Do not brine raw shrimp if they are to be used for poaching and other wet cooking techniques. Tests and found that the brining lets the shrimp retain more moisture when cooked with a dry method (grilling or pan frying, for example).
Kosher salt and table salt (without iodine) are the most common salts used in brining. Sea salt can be used, but it tends to be quite expensive. I usually use kosher salt. A cup of table salt and a cup of kosher salt are not equal. Table salt weighs approximately 10 ounces per cup and kosher salt weighs approximately 5 to 8 ounces per cup depending on the brand. If using kosher salt in a brine, you must use more than a cup to achieve the same "saltiness" you would get from a cup of table salt. The chart below shows how to substitute the two most popular brands of kosher salt for ordinary table salt when brining.
Table Salt (without iodine) - 1 cup
Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt - 2 cups
Morton Kosher Salt - 1 1/2 cups
How long to brine raw shrimp:
It is possible to end up with meat that's too salty for your taste. To avoid this, brine on the low end of the time range on your first attempt. You can always brine longer next time, but there's no way to salvage a piece of meat that's been brined too long.
Shrimp (peeled) - 20 to 30 minutes
Shrimp (unpeeled) - 40 to 60 minutes
Brine for shrimp:
1/4 cup kosher or coarse salt
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup boiling water
2 cups ice
Stir salt and sugar into boiling water until dissolved; pour into large bowl filled with ice; add up to 2 pounds raw shrimp. Let sit in the brine, refrigerated for 20 to 60 minutes (see chart above). Remove shrimp from brine and drain thoroughly. Rinse the shrimp thoroughly under cold water and dry on paper towels. Refrigerate the raw brined shrimp until ready to use in your recipe.
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