What is Poached Shrimp and How to Make it Perfectly

Poached shrimp is a simple and delicious way to cook shrimp that results in plump, juicy, and tender shrimp with wonderful flavor The gentle poaching method yields shrimp with a delicate texture that is hard to achieve with other cooking methods

At my food blog, Cook the Story, poached shrimp is one of our most popular recipes. Readers love how easy it is to make restaurant-quality poached shrimp at home. In this article, I’ll explain exactly what poached shrimp is, why it’s so delicious, and how to poach shrimp perfectly every time.

What is Poached Shrimp?

Poaching is a moist-heat cooking method where food is submerged in simmering liquid To poach shrimp, you simmer the shrimp gently in lightly salted water or an aromatic poaching liquid

The poaching liquid should never come to a full boil. Gentle simmering between 160°F and 180°F allows the shrimp to cook slowly and evenly, resulting in the signature delicate, moist texture of poached shrimp.

Poached shrimp is perfect for:

• Shrimp cocktail – Chilled, peeled poached shrimp served with cocktail sauce makes a classic appetizer.

• Salads – Poached shrimp shine in pasta salads, grain bowls, and green salads.

• Tacos and bowls – Warm poached shrimp added to tacos, burrito bowls, and buddha bowls.

• Soups and stews – Poached shrimp can be added to soups, seafood stews, and gumbos.

• Appetizers – Skewered poached shrimp with a dipping sauce.

Why Poach Shrimp?

There are a few reasons why poaching is my favorite way to cook shrimp:

1. Delicate Texture

The gentle heat of poaching allows the shrimp to cook slowly and evenly, resulting in a plump and tender texture. The shrimp turns out juicy and succulent without becoming rubbery or tough.

2. Retains Moisture

Since poaching cooks the shrimp in liquid, it retains moisture extremely well. The shrimp turns out very juicy and flavorful.

3. Highlights Natural Flavor

With simple poaching, the natural sweet flavor of the shrimp itself shines through. You don’t need a lot of heavy sauces or seasonings to give poached shrimp great flavor.

4. Versatile

Poached shrimp is a basic foundational recipe that you can use in endless ways. Serve it chilled, warm it up, toss it in salads, pile it on tacos – the possibilities are endless.

5. Easy to Execute

Poaching shrimp only requires a pot, a bit of seasoning, and some simmering liquid. It’s nearly foolproof and hard to mess up, unlike grilling or sautéing shrimp which can easily become overcooked.

How to Poach Shrimp Perfectly

Now that you know why poached shrimp is so amazing, let’s get into how to make it.

Here is my step-by-step method for how to poach shrimp perfectly every time:

Step 1: Choose the Shrimp

I prefer to use extra-large or jumbo shrimp (16-20 or 21-25 count per pound) for poaching. The larger shrimp hold up better to poaching and result in a nicer presentation.

You can poach shrimp with the shell on or peeled. For shrimp cocktail, I prefer to peel the shrimp after poaching. For salads and other uses, leaving the shell on helps retain even more moisture.

Thawed shrimp works best to ensure even cooking. If using frozen, defrost first before poaching.

Step 2: Make the Poaching Liquid

Fill a saucepan about 3/4 full with water. I use a 3-quart saucepan for poaching 1 pound of shrimp. The amount of water gives the shrimp plenty of space to poach evenly.

Season the water with about 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Salt lightly seasons the shrimp and also helps the proteins hold moisture.

You can also add aromatics to the poaching liquid. I like to add lemon, peppercorns, and parsley. But you can experiment with all sorts of herbs, citrus, spices, onions, and garlic.

Step 3: Simmer the Liquid

Bring the pot of seasoned water to a boil over high heat. Then remove it from the heat. This stops it from boiling further.

You want the liquid to gently simmer between 160°F to 180°F. Actual boiling will agitate the shrimp too much and result in uneven cooking.

Step 4: Add the Shrimp

Once the liquid is simmering gently, add the shrimp. I prefer to add it in a single layer so the shrimp poach evenly.

Stir the shrimp once to ensure they separate and submerge in the liquid.

Step 5: Poach the Shrimp

Cover the pot with a lid and let the shrimp poach at a gentle simmer. Cooking time depends on the size of the shrimp. Extra large shrimp take 4-5 minutes, large shrimp 3-4 minutes.

The shrimp will turn pink and opaque when fully cooked. When checking for doneness, cut into the thickest part of the shrimp to check it is opaque inside.

Do not overcook the shrimp or they will become tough. Err on the side of slightly underdone.

Step 6: Shock in Ice Water

When the shrimp are just cooked, immediately drain them and transfer to an ice bath. The ice bath stops the cooking process so they don’t overcook.

Let the shrimp chill in the ice bath for a few minutes until completely cooled.

Step 7: Use the Poached Shrimp

Finally, drain the cooled poached shrimp and use them however you’d like!

For shrimp cocktail, peel, dry, and serve with cocktail sauce. For salads and tacos, you can use the shrimp as-is with the shells on.

The possibilities are endless with these easy poached shrimp!

Poaching Liquid Variations

While water with some salt and lemon makes a basic poaching liquid, you can use all sorts of aromatic ingredients to infuse the shrimp with flavor. Try these tasty variations:

• Court Bouillon – onions, carrots, celery, herbs, peppercorns, wine
• Cajun – onions, garlic, lemon, cayenne, bay leaves
• Thai – lemongrass, ginger, chilies, kaffir lime leaves
• Italian – garlic, lemon, herbs, white wine

Experiment with aromatics to give your poached shrimp exciting new flavors.

Serving Suggestions for Poached Shrimp

The versatility of poached shrimp makes it an easy protein to incorporate into recipes. Here are some of my favorite ways to use poached shrimp:

• Pile poached shrimp on top of salad greens, grains like farro or quinoa, roasted veggies, or fresh tomatoes and cucumbers for a healthy and quick lunch or dinner.

• Toss warm poached shrimp with pasta and veggies for easy shrimp pasta salad.

• Stuff poached shrimp into tacos or burrito bowls along with all your favorite toppings.

• Skewer poached shrimp and serve with spicy mayo or chimichurri for easy appetizers.

• Float poached shrimp in your favorite soup, stew, or gumbo. They add nice texture and protein.

-Serve chilled poached shrimp with creamy cocktail sauce and lemon wedges for classic shrimp cocktail.

Frequently Asked Questions About Poached Shrimp

Here are answers to some common questions about how to poach shrimp:

How long does it take to poach shrimp?

Cook times depend on size. Extra large shrimp take 4-5 minutes, large around 3-4 minutes. Check for doneness by cutting into thickest part of shrimp.

Can you poach shrimp straight from frozen?

Yes, increase cook time by 1-2 minutes if poaching frozen shrimp. I prefer thawing first for more even cooking.

Do you have to peel shrimp before poaching?

Nope! You can poach shrimp with shells on or off. For shrimp cocktail, peel after. For other uses, shells help retain moisture.

What temperature should you poach shrimp?

160°F to 180°F. The liquid should simmer gently, not come to a full boil.

What liquid do you poach shrimp in?

Water seasoned with salt and lemon works great. You can also use court bouillon, herbed broth, wine, dashi, and more.

The Final Take on Poached Shrimp

Poaching shrimp yields plump, juicy, and tender shrimp with wonderful seafood flavor. The gentle poaching method results in a delicate texture that highlights the natural sweetness of shrimp.

Poached shrimp is also extremely versatile. Use it in appetizers, salads, pastas, tacos, soups, and more. It takes just 10 minutes of easy poaching to have cooke