SCIENCE: How Baking Soda Keeps Shrimp Tender
Every so often we come across a little kitchen magic, so let’s talk about the science of baking soda and shrimp.
We don’t use the term magic lightly, but when something like baking soda improves the quality of shrimp that’s either quickly stir-fried or long-simmered, but doesn’t really affect shrimp cooked other ways, we’re at a loss for what else to call it.
Long ago we learned that the reason meats dry out during cooking—even moist cooking—is because heat makes their muscle proteins clench together and squeeze out water. Acidity makes it worse—just try a vinegary marinade if you want tough, dry meat—but the corollary is that alkalinity mitigates the problem. So we often apply a mild baking soda solution to meat before cooking it to (scientifically) solve that problem.
We have found we can use the same trick on shrimp, allowing them to stay plump and juicy when exposed to heat. The baking soda raises the pH of the shellfish’s muscle, which alters the electric charge of the muscle protein. As a result, the muscle fibers stay slightly apart from each other instead of clenching together, and the moisture that’s between the fibers stays between the fibers. This technique works magic when shrimp is only briefly cooked at high heat, as in a shrimp stir-fry, as well as in long-cooking dishes where the shrimp would normally dry out.
How to Treat Shrimp with Baking Soda
1. Thoroughly toss 1 pound of peeled shrimp with ¼ teaspoon baking soda in a bowl.
2. Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes.
3. Proceed with the rest of your recipe.
