I Have Lied To You: Shrimp Does Not Need High Heat!

My mantra has been that shrimp does best in a quick blast of the highest heat you can manage — hot pan, hot oven, hot grill. And admittedly it works well; the shrimp doesn’t become rubbery and chewy, and caramelized exteriors are rarely a bad thing.

But……we were in Charleston recently, and my lovely wife had a shrimp dish at Slightly North of Broad that was perfection. The shrimp were perfectly cooked, but more tender than is possible! How did they do it?

Well, I guessed gentle heat, and as my experiments over the past week have shown, I am on the right track. Give it a shot….start with a medium pan and cook some peeled shrimp for just a few minutes.

Trust me. Have I ever led you astray?

4 Replies to “I Have Lied To You: Shrimp Does Not Need High Heat!”

  1. Shrimp seem delicate and prone to over-cooking. I would think high heat could cause them to seize up a bit, rendering them tough. I’m trying to think if I’ve ever gone out of my way to cook shrimp on high heat. I don’t think so. I think I tend to cook them in some olive oil/garlic over somewhat low heat.

    And, of course, cook them less than you think you have to.

  2. You start off by saying said you lied to us, then you ask “Have I ever lied to you?”. Well, which is it? Normally I find your blog entries to be rich and compelling, but now I feel as if I am trapped in a glass cage of emotions.

  3. Well, judging by your poor writing, it seems to be a glass ceiling.

    This was my moderately successful attempt at humor. Levity. Lightheartedness.

    It’s complicated, but keep trying…you’ll figure it out!

  4. I always cook shrimp on a very high heat because of your recommendation. I am now going back to my old ways!

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