Hey there, fellow seafood lovers! Today I’m gonna share everything I know about cooking those massive, mouth-watering colossal shrimp. Ya know, those gorgeous ones that look like mini lobster tails? I’ve cooked these bad boys countless times, and I’m here to spill all the tea on getting them just right
Perfect Cooking Times for Colossal Shrimp
Let me break it down for you super simple:
- Oven Roasting: 15 minutes at 400°F (200°C)
- Grilling: 5-7 minutes per side
- Pan Searing: 4-5 minutes per side
- Steaming: 8-10 minutes total
My Favorite Oven-Roasted Colossal Shrimp Recipe
Here’s a recipe that never fails to impress my dinner guests:
Ingredients:
- 16 colossal shrimp
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1 lemon (juice)
- 1 lime (juice)
- 3 scallions, thinly sliced
- 1 jalapeño, finely chopped
- 1 large garlic clove, minced
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro
- 2 tsp lemon zest
- 3/4 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp each: paprika, cumin, black pepper
Steps:
-
Prep the Shrimp
- Keep the tails on
- Loosen shells but don’t remove completely
- Devein those babies (nobody wants that crap in there, if ya know what I mean )
-
Marinade Magic:
- Mix all ingredients except shrimp
- Coat shrimp with marinade
- Chill 30-60 mins (no longer or they’ll get mushy!)
-
Cooking Time
- Preheat oven to 400°F
- Place shrimp in single layer
- Roast for 15 mins until shells get bright and pretty
Pro Tips From My Kitchen to Yours
-
Shell Strategy
- Leave shells on during cooking
- They act like little flavor packets
- Makes the shrimp juicier
-
Doneness Check
- Look for pink color with slight opacity
- Shells should be bright red
- Meat should be firm but not rubbery
-
Serving Suggestions
- Serve over rice
- Add fresh lemon wedges
- Garnish with extra cilantro
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Don’t overcook! Seriously, this is like the #1 shrimp crime
- Don’t skip the deveining step (trust me on this one)
- Don’t marinate too long (shrimp can get tough)
- Don’t crowd the pan/baking dish
Storage Tips
- Fresh uncooked shrimp: 1-2 days in fridge
- Cooked shrimp: up to 3 days refrigerated
- Frozen shrimp: 3-6 months if properly stored
Look, I know cooking these giant shrimp can be intimidating at first. But once you get the hang of it, it’s actually pretty simple! The key is just watching your timing and not overdoing it with the heat.
I’ve messed up plenty of times before getting it right (RIP to all those rubbery shrimp from my early cooking days ). But now that I’ve got it down, I’m sharing all my secrets with you!
Remember, these cooking times are just guidelines. Your actual cooking time might vary a bit depending on the exact size of your shrimp and your cooking method. When in doubt, it’s better to slightly undercook (you can always cook more) than to overcook!
Happy cooking, friends! Drop me a comment if you try this recipe – I’d love to hear how it turned out for you!
How to shop for shrimp:
Raw shrimp have a brown “vein” running along their back. This is their digestive tract—a.k.a. their poop chute. While it’s technically safe to eat, leaving the matter in will give the shrimp a gritty texture and muddy their flavor; most prefer to remove it before cooking. Now for some good news: You can buy deveined shrimp, which have this unsavory bit already removed—or ask your fishmonger to devein the little buggers for you. Are you the DIY type? We’ve included instructions below on how to devein shrimp yourself.Shrimp Sizes
Your grocery store is likely to carry a range of shrimp sizes: small, medium, large, jumbo, or colossal, usually categorized by how many shrimp you can expect per pound. The majority of BA’s shrimp recipes call for large shrimp unless otherwise specified (for example, our best shrimp cocktail calls for jumbo shell-on shrimp). Here’s the trouble: Naming conventions differ based on where you live and shop, so one stores large shrimp might be another’s jumbo. To keep things simple, go by weight whenever available. You’ll typically get 36–40 small shrimp per pound, 31–35 medium shrimp per pound, 26–30 large shrimp per pound, 21–25 jumbo shrimp per pound, 16–20 super jumbo shrimp per pound, or 15 or fewer colossal shrimp per pound. I.e., the higher the number, the smaller the shellfish.
If you’re using a different size shrimp than the recipe calls for, that’s fine—just adjust the cook time accordingly. Smaller shrimp will cook faster than larger ones, while the total time for bigger boys will be a little longer. Here’s associate food editor Kendra Vaculin’s rule of thumb: Cook medium shrimp for approximately 3 minutes, large shrimp for 4–5 minutes, and jumbo shrimp for 6–7 minutes. As for small shrimp, blink and you could miss it, so don’t walk away.Shell-On or Shell-Off
You can buy shrimp either in the shell or peeled. For the speediest dinners, we prefer peeled, deveined shrimp (less work on your end). But shrimp that’s still in the shell is often less expensive than peeled shrimp, so if you don’t mind doing the work yourself, this could be a good option.
You can also opt to cook shrimp with the shell on—not only do the shells add flavor, but they also keep the shrimp from overcooking and help them retain moisture when exposed to heat. Shrimp that’s in the shell will sometimes come with the head attached, which is where most of the fat is concentrated; some like to cook shrimp with the heads on, twist the head off and suck out the juices. If you do decide to peel your shrimp, save the shells for shrimp stock (the key ingredient in shrimp risotto) or to add fishy flavor to sauces.
To peel shrimp: Twist off the head (if not already removed) and pull off the legs. Snip the “backbone” of the shell lengthwise with kitchen shears and wiggle your fingers under the shell, pulling it off. Leave the tail on or remove.
To devein shrimp: Use a sharp paring knife to make an incision beside the vein running along the back of the shrimp. Use the tip of the knife to coax out the dark vein; discard. (Wiping your knife on a damp paper towel is a quick and easy way to do this.)
How to cook jumbo shrimp in 3 min.
FAQ
How long do you cook colossal shrimp for?
Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Remove the shrimp from the marinade and discard the marinade. Arrange the shrimp in one layer in a baking dish. Roast the shrimp in the oven until the shells brighten in color and the shrimp are just cooked through, about 15 minutes.
How to know when colossal shrimp is done?
Perfectly cooked shrimp will be opaque with a color ranging from pink or orange, depending on variety. Their tails should curl in slightly to make a C-shape. Overcooked shrimp will be a solid white-pink color, with their tails completely curled into a tight circle.Jul 19, 2023
How long to boil raw colossal shrimp?
How long to cook frozen colossal shrimp?
Cook for 5 minutes if using frozen cooked shrimp or for 10 minutes if using frozen raw shrimp. Flip the shrimp halfway through to ensure they are evenly cooked.