Shrimp

The number on the bag (like "26–30 ct") is how many shrimps make a pound - lower number, bigger shrimp. Here's the thing most people don't realize: almost all "fresh" shrimp at the counter was previously frozen and thawed, so you're usually better off buying frozen and thawing it yourself the night you cook (it'll be fresher). Thaw under cold running water for 5 minutes if you forgot to plan ahead, never in warm water. Peel and devein before cooking (a paring knife down the back lifts the dark vein right out), then pat them bone-dry with paper towels. Wet shrimp steam and turn gray instead of searing. Keep the shells if you have them; they make a quick flavorful stock that beats anything from a box. One catch: once thawed, raw shrimp only keep about a day in the fridge, so cook them the same day.

Shrimp is a super-fast protein to cook. Most sizes go from raw to done in 2 to 4 minutes and the difference between plump and rubbery is about 30 seconds. The mistake nearly everyone makes is cooking by the clock instead of by the look: shrimp are done the moment they turn pink and opaque and curl into a loose C. If they coil into a tight O, they're already overcooked. Make Crimp not Orimp. For most weeknight cooking, 26–30 count is the sweet spot: big enough to stay plump, small enough to cook in a flash. You should definitely go up to jumbo (16–20) for the grill so they don't slip through the grates though. Below you'll find times for roasting, air frying, sautéing, and boiling, but with shrimp your eyes beat any timer.

Shrimp don't need a thermometer, they tell you when they're done. Raw, they're translucent and grayish; cooked, they turn opaque pink-white all the way through. The shape is your other tell: a perfectly cooked shrimp curls into a loose C, while an overcooked one coils into a tight O. Pull them off the heat when they're just barely opaque, because carryover heat finishes the job in about 30 seconds and overcooked shrimp go rubbery and tough fast. If you like a thermometer, the FDA target is 145°F, though plenty of cooks pull at 120–130°F for juicier, more tender results. Just don't rely on color alone, pre-cooked and some raw varieties are already pinkish, so trust shape and opacity over hue.