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Home » Recipes » Fish & Seafood

How to Make the Best Poached Shrimp

Published: Jul 26, 2021 · Modified: Sep 26, 2021 by Eileen xo

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Cooked shrimp on a baking pan.
the best poached shrimp on a dark platter with lemon wedges around the shrimp.

Learn how to make Poached Shrimp at home any day! You'll be making the most tender shrimp at ¼ of the price of those expensive shrimp rings at the grocery store. Don't forget to make a batch of cocktail sauce for dipping.

Fresh poached shrimp on a large platter with lemon slices scattered over the platter.

Want to serve an amazing homemade shrimp cocktail platter for your next party, date night, or like me - just love to eat shrimp.

Well, I have got the easiest recipe for you to learn how to make the best shrimp. You will never need to buy an overpriced seafood platter again.

Jump to:
  • ❤️ Why you’ll love this recipe
  • Ingredients
  • Instructions
  • FAQS
  • Expert Tips
  • Storage Tips
  • Similar Recipes to Enjoy
  • How to Make Poached Shrimp
  • 💬 Comments

❤️ Why you’ll love this recipe

  • This is a great base recipe for shrimp to pair with amazing dipping sauces that are always a hit.
  • It's affordable to purchase fresh shrimp and make your own platters at home.
  • You'll be able to make about 3 pounds of shrimp for 1 pound of the store made platters!

Ingredients

  • Fresh raw shrimp, use either jumbo 21/25 or extra large shrimp 26/30 size
  • Fresh garlic cloves, parsley, lemons, black peppercorns, Kosher salt, and a bay leaf all add flavor to the stock.

Instructions

This is an overview of the recipe. The full instructions are below in the recipe card.

If the shrimp is not already cleaned and deveined, do so! Here is a great tutorial if you aren't sure how! I try to purchase already clean and deveined shrimp.

  1. In a large saucepan or pot, add the cold water, lemon juice, lemon halves, bay leaf, salt, and black peppercorns
Poaching water with lemon, bay leaf, parsley, lemon juice and garlic.

2. Bring the water to a rapid boil. Add the shrimp to the water. Remove the pot from the heat and cover the saucepan with a lid. Let the shrimp poach about 3 minutes. Once the shrimp turn pink, they are ready to eat.

Fresh shrimp in poaching liquid in a large Dutch oven to make amazing poached shrimp.

3. Move shrimp to an ice bath to cool about 10 minutes before serving. The shrimp in the refrigerator to cool. 

Shrimp that has been poached and cooled in a large glass bowl with ice cubes.

Equipment

  •  Dutch Oven, I love and use this one often and it's quite affordable!
  •  Platter: Shrimp is an awesome treat and I love keeping it cold on this platter.

FAQS

How can I defrost shrimp quickly?

I always keep a bag of frozen shrimp in the freezer. To defrost quickly, in a large bowl, add the frozen shrimp and run cold water on the shrimp. Stir occasionally, after 5 - 8 minutes, drain the water and add more cold water. Stir shrimp, they should be defrosted in about 15-20 minutes.

What is the overnight method for defrosting shrimp?

On a rare occasion, I plan ahead, and I want to defrost frozen shrimp. Place the frozen shrimp in a bowl in the fridge. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. In the morning, shrimp are ready to cook.

What does the cooking term poaching mean?

In cooking, poaching always means the food will be quickly cooked in a liquid, such as water, milk, or wine that is flavored with spices or citrus. The food is generally used in various other recipes.  It's very common poaching shrimp, chicken, salmon are all popular foods that can be poached for delicious results.

Juicy fresh shrimp that has been poached and sprinkled with lemon on a large tray.

Expert Tips

Eileen's Tip: To avoid rubbery shrimp, remove the shrimp from the poaching water as soon as they turn pink.

  • For many shrimp recipes, such as our tasty Baja Taco Shrimp Bowls, remove the tails, however, for this recipe, leave the tails on for a gorgeous presentation.
  • Be sure to devein the shrimp before cooking. For a shortcut, purchase already cleaned shrimp.

Storage Tips

Whether you are defrosting shrimp or keeping fresh shrimp in the fridge, use within 1-2 days. In other words, once you have defrosted the shrimp, be ready to cook and enjoy.

Similar Recipes to Enjoy

Easy Shrimp Scampi and Spaghetti is a quick family dinner that everyone will enjoy!

A family favorite is this tasty Baked Coconut Shrimp with Spicy Orange Dipping Sauce

Lighter Linguine with Clam Sauce is another less than 30 minute dinner.

Love shrimp? Try our Low-CarbJambalaya is full of flavor without being full of calories.

