Ingredients Seafood Shrimp The Snappiest Shrimp 3.0 (2) 2 Reviews Head-on shrimp are a crowd-pleasing centerpiece, but are easy to overcook and a pain to peel at the table. To make it easier, brine raw shrimp in a slushy solution of sea salt and baking soda. Alkaline baking soda slightly alters the pH of the shrimp, making them as plump and succulent as lobster and resistant to overcooking. The brine also causes the meat to pull away from the shells while cooking, so you get all the great flavor of shell-on shrimp without the hassle. By Robin Bashinsky Robin Bashinsky Robin Bashinsky is a James Beard Award-winning food journalist and recipe developer. Known for injecting bold, global flavors into health-driven menus, he is the creative force behind the West Coast-influenced healthy comfort food at Blueroot in Birmingham, Alabama. His work has been featured in Cooking Light, EatingWell, Real Simple, Food & Wine, Southern Living, and others. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Updated on November 1, 2018 Print Rate It Share Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: Christopher Testani Active Time: 20 mins Total Time: 1 hr 20 mins Yield: 6 Ingredients 8 cups water 1/2 cup fine sea salt (such as La Baleine) 2 tablespoons baking soda 3 pounds raw head-on jumbo pink or brown wild Gulf shrimp 3 cups cracked ice 1/4 cup olive oil 1 teaspoon black pepper Directions Combine 8 cups water, salt, and baking soda in a large bowl, and stir until salt and baking soda dissolve and water is clear, about 1 minute and 30 seconds. Add shrimp and ice. Chill 1 hour. Remove shrimp from brine, and pat dry. Discard brine. Chill shrimp until ready to cook, up to 1 hour. Preheat oven to 400°F. Toss shrimp with oil and black pepper, and spread in an even layer on a large rimmed baking sheet. Roast in preheated oven until heads are just opaque, about 12 minutes. Transfer to a platter, and serve immediately. Notes Try this method with any size shrimp cooked any way. Rate it Print