Head-on shrimp are a crowd-pleasing centerpiece, but are easy to overcook and a pain to peel at the table. To make it easier, brine raw shrimp in a slushy solution of sea salt and baking soda. Alkaline baking soda slightly alters the pH of the shrimp, making them as plump and succulent as lobster and resistant to overcooking. The brine also causes the meat to pull away from the shells while cooking, so you get all the great flavor of shell-on shrimp without the hassle.
