Prawns
Done in a couple of minutes, and rubbery right after.
Rare
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Medium rare
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Medium
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Well done
Rest time
Cooking helper: how long to go?
Check the core temperature of your prawns now and then. After two readings the helper works out when it will be done. Then start the rest timer.
1. Pick your doneness
2. Measure the core temperature
Measure every 5 to 10 minutes at the thickest point. Your readings are kept if you close the page.
3. Let it rest
Tip: large cuts rise another 2 to 5 °C while resting, so take them off a little before the target.
All internal temperatures in one chart · Resting meat: how long and why
About Prawns
Prawns are shellfish and their proteins behave differently from those of fish. They go from translucent to opaque within a span of just a few degrees, and after that they turn rubbery fast.
Around 50 degrees the flesh starts turning opaque; at 55 degrees it is just done and still juicy. Above 60 degrees the muscle fibres contract so far that the prawn becomes tough and loses moisture. That is a matter of seconds rather than minutes, because a prawn is small and heats extremely quickly.
Since probing something that small is awkward, most cooks use shape as the guide. A raw prawn lies straight, a perfectly cooked one curls into a C, and an overcooked one tightens into an O. That O means you were too late.
Remove the dark digestive tract along the back before cooking. That is a matter of taste and grit rather than safety, but on larger prawns the difference is noticeable.
Tips
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Most voted
Gaar zodra ze van doorschijnend naar ondoorzichtig gaan en de vorm van een C aannemen. Een O betekent te ver.
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