Garlic Butter Shrimp

Cook the shrimp fully, then cool and refrigerate in an airtight container up to 2 days. Reheat gently in a skillet over low heat with 1 tbsp butter for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly. Do not microwave, which toughens shrimp. Fresh parsley should be added after reheating.

Adjust cooking time: small shrimp (31-40 count) need only 1 minute per side; jumbo shrimp (16-20 count) need 2-3 minutes per side. Use the visual cue: shrimp are done when fully pink and just cooked through, before they curl tightly (which means they're overcooked).

Overcooking—shrimp cook very fast, in 3-5 minutes total. Remove them from the pan the moment they're fully pink and opaque throughout, not when they start to curl tightly. Also avoid cooking in two batches in the same dirty pan, which heats unevenly.

Air fryer: toss shrimp with 2 tbsp melted butter, garlic, salt, and pepper. Air fry at 380°F for 6-7 minutes, shaking halfway through. Toast is golden but lacks the butter sauce of the skillet version. The stovetop method is superior for this dish.

Crusty bread to dip in the sauce, pasta (spaghetti or linguine), rice, or a simple green salad. Serve as an appetizer with wine or beer, or over pasta as a main course.

Store shrimp and sauce together in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Reheat gently in a skillet over low heat with 1 tbsp butter for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until just warmed through. Microwave will make them tough; avoid it.