You want enough water to comfortably hold all the shrimp. There should be about 1 to 2 inches (2.5 to 5.1 cm) more water than there is shrimp.









To the water, add:

1/4 cup cider vinegar
Pinch of salt
Seasoning. Zatarain's Shrimp Boil seasonings may be used, or Old Bay seasoning, or a combination of both. Either use a small box of Zatarain's, 3 to 4 tablespoons of Old Bay, or a box of Zatarain's with 1 tablespoon of Old Bay.

;
, This helps turn the water into more of a broth or brine, which you'll then sink the shrimp into.
 Most chefs agree that cooking the shrimp with the heads and shells on, while annoying to peel, makes the shrimp tastier and more flavorful.If desired, de-vein the shrimp before you place them in the pot to cook.
 There is no set time for boiling shrimp, but smaller shrimp (50+ per pound) will take around 2 to 3 minutes, while larger shrimp (~30 per pound) will take around 5 to 7 minutes. This is only a guideline however.









If you feel like you want to check for doneness, shrimp is cooked when the thickest part of the flesh is opaque.
Take care not to overcook the shrimp. Overcooked shrimp become tough and rubbery. Remove the shrimp from the heat as soon as a few begin popping up to the top of the water.
 Just submerge the colander in the ice bath and take out immediately. This will more or less stop the shrimp from overcooking.
 Enjoy!
Bring a large pot of water to just to a boil.
Boil the water for a few minutes to season well.
Drop the fresh shrimp into the water.
Boil the shrimp until a few start floating on top of the water.
Drain the shrimp in a colander and shock immediately in an ice-bath.
Drain all water from shrimp, set on platter, and garnish with a half of a lemon.
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