Frozen Shrimp

Frozen Shrimp

Long story short: buy frozen shrimp. I don’t really care what brand you get, it’s not really about the brand, but frozen shrimp is a must-have staple in your freezer, unless you’re allergic to shrimp or don’t like seafood, in which case… wow (awkward silence), I don’t really know what to say. But for those of you who like to eat shrimp, you don’t have to rely on buying it fresh from the seafood counter. And those of you who already have frozen shrimp in your freezer, you don’t have to hide it from people. You can say it loud and proud. Here’s why.

First of all, side note, if you’re gonna go buy frozen shrimp, you can tell how big your shrimp is by that number in the corner ie: “31-40.” That means exactly what it says on the bag… that there are anywhere from 31-40 shrimp in one pound, which means about medium sized. So if you want large shrimp, make sure the number says something like “21-25.” Got it?

Secondly, shrimp that you see over ice in the seafood display case is actually previously frozen anyhow. How else would they transport it from shrimp boat to grocery store and still call it “fresh?” There’s nothing wrong with it, and It’s actually the proper way to do it, so don’t go barging into your local store with protest signs. My point is why only buy shrimp that was frozen and defrosted over ice, when you can buy shrimp that was flash frozen at the peak of freshness, so that you can decide when to defrost it whenever you want?

How do you thaw it out? Simple, my shrimp-lovin’ friend. I find the best way to do it quickly and safely is by dumping your shrimp into a bowl filled with COLD water. It will only take a few minutes for the ice to melt away, and you’ll be left with perfectly soft and supple shrimp. Then take it one step further…

Drain the now thawed shrimp. At this point, if you need to go peel and de-vein them, do it. Use kitchen shears to cut down the back to easily remove the shell and vein in one. Now, massage it with a little salt. Yes, that way it will taste the way it’s supposed to taste, and even plump up a bit while cooking. I like to take it yet another step further and massage it with salt, spices and a little olive oil. Then saute until they’re pink on both sides, and just start to curl. Do not over cook.

You’ll have the juiciest, most succulent shrimp at your beckon call and dinner from the freezer in no time flat.



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