Depending on the size , the question of how long do you boil shrimp varies. For medium size shrimp , place the shrimps into a boiling pot of water for around 5 to 7 minutes. You'll know when they are cooked as they will just begin to turn pink , remember to look out for this colour change as you don't want to overcook them or they will go tough and chewy.

If the shrimp are a little smaller or larger , just increase the cooking time for a few minutes either way. They don't take long to cook so they are a perfect starter to a meal. There are other ways to cook shrimp, one of these is to add a seasoning mix of Old Bay , some cut up lemons , and a few bay leaves into the water. Bring the water to the boil , add the shrimp , cover the pot and remove from the heat. The shrimp will cook in the hot water even though its off the heat , all you need to do is leave them in there for around 5 minutes or so , until all the shrimps are pink. Make sure theres enough water in there to cover the shrimp , and check them half way through cooking to give them a stir. If you have really cold shrimp , after you add them to the pot , quickly bring the water back to the boil before taking them off the heat. You don't want the shrimp to cool the water so much that they don't cook properly.

Here's a tip i learnt from an old woman who i used to live next door to (you gotta love the old hand me down tips!). When i asked her how long do you boil shrimp , she told me about the 'C' and 'O' rule. Generally speaking , if you cook the shrimp until they are pink and form a 'C' shape , they are done!. If they are pink but form an 'O' shape , they are overcooked. So keep your eye on them.