how to cook royal reds shrimp

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Royal Red Shrimp are found deep in the ocean and are red when raw. They're sweeter than regular shrimp with a flavor and texture more like lobster. Learn how to cook Royal Reds here.

When I spotted some Royal Red Shrimp at my grocery store recently, I had to snap them up. They're really unique. They're found 430 fathoms deep (that's like half a mile) and are difficult, and thus not super-profitable, for fishermen to catch. They have a sweeter and more buttery flavor than other shrimp, a bit like lobster even. The coolest thing is that they're pink even before you cook them. See:

Royal Red Shrimp

Because they're already pink, you can't use the usual method for determining if they're cooked or not. Normally, shrimp turn pink when they're cooked and that's a great indicator of their doneness. Instead, you have to watch for Royal Reds to turn more opaque and to curl up a bit. In the pan below, they've been cooking for about a minute. You can see that some of them have started curling and getting opaque while some are still a bit more jiggly. But if you're wondering, yes, these shrimp are keto like the ones you normally buy in the store.

Cooking shrimp

I melted 2 tablespoons of butter over medium-low heat. Then I added 1 pound of the peeled and deveined Royal Reds (note that domestic shrimp like these are rarely sold already peeled and deveined so you'll probably need to do this yourself. Check out this great video for that over here,but note that the Royal Reds' veins are not always black. Sometimes they're more red, pink or coral.

I stirred the shrimp as they cooked. This kind of shrimp cooks more quickly than regular ones. These took only 2-3 minutes at the low temperature. As soon as they were all cooked, I immediately transferred them to a plate so that the heat from the pan wouldn't keep cooking them. I've read that Royal Reds are not at all good if over-cooked and didn't want to take the chance.

What else do you need to do? I added a sprinkle of salt and served them up. Isn't it great to taste something new in its purest way? Just butter and salt on these babies. I hope you find them at a store near you and that you love them as much as I do. Can't find them? Well, I guess you better get over to the Space Coast pronto!!

DESCRIPTION

Royal Red Shrimp are found deep in the ocean and are red when raw. They're sweeter than regular shrimp with a flavor and texture more like lobster. Learn how to cook Royal Reds here.

2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into a few pieces
1 lb. (40-50 count) Royal Red Shrimp, peeled and deveined
A pinch of salt

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat.
When hot, add the shrimp.
Cook stirring continuously until they have all curled a bit and are opaque.
Immediately transfer to a plate. Sprinkle with salt and serve.

This post originally appeared in October 2016 and was revised and republished in October 2018.

How to Cook Royal Red Shrimp