Master RecipeBrined Shrimp
NOTE: When pan-searing or grilling, we recommend that you brine the shrimp first to make them especially plump and juicy.
3 cups kosher salt or 2 cups table salt
2 pounds large shrimp (21 to 25 count per pound)
INSTRUCTIONS:
Pour 2 cups boiling water into large bowl. Add salt, stirring to dissolve, and cool to room temperature. Add 31/2 cups ice water and shrimp and let stand 20 to 25 minutes. Drain and rinse thoroughly under cold running water. Open shells with manicure scissors (see figure 1) and devein if desired (see figure 2).
VARIATION:
Brined Frozen Shrimp
In many ways, uncooked frozen shrimp offer consumers the best quality since the shrimp are frozen at sea and then thawed at home, not at the market, as is the case with almost all the "fresh" shrimp sold at the retail level. However, because frozen shrimp are generally sold in five-pound blocks, these shrimp can be difficult to handle. Rather than trying to saw through a block of ice, we recommend putting the frozen block of shrimp under cold running water and pulling off individual shrimp as they become free. When you have the desired amount of shrimp (in this recipe, two pounds), place the remaining portion of the block back in the freezer and proceed with brining the partially thawed shrimp.
Follow Master Recipe, using 31/2 cups cold (not ice) water since the shrimp themselves are still partially frozen. Proceed as directed with brining.