Frozen shrimp are always a good thing to have around. Those small, pre-peeled, and deveined uncooked shrimp in the frozen aisle are super convenient, highly nutritious, and come in handy for a delectable shrimp dinner on the fly or a protein-packed lunch. You've probably a bag of them tucked in the back of your freezer right now.
However, frozen shrimp can be tricky to cook. One wrong step, and you've got tiny sponges that taste dry and rubbery, or soggy and bland or turn your sauce into a too-thin, watery mess.
Well, good news, convenience-minded shrimp lovers. We've got a few tips and tricks to make frozen shrimp taste almost as good if they were just pulled from the bay. Keep reading to learn the best methods to cook frozen shrimp, so they stay juicy and never dry.
The best way to thaw shrimp is overnight in the refrigerator, allowing the shrimp to thaw gradually. If you need your shrimp to be ready quicker, remove them from the packaging, transfer them to a strainer in the sink, and let them thaw under cold running water. Once thawed, place them on a plate lined with paper towels to soak up any excess water.
Flash cook shrimp first.
Depending on how you plan to prepare your shrimp, cooking them will prevent them from watering down your dish. Add the thawed shrimp to a large pan and cook on high heat for 1 to 2 minutes until they begin to release some of their liquid. Let the shrimp sit in the pan without stirring for 1 minute, then stir quickly, and let them cook another minute. Then remove the shrimp from the pan with a slotted spoon. This method will remove the excess moisture from the shrimp, so expect them to shrink slightly in size.
Save the shrimp juices in the pan.
If you're making a dish that calls for stock, water, or wine, include the shrimp-flavored juices from the pan as part of your sauce's measured amount of liquid. But be careful that the added shrimp liquid isn't more than the amount of stock the recipe calls for. Then, once your sauce is done, add in your cooked shrimp.
Boil the shrimp on the stove.
Boiling shrimp is a quick and easy way to cook frozen shrimp, making them perfect for shrimp co*cktail or sushi rolls. Bring a large pot of water to a boil on the stove. Add salt, pepper, lemon wedges, Old Bay seasoning, and bay leaves to the water and stir. Add thawed shrimp and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until the shrimp turns gray to pink. Turn the heat off, and transfer the shrimp into an ice bath to stop the cooking.
Cook frozen shrimp in the air fryer.
The air fryer is an effortless way to get juicy, tender shrimp that can be used in a variety of shrimp recipes. The best part about air fryer frozen shrimp is there's no need to defrost the shrimp first; you can take them right from the freezer to the fryer. Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees F and place the shrimp into the air fryer basket. Cook for 5 minutes if using frozen cooked shrimp or for 10 minutes if using frozen raw shrimp. Flip the shrimp halfway through to ensure they are evenly cooked.
Simply melt some butter in a pan, add minced garlic, and sauté the shrimp for a few minutes until they are heated through. You can also add a squeeze of lemon juice and some chopped parsley for extra flavor.
Simply melt some butter in a pan, add minced garlic, and sauté the shrimp for a few minutes until they are heated through. You can also add a squeeze of lemon juice and some chopped parsley for extra flavor.
Place the thawed shrimp on a paper-towel lined baking tray or platter. Soaking up excess moisture will help the shrimp cook and prevent any soggy situations in the skillet.
Technically, it is not necessary to clean shrimp. The little black line on the bottom of the shrimp, also called a “vein,” is just the shrimp's digestive tract.
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.
Heat a frying pan to medium and add butter, and when the butter melts spread it around the pan to evenly distribute it. Put the prepares shrimp in the hot pan and let them start to cook. Put freshly preferrably ground garlic (or powdered garlic in the pan and stir ingredients, flipping the shrimp over for even cooking.
According to FDA seafood guidelines, shrimp should be cooked until the flesh is firm and clear. But shrimp are so small and fatty, they reach that point from frozen in a matter of a few minutes. In fact, cooking shrimp from frozen actually helps prevent overcooking, leading to juicer, more tender shrimp.
The key to successfully cooking shrimp is to not overcook them. Regardless of boiling, broiling, baking or sautéing, if you cook shrimp for too long they'll get tough.
Some popular seasonings for pre-cooked shrimp include garlic, lemon juice, Old Bay seasoning, Cajun seasoning, black pepper, and chili flakes. You can also use fresh herbs like parsley, cilantro, or dill to add a burst of flavor.
Steaming is much gentler on seafood and helps lock in the shrimp's flavor. Additionally, steaming is more convenient than boiling because you need less water, which means you don't have to wait as long for it to come to a boil. The sooner your water comes to a boil, the sooner you can eat!
Since shrimp are notorious for cooking very quickly, ending up with tough, rubbery shrimp is arguably the most common mistake. While you can use a thermometer to tell when your shrimp reach a fully cooked temperature of 120° F, you can also gauge 'doneness' from the shape.
According to the US Food and Drug Administration, raw shrimp should be avoided because of the risk of parasitic infection or foodborne illness. When choosing to eat raw shrimp, make sure that the shrimp has been frozen before to kill harmful parasites that can infect the human body.
The best way to tell if raw shrimp is bad is to smell it and take a close look. If raw shrimp has a sour, ammonia-like smell, its coloring is dull and/or it looks slimy, it's gone bad and needs to be tossed. If cooked shrimp has gone bad, it will also have a sour, ammonia-like smell and/or slimy texture.
Mix ¼ cup kosher salt with ¼ cup granulated sugar, 1 cup boiling water and 2 cups of ice. Add shrimp into a bowl of brine and let sit for 20-30 minutes for peeled shrimp and 40-60 minutes for your unpeeled shrimp. Rinse well with cold water and pat dry afterward. That's all there is to it!
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