people make them more often? Well, that might have something to do with the small margin of error involved in the cooking process. Because they cook quickly, you can easily overcook them and cause them to become rubbery. It is also easy to get jumpy and take them off the heat too soon. And this is just the beginning.
Still, that doesn’t mean that you should avoid shrimp. Practice makes perfect, and if you are patient enough, you’ll get really good at making them. Just don’t make these mistakes below.
Cooking Shrimp With Its Head Still On
Headless shrimp is the way to go and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. It turns out that most of the fat in shrimp is stored in its head. This fat will cause cooked shrimp to get a mushy texture and lose some flavor. On the other hand, headless shrimp will be flavorful and crunchy.
Defrosting in the Microwave
The worst thing you can do to the shrimp you’re about to cook is to defrost it in the microwave. Look away for a second, and it will start cooking from the inside, and you’ll have a rubbery shrimp no matter what. Instead, leave them in the fridge overnight or submerge them in cold water for around 20 minutes. This is, of course, if you bought the frozen version. If you got your hand on some fresh shrimp, good for you.
Not Cleaning it Properly
If you want delicious shrimp, you need to properly clean it before you start cooking, and we don’t mean just the head. You should also remove its intestines and shell to end up with the best flavor.
Not Paying Attention to Cs and Os
A great way to determine whether the shrimp is cooked is to pay attention to the Cs and Os. If the shrimp has a “C” shape, it is perfectly cooked. If it turns into an “O,” it is already overcooked.
