re: Question for the Board About Boiling Shrimp

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Seems like 12 minutes is still too long at that water temp

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It depends. Even with unfrozen shrimp, the temperature of the water will drastically decrease with the addition of the shrimp and therefore the temperature will fall & equalize easily within poaching temperature (160 to 180°F) if you cut the fire off prior to adding the shrimp to your cooking liquid.

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Although I'm bracing myself to get severely owned for questioning you

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My intentions are never to "Own" anyone, I just like to educate & I don't know everything so i like being educated as well. With that said, boiling temperatures induce the denaturation of most proteins, which changes the physical structures and results in a reduction or loss of the water retention ability. By reducing the cooking temperature, you preserve the moisture retention property and increase the osmotic absorption ability of the protein matrix.

So, at poaching temperature the shrimp act more like sponges allowing the exchange of liquid as the proteins slowly coagulate, providing an opportunity for maximum flavor absorption.

This is true with all proteins with regards to the principles of moist heat cooking methods such as poaching, simmering, boiling, & steaming.

The higher the heat, the quicker the protein matrix reaches maximum coagulation potential which results in lower absorption coefficient.

The lower the heat, the slower the protein matrix reaches maximum coagulation potential which results in higher absorption coefficient.

The ideal circumstance is to find a conditions that reaches a temperature which optimizes protein coagulation & flavor absorption.

I got my method & I like my results.