Not shrimp boil, but shrimp broil.

That’s what “Garlicky Roasted Shrimp with Cumin, Ginger & Sesame” encapsulates.

Prepare to get down and dirty with this quick and easy dish. That’s because not only do you have to rub seasonings all over and into slit, shell-on shrimp before broiling, but of course once cooked, you have to then peel them to eat.

But like Dungeness crab in-season, these shrimp are well worth the effort and cleanup afterward.

This recipe is from “America’s Test Kitchen 25th Anniversary Cookbook: 500 Recipes That Changed the Way America Cooks” (2024), of which I received a review copy.

Believe me, you’ll get a workout just lifting this 711-page book.

So just what are game-changing recipes? As the team at America’s Test Kitchen explains: They’re recipes that you make over and over, whether it’s every week or once a year for every holiday gathering. They’re recipes that give you confidence as a cook, and never cease to please family and friends.

This book is loaded with photos not only of finished dishes, but ones that helpfully illustrate specific techniques.

What dishes are destined to become game-changers for you? Maybe “Deluxe Blueberry Pancakes,” “Fresh Pasta Without A Machine,” “Next-Level Chicken Piccata,” “Spice-Rubbed Pork Roast en Cocotte with Caramelized Onions,” or “Best Almond Cake”?

I already know I’ll be making this shrimp dish often. Devein them, but leave shells and tail intact to add more flavor and protect their flesh when cooking. Next, brine them in salted water for 15 minutes to not only season them through and through, but help them retain more moisture.

After patting them dry, rub them well with a mixture of vegetable oil, minced garlic, toasted sesame oil, grated fresh ginger, and cumin seeds.

Arrange the shrimp in one layer on a wire rack on a rimmed baking sheet. Broil for about 2 minutes, flip them over, and broil for another 2 to 4 minutes.

Transfer them to a serving platter, sprinkle on sliced scallions, and pass them around with a lot of napkins.

The shrimp are plump, and redolent of the warm, citrusy notes of cumin and the sharpness of garlic.

They also took almost no time to cook, either. That’s an after-work, game-changer worth shouting about.

Garlicky Roasted Shrimp with Cumin, Ginger, and Sesame

(Serves 4 to 6)

1/4 cup table salt for brining

2 pounds shell-on jumbo shrimp (16 to 20 per pound)

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil

1 1/2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

2 scallions, thinly sliced, for garnishing

Dissolve salt in 1 quart cold water in a large container. Using kitchen shears or sharp paring knife, cut through shell of shrimp and devein but do not remove shell. Using paring knife, continue to cut shrimp 1/2 inch deep, taking care not to cut in half completely. Submerge shrimp in brine, cover, and refrigerate for 15 minutes.

Adjust oven rack 4 inches from broiler element and heat broiler. Combine vegetable oil with garlic, sesame oil, grated ginger, and cumin seeds in a large bowl. Remove shrimp from brine and pat dry with paper towels. Add shrimp to oil mixture, toss well, making sure the mixture gets into interior of shrimp. Arrange shrimp in single layer on a wire rack set in rimmed baking sheet.

Broil shrimp until opaque and shells are beginning to brown, 2 to 4 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through broiling. Flip shrimp and continue to broil until second side is opaque and shells are beginning to brown, 2 to 4 minutes longer, rotating sheet halfway through broiling. Transfer shrimp to serving platter, garnish with green onions, and serve immediately.

From “America’s Test Kitchen 25th Anniversary Cookbook”

More Favorite America’s Test Kitchen Recipes to Enjoy: Chicken and Rye Dumplings

And: Thai Cornish Game Hens with Chilli Dipping Sauce

And: South Carolina Shrimp Burgers

And: Roasted Artichokes with Fennel and Tarragon

And: Winter Squash and White Bean Soup

And: Miso Soup with Halibut

And: Italian Pasta and Bean Soup

And: Sweet Potato Salad with Cumin, Smoked Paprika, and Almonds

And: Really Good Pumpkin Bread

And: Modern Cauliflower Gratin