Internal Temp of Shrimp (Determining if Shrimp Is Cooked or Not)

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If you love to cook and eat seafood, there are many things you need to wrap your mind around. Before you decide to cook shrimp, let me give you a heads-up that it will be pretty tricky. Though shrimp is way too delicious and nutritious to ignore, cooking it involves too many complications. 

One of the biggest challenges you might face while trying to cook shrimp is to keep a check on its internal temperature. Unlike other dishes you usually cook at home, shrimp must reach a specific internal temperature to be cooked properly. 

Typically, the ideal internal temperature of a cooked shrimp where you can be sure that it’s completely safe to eat is 145 degrees Fahrenheit or 63 degrees Celsius. 

Using a food thermometer, you can easily measure the internal temperature of shrimp to ensure that it’s not raw and won’t lead to any health complications later on. 

I have compiled a detailed guide for you explaining a bit about the ideal internal temperature of shrimp. I will also provide some methods and factors to help you ensure that the shrimp is perfectly cooked and ready to be consumed. 

This write-up will also explore some easy and hassle-free methods you can use to cook shrimp at home. So, keep reading this guide if you want to learn all these interesting things about shrimps. 

What’s the Ideal Internal Temperature of Cooked Shrimp? 

As I mentioned, if you want to ensure your shrimp is properly cooked, measuring its internal temperature is crucial. However, before moving to the measurement part, knowing what temperature will work is even more important. 

Theoretically, if your shrimps have reached an internal temperature of 145°F or 63°C, you can freely stop cooking. This is generally the ideal internal temperature for most of the seafood, and shrimp is no exception. 

Considering that shrimps are pretty tiny from the inside and full of flesh, the only way for you to know that the meat on its inner part is consumable is to measure the internal temperature of the shrimp. 

How to Measure the Internal Temperature of Shrimp? 

Now that you know how important it is to measure the internal temperature of shrimp and the part this plays in determining whether your shrimp is completely cooked, let me provide you with a simple and convenient method to measure its internal temperature. 

Here are the steps you need to follow to check the internal temperature of shrimp to ensure that eating it won’t lead you to health risks in the future. 

1. Buy a food thermometer from the market if you don’t already have one. 
2. Ensure that the thermometer is clean and is at room temperature. 
3. Insert the thermometer into the pan in which you are cooking the shrimp. 
4. Stick the stem side of the thermometer into the thick part of the shrimp. 
5. It’s best to stick the thermometer’s stem into the center of the shrimp for best results. 
6. Wait for 5 to 15 seconds to take a precise reading. 
7. See the digits showing on the thermometer, and if they are near 145 degrees Fahrenheit, immediately stop the cooking process.

How To Check If Shrimp Is Perfectly Cooked? 

If you have no idea how to check whether the shrimp is completely cooked or not, you are not alone. Most beginners struggle with determining the stage of cooking their seafood has reached. 

One of the primary things that will help you determine whether the shrimps you are making are done or not is their internal temperature. But fortunately, this is not the only thing that will help you figure this out. 

Here I have listed some factors that will help you check if the shrimps are perfectly cooked and good to be consumed or not. 

• Color of the Shrimp 

The first thing that will tell you whether the shrimp is cooked or not is its color. This is not unusual as most of the meats you consume tend to change their cooking once they are cooked. As far as shrimps are concerned, when completely cooked, they turn white with a pinkish shine to them. 

An uncooked shrimp, on the other hand, features a bluish-green color. Similarly, if the shrimp in your pan is partially cooked and yet to reach the ideal internal temperature, you will see them turning a little translucent with a red shine to them. 

Likewise, an overcooked shrimp typically features a gray or matte appearance. Both these colors are alarming, and it’s best to keep an eye on the shrimps if you don’t want them to overcook or undercook. 

• Outer Appearance 

Another thing that will help you determine whether the shrimp you are cooking at home are all set to be served is their outer appearance. When done, the outer covering of the shrimp, also called its crustacean, becomes shaggy and loses its firmness. Once you see the shrimp flowing around in the gravy, you can stop the cooking process. 

• The shape of the Shrimp 

Shrimps are pretty famous for their shape and exterior design, especially in the cooked form. Though shrimps are not that unique in their uncooked form and are straight, when they reach the cooking stage, they tend to become “C-shaped.” 

This is one thing that will make it easier for you to determine whether the shrimp are cooked; whenever you see them losing their straight form, contracting a bit, and adopting a C-shape, you can get sure that they are properly cooked. 

Methods to Cook Shrimp 

If this is your first time making shrimp at your home and you have never heard of its internal temperature and how the cooking process works, here are 3 simple methods that can be used to cook shrimp easily at your home. 

Method #1: Boiling Shrimp 

Boiling is the traditional and most commonly used method of cooking shrimp. If you are a beginner and it’s your first time trying shrimp, I suggest you go with the boiling method. 

Here is what you need to do for this: 

1. Clean shrimp properly and get rid of all the excess fat on them. 
2. Add water to a large pot and let it boil. 
3. Add the shrimp to the boiling water and wait until they start boiling. 
4. Once you see the water boiling in its full glory, turn off the gas. 
5. Convert the boiled shrimp to a tub full of ice water to immediately stop the cooking process. 

Note: Ensure to check the internal temperature of the shrimp before removing them from the gas. 

You can now serve the shrimp as is with some sauces and spices to sprinkle over them or season them in a broth or sauce before serving them. 

• Method #2: Grilling Method 

If you love grilled recipes and want to enjoy some crispy yet healthy seafood options, this is the best method. 

Here are the steps you need to follow to cook shrimp using the grilling method: 

1. Start by preheating the grill you will use on high to medium heat.
2. Add the shrimp into a bowl and coat them with a tsp of olive oil. 
3. Season the shrimp thoroughly with salt, oregano, cumin powder, and black pepper powder. 
4. Lay one shrimp at a time on the grill and wait for 3 minutes for each side. 
5. When one side completely cooks, turn it over and let the second side grill. 
6. Repeat the grilling process for all your shrimp pieces and serve them hot when done. 

Method #3: Roasting the Shrimp 

This is my favorite method to make shrimps, but I recommend you not start with it as it can get tricky. 

For roasting the shrimp at your home, here is what you need to do: 

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. 
2. Thoroughly clean the shrimp with cold water. 
3. Take out a baking tray and put parchment paper on it. 
4. Lay shrimp on the paper with alternating heads and tails position. 
5. Brush a small quantity of olive oil on all the shrimp. 
6. Use salt, thyme, basil, oregano, black pepper powder, lemon juice, and other spices for shrimp seasoning. 
7. Let one side roast for a while and when it’s done, turn the shrimp over and let the other side cook well. 
8. Check the internal temperature of the shrimp in the end and serve them hot. 

Conclusion – Internal Temp of Shrimp (Determining if Shrimp Is Cooked or Not)

In this guide, I have addressed one of the most crucial details regarding shrimp, i.e., their ideal internal temperature that can be used to check if the shrimp you are trying to make at home is properly cooked or not. 

I also highlighted some other factors that are enough to determine whether your shrimp are completely cooked and ready to be consumed or not. This guide also explored some simple cooking methods you can follow if you want to enjoy shrimp in a variety of different forms. 

Hopefully, all your concerns and doubts regarding shrimp and their cooking process are cleared, and all you have to do now is enjoy delicious and mouth-appetizing shrimps at home.