Why This Recipe Works

Our shrimp scampi recipe uses a few test kitchen tricks to ensure flavorful and well-cooked shrimp along with a cohesive, garlicky wine-and-butter sauce. First, we brine the shrimp in salt and sugar to season them throughout and keep them moist and juicy. Then we poach them in wine rather than sauté them, so they cook evenly and gently. To get good seafood flavor into the sauce, we make a stock from the shrimp shells. And for potent garlic flavor, we use a generous amount of sliced garlic—too much minced garlic made the sauce grainy. Finally, to keep the sauce silky and emulsified, we added a teaspoon of cornstarch. Emulsifying with cornstarch means that we can use a little less butter, so the sauce isn’t overly rich.

Before You Begin

Extra-large shrimp (21 to 25 per pound) can be substituted for jumbo shrimp. If you use them, reduce the cooking time in step 3 by 1 to 2 minutes. We prefer untreated shrimp, but if your shrimp are treated with sodium or preservatives like sodium tripolyphosphate, skip the brining in step 1 and add 1/4 teaspoon of salt to the sauce in step 4. Serve with crusty bread.

Instructions

Peel (shells and tails) and devein 1½ pounds shell-on jumbo shrimp; reserve shells.

Dissolve 3 tablespoons table salt and 2 tablespoons sugar in 1 quart cold water in large container. Submerge shrimp in brine, cover container, and refrigerate for 15 minutes.

Remove shrimp from brine and pat dry with paper towels; set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil in 12-inch skillet over high heat until shimmering. Add shrimp shells and cook, stirring frequently, until they begin to turn spotty brown and skillet starts to brown, 2 to 4 minutes.

Remove skillet from heat and carefully add 1 cup dry white wine and 4 sprigs fresh thyme. When bubbling subsides, return skillet to medium heat and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.

Strain mixture through colander set over large bowl. Discard shells and reserve liquid. (You should have about ⅔ cup.)

Wipe out skillet with paper towels. Combine 3 tablespoons lemon juice and 1 teaspoon cornstarch in small bowl.

Heat remaining 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 8 thinly sliced garlic cloves, ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, and ¼ teaspoon pepper in now-empty skillet over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until garlic is fragrant and just beginning to brown at edges, 3 to 5 minutes.

Add reserved wine mixture, increase heat to high, and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to medium, add shrimp, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until shrimp are just opaque, 5 to 7 minutes.

Remove skillet from heat and, using slotted spoon, transfer shrimp to bowl.

Return skillet to medium heat, add lemon juice–cornstarch mixture, and cook until slightly thickened, 1 minute. Remove from heat and whisk in 4 tablespoons butter (cut into ½-inch pieces) and 1 tablespoon chopped parsley until combined.

Return shrimp and any accumulated juices to skillet and toss to combine. Serve, passing lemon wedges separately.