THE SHORT ANSWER
How do you know when red shrimp are done?
For naturally red shrimp, color change is a poor doneness cue. Look for opaque, pearly flesh rather than waiting for it to turn pink.
Limited evidence
Naturally red shrimp do not provide the usual grey-to-pink doneness cue.
The science in more detail
The grey-to-pink transition is astaxanthin being released from the carotenoprotein crustacyanin as heat denatures it. A species whose raw shell and flesh are already red has no such transition to show.
The 'half the cook time' claim itself is unmeasured. Argentine red and royal red are often conflated despite different reported texture.
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.
- pnas.org · pnas.152088999 ↗
Linked research for: Naturally red shrimp do not provide the usual grey-to-pink doneness cue.. Open the source to assess its methods and limitations.
- malloryskitchen.com · the ultimate guide how to cook argentine red shrimp with shell on perfectly ↗
Linked research for: Naturally red shrimp do not provide the usual grey-to-pink doneness cue.. Open the source to assess its methods and limitations.
- chowhound.com · royal red shrimp lobster of the gulf ↗
Linked research for: Naturally red shrimp do not provide the usual grey-to-pink doneness cue.. Open the source to assess its methods and limitations.
We tell you when we don’t know.