VelvetPan-Seared Shrimp
Inspired by techniques from America's Test Kitchen.
Large shrimp seared in two quick batches in a very hot pan, with a pinch of sugar to help them brown before they can toughen, then finished together off the heat under a lid. Spotty-brown outside, plump and juicy inside, in under 10 minutes.
Always check the labels of the products you use.
Method
- 1
Season. Pat the shrimp dry and toss them in the bowl with the salt, pepper and sugar. The sugar is barely noticeable as sweetness, but it caramelises fast and gives a golden crust in the short time the shrimp spend in the pan.
- 2
Sear the first batch. Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in the frying pan over high heat until just smoking. Add half the shrimp in a single layer and cook without moving for about 1 min, until spotty brown and pink at the edges. Crowding the pan would drop the heat and make them stew instead of sear.
- 3
Turn off the heat. Take the pan off the heat and quickly turn each shrimp with tongs. Leave them for about 30 sec, until all but the very centre is opaque, then tip them onto the plate. They finish cooking later, so they stay tender.
- 4
Sear the second batch. Wipe the pan if needed, add the remaining oil and repeat with the rest of the shrimp: about 1 min over high heat, then off the heat, flip and leave 30 sec.
- 5
Finish together. Return the first batch to the pan with any juices and toss. Cover and leave off the heat for 1-2 min, until every shrimp is opaque all the way through, curled into a loose C and reads 63 °C. Serve straight away.
Storage
Best eaten straight away. Refrigerate covered up to 2 days; eat cold or reheat briefly in a pan until piping hot (74 °C). Cool leftovers in a shallow container and refrigerate within 2 hours (within 1 hour on a day above 32°C).
Why it's healthy
34.2 g protein for 175 kcal = 19.5 g per 100 kcal, so protein gives about 78% of the energy. High Protein needs at least 20% (5 g per 100 kcal), the EU condition. How we decide
EU nutrition claims
- Low fat: 2.8 g fat per 100 g (limit ≤ 3 g)
- Low saturated fat: 0.3 g saturated fat per 100 g, 2.1% of energy (limits ≤ 1.5 g and ≤ 10%)
- Sugar-free: 0.1 g sugars per 100 g (limit ≤ 0.5 g)
Per 100 g of the finished dish, worked out from the nutrition per serving and the lowest likely cooked weight (about 149 g a serving), so the true values are, if anything, lower. Thresholds from the Annex to EU Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006. How we decide
Free sugars
Free sugars: 0.1 g per serving
0.2 % of the 50 g daily maximum · 0.4 % of the ideal 25 g
Free sugars under 50 g a day, ideally about 25 g (WHO). The share shown is the share of one serving. who.int/publications/i/item/9789241549028
Equipment
- 30 cm frying pan with lid
- bowl
- tongs
- large plate
- paper towels
Nutrition per serving (estimated values)
| Per serving | Amount |
|---|---|
| Energy | 175 kcal |
| Protein | 34.2 g |
| Carbohydrate | 0.2 g |
| of which sugars | 0.1 g |
| of which free sugars | 0.1 g |
| Fat | 4.2 g |
| of which saturates | 0.4 g |
| Fibre | 0 g |
| Salt | 0.87 g |
Protein per 100 kcal
19.5 g meets High Protein (≥ 5 g, 20% of energy)
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central ingredient values
