Ingredients
- 3 to 4 3 to 4 4 bay leaves
- 3 3 3 tablespoons Old Bay Seasoning
- Pinch Pinch of cayenne
- 2 2 2 teaspoons black peppercorns
- 1/2 1/2 1/2 head garlic, halved crosswise
- 5 5 5 sprigs fresh parsley
- 1 1 1 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 1 1 lemon, halved
Preparation
Step 1
Fill a large pot with water until a little more than halfway full. Stir in all aromatics except lemon (if using), and bring the water to a boil. While you’re waiting, fill up a large bowl with ice—this is how you’ll cool your shrimp after they boil so they don’t overcook.
When the water comes to a rolling boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes to infuse the flavors.
Next, squeze the lemon juice into the water (and you can actually just toss the whole lemon into the pot once you've squeezed the juice). Add the shrimp (cook them in two batches if you’re using more than 2 pounds) and simmer until they just start to turn pink. Shrimp cook very quickly—so this shouldn’t take more than 2 to 3 minutes.
Remove the shrimp with a slotted spoon and place them on the ice to cool. Serve immediately or chill on ice in the refrigerator.