THE SHORT ANSWER
Does shrimp get more tender the longer you cook it?
Usually no. Once shrimp are cooked, additional heat generally increases moisture loss and firmness rather than making them more tender.
High confidence
Additional cooking usually makes shrimp firmer and drier, not more tender.
The science in more detail
Myofibrillar proteins denature and contract in a narrow range. Unlike collagen-rich terrestrial cuts, shrimp muscle has too little connective tissue for long wet heat to convert collagen to gelatin and compensate for myofibrillar toughening.
Very prolonged braising can eventually soften overcooked shrimp through collagen-to-gelatin, but the eating quality is poor and all shrimp flavour is lost to the liquid. This is a technical exception, not a useful cooking method.
Evidence behind the answer
This answer is linked to the research rule above. Confidence describes its evidence, not the review status of this page. We tell you when we don’t know.
- s3.wp.wsu.edu · 315 Wang 2018 FBT (PDF) ↗
Linked research for: Additional cooking usually makes shrimp firmer and drier, not more tender.. Open the source to assess its methods and limitations.
- PubMed research record · PMID 23387897 ↗
Linked research for: Additional cooking usually makes shrimp firmer and drier, not more tender.. Open the source to assess its methods and limitations.
We tell you when we don’t know.