re: Shrimp boil , always hard to peel

As others mentioned, you're overcooking.

quote:

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plus I drop ice to stop the cooking after a couple of minutes of cooking

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This is close, but use frozen jug(s) of water instead, so you don't dilute your spice with extra water. Shrimp don't take long at all to "cook". Cut the heat quick, stir, stir, stir and drop frozen jug(s), keep stirring to cool that water a bit. Then check one occasionally for flavor. If you're using fresh shrimp, I promise you won't have an over cooking/hard peeling issue.

Please don't add butter to your shrimp boil. This does absolutely nothing to help your shrimp peel easier, cook better, etc, etc. All it does is make for a messier pot to clean up.