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Overview
Arrange similar-size shrimp in one flat layer so they cook evenly. Finish with garlic butter, warm curry, or taco seasoning and serve right away.
Time and temperature
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| Texture | Bath setting | Check before serving | Cook time | Longest time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Snappy | 135°–138°F | 145°F | 15 minutes | 45 minutes |
| Firm | 140°–145°F | 145°F | 15–20 minutes | 45 minutes |
Choose the time that matches the texture you want. Start timing when the bag goes into the fully heated water bath, and read the Cook safely section before serving.
Choose your texture
- 135°–138°FSnappy
- Juicy shrimp with a clean snap and a tender center.
Best for
- Large shrimp
- Prawns
Notes
- Bag with a little butter or olive oil to prevent sticking.
- Complete the thermometer reading and serve right away.
Tips
- Use baking soda and salt brine (0.5% each) for 20 minutes before bagging to enhance snap.
- After the thermometer reading, pat dry so finishing seasonings stick.
- For cocktail, split shells before cooking so diners can peel easily.
- 140°–145°FFirm
- A firmer bite that stands up to garlic butter, curry, or tacos.
Notes
- Finish quickly in a hot pan with garlic butter.
- Season after the bath to keep brine clear.
Tips
- Pat shrimp very dry before pan-finishing to avoid steaming.
- Season after cooking — spices in the bag can cloud the juices.
- Use high heat and cook in batches when stir-frying so they stay firm.
Get it ready
- Group shrimp of similar size so they cook at the same rate.
- Leave the shells on for a deeper shrimp flavor, or peel them for easier saucing.
- Arrange the shrimp in one flat layer with a little butter or olive oil, then seal.
- Keep the bag fully submerged while the shrimp cook.
Finish and serve
- Take the shrimp out of the bag and pat them dry.
- Give them a quick garlic-butter sear, or toss them directly with warm curry or taco sauce.
- Serve right away.
Useful tips
- Brine the shrimp for 30 minutes in 5% saltwater before bagging. The brief brine seasons them from the inside and firms up the texture. Skip this and the shrimp can taste flat and watery, even with well-balanced cooking.
- Cook with shells on for max flavor. The shells contain glutamates that release into the meat during the bath, and they protect the delicate flesh from the bath water's slight pressure. Peel after cooking, not before. Save the shells for shrimp stock.
- Sear briefly only if you want a Maillard exterior. Some shrimp dishes (scampi, garlic shrimp) want the brown crust; others (cocktail, salads) want the clean, pale, sous vide finish. If searing, 30 seconds per side in very hot oil is plenty.
- Anti-tip: don't sous vide shrimp longer than 25 minutes. Past that point, the proteins start to denature and the shrimp turn mushy. The bath isn't a slow cooker for shellfish — there's no benefit to extending the time. Set a timer and pull them at exactly 20 minutes.
Questions
QSnappy: Can I cook from frozen?
QSnappy: How long do they keep?
QFirm: Can I marinate shrimp before sous vide?
QFirm: How do I avoid rubbery texture?
Cook safely
Before serving, check the thickest part of each shrimp with a food thermometer. It should hold at 145°F for at least 15 seconds. For a thin piece, slide the thermometer in from the side so the sensing part reaches the center.
If the food is too small to check, cook it until opaque and easy to separate with a fork. If you plan to serve it undercooked, or cool and reheat it later, use a method written for that purpose. Otherwise, serve it right away.
Cook with this guide
Recipes using this guide
Each recipe inherits a reviewed bath setting and cook time from the Shrimp guide.
