SHRIMP - A PRIMER

I’m fortunate to have access to a relatively inexpensive supply of shrimp, oysters, scallops, crabs and clams…. so...SHE COOKS!

[Note: ever wonder why the choicest seafood is often found in places like Kansas City or Atlanta or Chicago? It’s because, for the wholesaler, FREIGHT IS FREIGHT whether you are shipping select oysters or bait… and there’s more money on the ‘delivery’ end for the high end seafood.]
So - shrimp…. basically fat-free and high in omega-3 BUT ALL SHELLFISH IS HIGH IN CHOLESTEROL...


Now.... if you are gonna buy them, know the lingo. They are sold by ‘count’ - the approximate number of critters that make a pound.

10-14 count: huge, fairly scarce in my area, and mucho expensive - but wonderful stuffed with crabmeat and grilled…. 4 of these babies is a nice size serving

15-20 count: my favorite size for most of my recipes - I can get them off the boat for $2.75/lb with heads on and $5.00 - $7.00/lb heads OFF (When I'm buying a 50 pound box, I get heads OFF, but I get heads ON for another 10-15 pounds because the heads make wonderful shrimp stock - see below) - this size is perfect for QUICK grilling)  Prices are seasonal.

21-25 count: perfect for creoles, soups and chowders and other recipes where they are served OVER something like pasta; can be used for peel and eat as an appetizer/cocktail if it's the only size available

26-30 - these are smaller and a pain in the butt to peel and devein - I never buy this size - far too much work……….. And there are even smaller sizes you could not PAY me to buy in the shells - the kind that you can put five in your mouth and have room for a cracker - LOL  

For BAIT, buy the 26-30 shrimp WITH HEADS ON - they are great for fishing. Spread on a tray so they are not touching and freeze over night. Then place in gallon bags and keep frozen.  Since they aren't stuck together, it's easy to pull out 6-8 shrimp for an hour on the pier.... or a quart freezer bag for a couple of handfuls for a day on the water.

31-35 - found quick frozen in super markets…. And in my opinion, totally without flavor

As for varieties of shrimp, here along the Atlantic seaboard, the Brown shrimp is the most abundant and is usually the first shrimp the boats bring in. Brown shrimp are also known as brownies, green lake shrimp, red shrimp, redtail shrimp, golden shrimp, native shrimp, and, in North Carolina, summer shrimp. 


The boats start coming in around the very end of July and will continue thru late fall (assuming no hurricanes interfere). We can also hope for white shrimp, a/k/a/ greentails…….. These are nearly white with a green mark at the base of the body - more expensive than browns. I’ve had both, and while some people tell you the greentails are better, I can’t tell the difference.


When buying shrimp, the best choice is straight off the boat as they are being graded…. Iced down, you can keep these for 3-4 days. When icing shrimp, put the shrimp in a bag and put the ice on top and bottom of the bag. The two worst things you can do to shrimp are allow them to sit/soak in water OR to let them change temperature, as that effects their flavor.


If you are lucky enough to buy in bulk, get them in the freezer ASAP… and freeze them like they are - do NOT rinse, peel or otherwise handle them…. And don’t add water to the container you are freezing them in. *** I package mine in Zip-Loc quart bags, counting out about 1-1/4 pounds per package. And I keep them in a chest-type freezer, which prevents freezer-burn associated with frost-free freezers… Since most freezers ARE the frost-free type, ***double bag. Shrimp will stay quite nice for up to 6-9 months.


When buying shrimp from the supermarket or fishmonger, ask to smell them. They should NOT have a fishy, strong odor….. And be sure you ask if they are ’previously frozen’. If they are, it’s not a good idea to refreeze them, so buy for immediate use. Always ask how fresh they are. Fresh shrimp shrink very little, if at all, when cooked.


For preparation, thaw overnight in the refrigerator - then peel and devein up to 4 hours before cooking. HANDLE QUICKLY AND AS LITTLE AS POSSIBLE AND DO NOT CLEAN UNDER RUNNING WATER. Keep them very cold until cook time…. Then rinse quickly in COLD water and pat dry. That’s the final step in not letting shrimp change temperature! They should be icy cold when they hit the pot.


Use the whole shrimp! As I mentioned, I try to buy some with heads on and I keep a gallon size ZL bag in the freezer for shells and heads. When I get a bag full, I make shrimp stock and then freeze THAT for future recipes. Don’t make a face! Shrimp stock can be your secret ingredient for many recipes…. Try it before discounting it - you won’t be sorry………… [Also, when you're cooking, if you have part of an onion, or a stalk of leftover celery, or leaves, put that in the freezer with the shells.  It will work fine in the stock.]

Here’s my illustrated recipe for shrimp STOCK:

http://firebird-cooks.blogspot.com/2011/02/shrimp-stock.html

When cooking with the stock, use in lieu of water for cooking rice and pasta (or water it down if you‘re nervous!) Add additional salt to taste.