When cooking shrimp and lobster, what color change indicates doneness?

• A. Flesh remains translucent and pink edges.
• B. The shells turn red and flesh becomes pearly opaque.
• C. Flesh turns greenish and firm.
• D. Shells crack open and flesh remains translucent.

Answer: (B)

The main cue for doneness in shrimp and lobster is the color change: the shells should turn red and the flesh should become pearly opaque. Heat causes the pigments in the shells to reveal red, and it denatures the muscle proteins so the meat loses translucence and becomes firm and opaque. Raw shrimp and lobster meat are translucent and darker, so reaching that opaque, white-looking flesh signals they’re cooked through without being overdone. If the flesh is still translucent with only some pink edges, it’s not fully cooked yet. Greenish flesh isn’t a typical doneness indicator for these shellfish, and relying on shell cracking with translucent meat isn’t a reliable cue. Aim for evenly opaque meat and bright red shells for proper doneness.