The perfectly poached shrimp should be moist, plump, succulent, and tender with loads of flavour.
If looking for a perfect shrimp dish, poach the shrimps - this gentle cooking method delivers unbelievably flavourful shrimps with a melt-in-your-mouth, buttery and tender quality that is just divine! Pre-packaged shrimp cocktail trays at the grocery stores tend to be chewy but poaching, when done correctly at home, will give you shrimps that are nothing like store-bought ones. They can be used in a variety of recipes and replace raw fish in sushi dishes, like the Boston Roll Sushi.
What is a poached shrimp?
Poached shrimps are shrimps that are gently cooked by immersing them in a liquid as opposed to boiling or simmering. The liquid (also known as the poaching liquid) not only cooks the shrimp, it also adds flavour to the shrimp. Plain water, stock, wine or beer, all can be used for poaching. And, the liquid is typically flavoured with aromatics, citrus and spices.
Getting ready for poaching
Some basic things to keep in mind when you have decided to poach your shrimp are:
Shrimp size
The size of shrimp is measured by the number of individual shrimp in a pound or a kilogram. Predictably, the higher the number of shrimp, the smaller the size of the shrimp. Small shrimp are great for pasta dishes, stir-fry, or fried rice. Larger shrimp are better for poaching.
Frozen or fresh shrimp
If you can be assured of fresh shrimp obviously this is best, if you can't, then the perfect alternative is frozen shrimp (which are frozen right after being caught). Fresh shrimp is good for those living by the coast and are purchasing directly from fishmongers. Much of the shrimp sold in stores is thawed frozen shrimp with a short shelf life.
Shells on or off?
It really depends on how much time you have. Shrimp with the shells tastes better as they are processed less at the plant, ensuring it still retains all of that delicate flavour. However, it takes a little more work to clean and devein the shrimp, so if you don't have the time, or simply don't want to, then go for the shelled, cleaned, frozen shrimp.
How to poach shrimp
Poaching is actually one of the easiest ways to cook shrimp. The method calls for a few ingredients and seasonings to turn out perfect and juicy shrimps every single time. A list of ingredients for flavourful poaching liquid is given below. Feel free to customize your poaching liquid by using ingredients you love or you have on hand. The key is just to create a fresh-tasting, aromatic broth following the cooking method given below.
What you'll need:
- Shrimp: if you're using frozen, make sure you thaw them out well in advance. If possible, keep the tails and shells in the poaching liquid as they provide a wonderful taste. After the shrimp is cooked, you may remove it.
- Baking Soda: Before poaching shelled shrimp, put them in a dry brine of salt baking soda. This increases the shrimp's plumpness.
- Salt: Salt adds taste to the poaching liquid. You need 1 teaspoon of salt for every pound of shrimp you plan to poach plus some extra for dry brine.
- Lemon: Squeeze the juice out of the lemon and add to the liquid. Also, add the halves afterwards.
- Black Peppercorn: For every pound of shrimp, use 1 teaspoon of black peppercorns.
- Vegetables: Celery (add both leaves and stalks) or leek (chop and add for a mild, slightly sweet flavour).
- Fresh Herbs: Perk things up with a bit of fresh parsley, dill, cilantro or tarragon.
- Onion: Provide a foundation for flavour.
- Aromatics: Garlic and ginger add a depth of aromatic flavour.
- Beer and wine: Beer gives the liquid a rich flavour. You can swap the beer for dry white wine instead.
- Bay leaves: Add a bay leaf to add a delicate, almost floral-like, flavour.
- Ice Cubes and Cold Water: This helps lock the flavours within.
Method - follow these steps to get perfectly poached shrimps:
Step 1
Get a medium or large saucepan or Dutch oven depending on the number of shrimp you’re cooking (e.g. use a 3-quart pot for 12-16 shrimp). Fill it about 3/4 full with water.
Step 2
Add salt and other aromatic ingredients of your liking. Squeeze the juice of half a lemon into the pot before adding the lemon in. Peppercorns and parsley are two other things you can add. Or, you can add from the ingredients listed above.
Step 3
Bring the liquid in the pot to a boil over high heat. Let it boil for a few minutes then remove from the heat.
Step 4
Add the shrimps and stir immediately when the liquid in the pot comes to a boil. Cover the saucepan and let it sit for about 4-5 minutes, or until the shrimp are cooked through.
Step 5
Meanwhile, prepare for an ice bath by putting two cups of ice cubes and enough cold water in a large bowl.
Step 6
Quickly drain and transfer shrimp to the ice bath. Once fully cold, drain and transfer the shrimp (not the aromatics) into a paper towel-lined bowl. Dry the shrimps well before using them for different recipes.
How to serve the perfectly poached shrimp
You want to use this cooking method when you need chilled shrimp for recipes like shrimp cocktails, pasta salads, sushi, appetizers or spring rolls. You can also serve poached shrimp with dipping sauces like homemade cocktail sauce or served as a light dinner or lunch over lettuce or in a hoagie bun.
One of the healthiest methods of cooking shrimp is by poaching as it does not use fat to cook or flavour the food. Plus, shrimp is a wonderful addition to a healthy diet as they are are low in calories, carbohydrates and fat, yet rich in protein.