Instant Pot Shrimp and Sausage Gumbo, another fabulous quick family dinner.

   Serving Suggestions

  • Serve poached shrimp with dipping sauces like Homemade Cocktail Sauce.
  • Poached shrimp goes well in this arugula salad.
  • Champagne Vinaigrette is a great topping for a shrimp salad

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Thank you for the continued support. I am forever grateful.

Eileen  xo

If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need.

If you love this recipe please give it 5 stars and we would appreciate it so much!  ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

xo! Eileen

First published Septemer 4, 2018. Last updated July 16, 2021 for a better reader experience.

the easiest poached shrimp on a large brown platter with lemon wedges

How to Make Poached Shrimp

Learn how to make the most tender poached shrimp every time. It is so easy to make poached shrimp at home with just a few easy steps. This is the perfect shrimp to make an amazing shrimp cocktail recipe.
5 from 15 votes
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Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Keyword: how to make shrimp cocktail, how to poach shrimp, shrimp poaching liquid
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
cooling time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 121kcal
Author: Eileen xo

Equipment Needed:

  • As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases
  • Dutch Oven
  • Wire Mesh Strainer/Spider

Ingredients

  • 1 pound extra large raw shrimp, peeled and deveined see note 1
  • 5 cups cold water
  • 10 whole black peppercorns see note 2
  • 5 sprigs fresh parsley
  • 1 large lemon, juiced
  • 1 large lemon, cut in half
  • 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
  • 1 bay leaf
  • homemade cocktail sauce
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • In a large pot, over medium-high heat, add water, black peppercorns, fresh parsley, lemon juice, lemon halves, Kosher salt, and bay leaf.
  • Bring the water to a rapid boil.
  • Add the shrimp to the water. Remove the pot from the heat and cover with a lid.
  • Let the shrimp poach in the liquid about 5 minutes. Shrimp will be cooked through and pink in color.
  • While the shrimp poaches, prepare a large bowl of ice water. Set aside.
  • Use a wire mesh strainer or slotted spoon to remove the shrimp to the bowl of ice water.
  • Let shrimp cool for about 10 minutes before removing from the ice bath with a slotted spoon.
  • Serve shrimp with a dipping sauce such as cocktail sauce, make shrimp salad, add to pasta salads, etc.

Notes

Note 1: I use extra large shrimp 26/30 size, which averages about 26 shrimp per pound. 
Note 2: If whole black peppercorns are not available, use 1 teaspoon black pepper.
Be sure to check Expert Tips and FAQs above with important tips and questions that can help make a delicious recipe.
Storage: Cooked shrimp can keep in the refrigerator in an air tight covered container for up to 2 days.
  • Don’t forget to shop at the Everyday Eileen store on Amazon
  • Any nutritional data I provide is an approximation and actual dietary information can vary based on ingredients and proportion sizes.
  • Weight Watchers 0 point
 

Nutrition

Serving: 8shrimp | Calories: 121kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0g | Cholesterol: 285mg | Sodium: 1479mg | Potassium: 123mg | Fiber: 0g | Sugar: 0g | Vitamin A: 120IU | Vitamin C: 6.5mg | Calcium: 185mg | Iron: 2.7mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @Everyday_Eileen or tag #everydayeileen!

More Fish & Seafood

  • Easy Shrimp Scampi
  • Shrimp Curry Recipe
  • Instant Pot Crab Boil
  • Linguine with White Clam Sauce

Thank you for sharing!

1854 shares
  • Share229
  • Tweet
  • Yummly

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Susan

    July 01, 2020 at 7:52 pm

    5 stars
    Easy and very yummy!

    Reply
    • Eileen xo

      July 02, 2020 at 12:16 pm

      Wonderful, Sussan. Glad you enjoy the shrimp.

      Reply
  2. Molly Kumar

    September 26, 2019 at 1:10 pm

    5 stars
    These were so easy to make and we loved the flavors.

    Reply
    • Eileen xo

      October 05, 2019 at 2:44 am

      Fantastic. I hope you make these shrimp often.

      Reply
  3. Jade

    September 23, 2019 at 1:05 pm

    5 stars
    This is perfect for one of our favorite pasta salad recipes. I've always done crab in this salad but I really like it with this shrimp.

    Reply
    • Eileen xo

      October 07, 2019 at 2:32 am

      Great, enjoy the shrimp

      Reply
  4. Whitney

    September 23, 2019 at 11:03 am

    5 stars
    Such an easy recipe to have on hand! I love the seasonings you used, perfect flavor to either enjoy on it's own or in a dish!

    Reply
    • Eileen xo

      October 07, 2019 at 2:35 am

      Thank you so much Whitney. I hope you enjoy the recipe often.

