Shrimp Buying and Preparation Tips
Purchasing
Look for these signs of quality when purchasing shrimp:
- Fresh shrimp: tightly adhering shells; legs in tact; meat that is firm to the touch; fresh sea breeze smell.
- Frozen shrimp: shrimp should be completely frozen and have uniform color; no white patches indicating dehydration; shrimp should not bent in an unnatural position.
Sizes
Shrimp are sold by count, which is the number of shrimp in a pound. Counts and sizes will sometimes vary but a general standard for sizes will be:
- Jumbo = less than 20/pound
- Large = 20-30/pound
- Medium = 30-40/pound
- Small = more than 40/pound
One pound of raw, headless, shell-on shrimp will yield approximately ¾ pound of cooked, peeled and deveined shrimp.
Shrimp are available fresh or frozen, whole, headless, shell-on, peeled, peeled and deveined, and tail-on.
You should always purchase seafood last and keep it cold when shopping. Ask your seafood specialist to pack your seafood on ice for the trip home. Remove from ice prior to refrigerating.
Cooking and Preparation
To devein shrimp, make a shallow slit, with a sharp knife, down the back of a peeled shrimp. Locate the black vein and pull out with the tip of the knife.
Shrimp will cook very quickly and continue cooking when removed from the heat source. This should be taken into consideration when planning for a meal. Shrimp can be cooked with the shell on or off. Shelled shrimp will cook in about one-half the time of shell-on shrimp.
Shrimp can be broiled, baked, grilled, fried and used in casseroles, salads and pasta dishes. A popular way to enjoy the goodness of wild caught shrimp is to lightly boil, rinse and cooling. After cooled, serve with sliced limes and cocktail sauce.
Boiling Shrimp
Bring water (4 cups for each pound of shrimp) and seasonings* to a boil. Add shrimp, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes per pound of shrimp. Stir occasionally and simmer until the largest shrimp is opaque throughout. Cooking time will vary according to size. Immediately drain and rinse under cold water to halt the cooking process. Be careful not to overcook the shrimp. Overcooking toughens the protein and causes a loss in taste and appearance.
* You can use one of several commercial "shrimp boil" seasonings available or season to personal taste with one or more of the following: salt, lemon slices, beer, pickling spices, whole peppercorns or bay leaves.
Safety
Keep raw and cooked seafood separate to prevent bacterial cross-contamination. After handling raw seafood, thoroughly wash knives, cutting surfaces, sponges and your hands with hot soapy water.
Fresh shrimp should be stored as close to 32º F as possible. This will slow the spoilage process and keep the product as safe as it can be.
Storage
Uncooked, fresh shrimp: store in the coldest part of your refrigerator (usually the lowest shelf at the back or in the meat keeper), as close to 32º F as possible, for up to two days. Store in any airtight container and surround with ice to maintain the temperature.
Cooked shrimp: store in serving size packets or small containers in the refrigerator or freezer within 1 hour after cooking. Leftovers can be refrigerated for 2 days or kept in the freezer for up to 12 months. Remember: If there is any doubt about the safety of a cooked food in your refrigerator or freezer, throw it out!
To freeze shrimp: place 1 pound of shrimp in a 1-quart freezer bag. Add 1 cup of water and seal the bag, pushing out all the air as you seal. Lay the bag(s) flat on a freezer rack until they are frozen solid. Flat frozen bags will thaw in less time than a rounded bag. . When thawing it's best to thaw in the refrigerator in the package it was frozen in. It will take about 18 hours a pound to completely thaw.
Frozen uncooked shrimp can be frozen at or below 0º F for up to 10 months.
