Are you new to cooking shrimp? This can be a little intimidating, but once you get comfortable with your crustacean friend, a whole new world will open for you. Sweet Daddy D's shrimp recipes use Gulf Shrimp: the brown and white shrimp variety common to the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico, but safe handling of shrimp also covers Atlantic and other types of shrimp. If you're not used to cooking shrimp, knowing what size you have or what size you need can be challenging. So can knowing how to freeze, how to thaw, and how to know if your shrimp are fresh? Safe handling of shrimp will ensure that you are getting the most out of your shrimp recipes.
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Fresh or Frozen
Living along the Gulf Coast, we're fortunate to enjoy an abundance of fresh seafood from both saltwater and freshwater sources. Thanks to advancements in the seafood industry-like improved harvesting, freezing, and shipping techniques-high-quality fresh and frozen Gulf seafood is now accessible across the country. Shrimp, in particular, benefit from this. Their mild, delicious flavor and versatility make them a popular choice, even for those who don't often eat seafood. Shrimp are fantastic fried, broiled, grilled, boiled, or in dishes like gumbo, stews, and étouffée. (I'm starting to sound like Forrest Gump!) Let's dive into the key factors that will ensure you have a great shrimp experience.
Size Matters
A recipe usually specifies the amount of raw, shelled shrimp needed. When buying shrimp, be mindful of the shell's weight. If a recipe calls for one pound of shrimp and you're buying shrimp with the shell (but without the heads), you'll need about 1 ½ to 1 ¾ pounds. If the shrimp still have both shells and heads, you need to purchase around 2 to 2 ¼ pounds. After peeling and cleaning, this should give you the required one pound.
If the recipe doesn't specify, a general guideline is ½ to ¾ pounds of peeled shrimp per person, though this may vary depending on how much people enjoy shrimp.
Lagniappe-Sizing Shrimp
Shrimp are generally sold by the pound, but that doesn't tell you how big they are. If you have two packs of shrimp that weigh one pound each, but one of the packs has 15 shrimp and the other has 30 shrimp you know there are different-sized shrimp in each pack. A quantitative unit of measurement for shrimp referred to as "count per pound" or simply "count" is used to indicate the size of the shrimp. For example, "16/20-count" shrimp means each shrimp is of such a size that a pound has between 16 and 20 shrimp. "36/40's" have between 36 and 40 shrimp per pound, which is much smaller. To simplify things, the sizes are grouped by descriptive categories such as "Medium", "Large" or "Jumbo". Honestly, you may find some inconsistency in the count in each category, but this chart is a good guide for the different sizes:
| Shrimp Size |
| Extra Colossal |
| Super Colossal |
| Colossal |
| Extra Jumbo |
| Jumbo |
| Extra Large |
| Large |
| Medium Large |
| Medium |
| Small |
| Extra Small |
| Count Per Pound |
| U/10 |
| U/12 |
| U/15 |
| 16/20 |
| 21/25 |
| 26/30 |
| 31/35 |
| 36/40 |
| 41/50 |
| 51/60 |
| 61/70 |
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Hints and Tips (FAQ)
Fresh shrimp should be rinsed thoroughly and stored in an airtight container at 0°F. If your shrimp has already been frozen, do not refreeze it-cook it immediately.
For short-term freezing (less than a couple of weeks), it's fine to freeze shrimp with the heads on. For longer storage, remove the heads but leave the shells intact.
The best way to freeze shrimp (and most seafood) is in water, which prevents air exposure. Place the shrimp in a freezer bag or freezer-safe container, fill it with water making sure to leave room for the water expansion, and then freeze. I recommend laying the bags flat on a baking sheet in the freezer; once frozen, you can rearrange and store them however you like.
Don't forget to label your bags-see the Lagniappe Tip below for more on labeling.
Shrimp (and other seafood) should never be defrosted at room temperature. To properly thaw shrimp, place them in a leakproof container or plastic bag. You can either thaw them in the fridge, which takes 12 to 24 hours or use cold water for a quicker method. To defrost with water, put the shrimp in a bowl under cold running tap water until thawed, or submerge the package in a bowl of cold water, changing the water every 30 minutes. Once defrosted, store the shrimp in the fridge and cook within 2 days. Here are some tips from our friends at the United States Department of Agriculture on thawing methods.
Don't throw away the heads and shells! Freeze them in airtight containers, (the water method is good here too). When you have enough shells and heads, and enough time, use them to make a stock to have on hand for other recipes.
Once the head and shells are removed, rinse the shrimp under cold water to remove anything that's hanging on. Take a sharp paring knife and make a slit along the back when you see the dark vein under the surface. Once the slit is made, hold the shrimp under cold running water and remove that vein and rinse thoroughly.
Your senses should tell you. The main test is "How does it smell?" It should not smell strong, and certainly not strongly fishy. "How does it feel?" Fresh shrimp will be firm and not mushy, and finally, "How does it look?", the shrimp should look fresh without blemishes and yucky spots. Here's a great article from foodsafety.gov called Safe Selection and Handling of Fish and Shellfish.
Lagniappe Tip: When freezing shrimp, or any food including leftovers, it is a good practice to label the container with the product, the date it is placed in the freezer, and the "best by" date indicating how long you have to consume it at its optimal quality. Use a permanent marker and write directly on the package or on some freezer tape attached to the package.
Have I covered it all? If you still have questions, drop a note in the Comments section below and I will get back to you.
Shrimp Recipes
Here are a few Shrimp Recipes from Sweet Daddy D where sizing your shrimp may come in handy:
Cruise all of Sweet Daddy D's Shrimp Recipes...
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Ed says
When I freeze shrimp, I fill the bag with water just to cover them. Seal it up and look for room in the freezer. The water keeps away freezer burn and you thaw it just like an ice cube! Lasts forever!😄🍤❄️
Sweet Daddy D says
That's the way to do it, Ed. I've never had a problem doing it that way. You can lay the bag flat on a baking sheet in the freezer until it's frozen solid, then store it on its side or stack them up.