      Reply
  5. Lathiya

    September 20, 2019 at 5:06 pm

    5 stars
    Poaching shrimp is something new to me. Never heard of it. You explained in detail.

    Reply
    • Eileen xo

      September 21, 2019 at 3:02 am

      Awesome, glad you understand and I hope you make it soon.

      Reply
  6. Mark Robertson

    June 29, 2019 at 8:19 pm

    5 stars
    Love this recipe Eileen. I always bought my shrimp. Your recipe is so easy and delicious. Saves me a lot money cause I make this myself now f

    Reply
    • Eileen xo

      August 17, 2019 at 1:15 am

      You made my day Mark! Glad you are saving money and enjoying great shrimp too!

      Reply
  7. Amelia Fletcher

    September 07, 2018 at 1:26 pm

    5 stars
    we are huge shrimp lovers right here in Florida and consume it very frequently . that is cool to poach it then use it for making cocktail shrimp which i love!

    Reply
    • Eileen xo

      September 10, 2018 at 6:47 pm

      I am glad you enjoy the poached shrimp. I have a recipe for cocktail sauce coming out soon! Enjoy!

      Reply
  8. swathi

    September 06, 2018 at 11:19 pm

    5 stars
    Poached shrimp looks delicious, I haven't tasted poached shrimp. I need to . It looks really easy.> beast dish for gathering or game day.

    Reply
    • Eileen xo

      September 10, 2018 at 12:48 pm

      Swathi, you must make poached shrimp! I think you will enjoy!

      Reply
  9. Jenni LeBaron

    September 06, 2018 at 1:46 pm

    5 stars
    I like that you poached the shrimp directly in the peppercorn an lemon juices so that they get perfectly seasoned as they cook. These sound super tasty and I'd love to try your technique!

    Reply
    • Eileen xo

      September 10, 2018 at 12:47 pm

      Thank you Jenni! I am so glad you enjoy the poached shrimp recipe!

      Reply
  10. Veena Azmanov

    September 06, 2018 at 8:20 am

    5 stars
    Poached prawns are great - must-have kinda think in my freezer. I keep them for times when I need to add a quick something to my salad and make it a main dish. Or my quick noodle soup. Thanks for the step by step. So helpful. Looks amazing.

    Reply
    • Eileen xo

      September 06, 2018 at 1:01 pm

      Your welcome Veena! I am glad you enjoy the tutorial!

      Reply
  11. Marisa Franca

    September 06, 2018 at 7:53 am

    5 stars
    We love our shrimp any way we can get it!! We've made boiled shrimp quite a lot because we think it makes a great appetizer. You give some great tips so that the shrimp is tasty and doesn't turn out to be rubbery.

    Reply
    • Eileen xo

      September 06, 2018 at 1:01 pm

      Thank you Marisa! I am glad you found the tips useful!

      Reply
  12. Claudia Lamascolo

    September 06, 2018 at 6:32 am

    5 stars
    We are big shrimp lovers here in Florida and eat it very often . This is cool to poach it then use it for makiing cocktail shrimp which I love!

    Reply
    • Eileen xo

      September 06, 2018 at 1:06 pm

      I am glad you enjoy the recipe Claudia! Poaching is so easy and enjoying with cocktail sauce is delish!

      Reply
  13. Michelle

    September 06, 2018 at 12:05 am

    5 stars
    such an easy recipe for an impressive dish! I have a feeling those grocery stores are thinking they can swindle us by making poached shrimp seem much harder to make than they actually are 😉

    Reply
    • Eileen xo

      September 06, 2018 at 1:05 pm

      You got that right Michelle! Poaching shrimp is so easy! Enjoy!

      Reply
  14. Dahn

    September 05, 2018 at 10:57 pm

    5 stars
    oh my yes, this is definitely a tailgate winnner!! I love how fast and easy it is to cook shrimp and your instructions are solid.

    Reply
    • Eileen xo

      September 06, 2018 at 1:04 pm

      Thank you Dahn! Yes, these shrimp are perfect for tailgating! Enjoy!

      Reply
  15. Kylee from Kylee Cooks

    September 05, 2018 at 6:56 pm

    5 stars
    I so very rarely make shrimp, but your step by step photos make me think I should make the effort more often. Looks amazing, Eileen!

    Reply
    • Eileen xo

      September 05, 2018 at 7:02 pm

      Thank you Kylee, I hope you use the tutorial and enjoy the poached shrimp!

      Reply
    • Eileen xo

      September 06, 2018 at 1:03 pm

      Thank you Kylee! Yes, do make the shrimp! You will remember how easy it is to make and enjoy!

      Reply

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