Watch Your Time To Avoid A Common Shrimp Cooking Mistake

Cooking proteins to perfection is one of the most rewarding events any home chef can experience — but when it goes wrong, it can be devastating. You only get one chance to make the meat shine, after all. Proteins like beef may be slightly more forgiving because folks prefer their steaks at different temperatures, but when it comes to something daintier like shrimp, there is only one right way to serve it.

We reached out to Pierre Albaladejo, the Executive Chef at Park Hyatt Aviara, to find out how to avoid the biggest blunders that can occur when cooking shrimp. As an expert in the field, he didn't hesitate to state the number one thing that can ruin your seafoodl, saying, "Overcooking the shrimp is the most common mistake."

Shrimp, even your jumbo varieties, are small compared to a luscious sirloin. Just a few extra seconds on the heat can be the difference between an appetizing shrimp scampi and a rubbery, chewy abomination. Even the cheapest seafood from Aldi can be exquisite when prepared correctly, but with a delicate meat like shrimp that process takes some finesse. Thankfully, Albaladejo was gracious enough to share a tip about cooking these crustaceans that is similar to one of the secrets chefs use to cook perfectly juicy steaks. It all comes down to careful timing.

Undercooked shrimp shouldn't be consumed because it poses a food poisoning risk. However, if they become overcooked, the flavor and texture are downgraded, and you will have wasted an opportunity to taste something extraordinary. Anyone familiar with preparing shrimp likely knows they are done when the flesh turns opaque throughout ... but you don't necessarily want to wait that long to pull them off the heat. According to chef Albaladejo, timing is everything. "Remove shrimps from the fire before they turn opaque," he says. "[I]t's better to stop the cooking process before the shrimps are entirely cooked as they will keep cooking for few minutes after [they are] removed from the fire source."

When cooking shrimp, it is essential to keep a close eye on the color of the flesh. These fragile crustaceans go from raw to done fast, sometimes in as little as three minutes depending on their size and how they are being prepared. What's more, when they sit over heat for too long, there is no turning back the clock. Even if you are grilling shrimp with the shell on for an elevated flavor, it is essential to check its doneness occasionally by peeling back the shell on one to make sure it will taste as succulent as you envisioned.