Shrimply The Best

May 8, 2024

I didn’t know this but maybe you do. It’s the beginning of the Spring shrimping (shrimp-fishing) season. My nephew, Chris, lives in South Carolina and loves to fish. Chris goes out at night to be on the water while it is still dark. He taught me that the shrimp are attracted to the light he shines, or even better, during a full moon he doesn’t need the light. If there’s a low tide, it’s easier to corral the shrimp in his net. He loves to go shrimping. Me?…I need my beauty sleep. However, I do love to eat shrimp!

When Chris told me how much he usually hauls in, my mouth started to water. He and his fishing buddies eat what they catch. When I asked him if he could share with me any of his catch, he said, because I don’t live nearby, I would be better off buying from my favorite grocery store.

Shrimpeasy!

Shrimp should be flash-frozen and remain frozen. Unless you live in an area where fishermen sell shrimp directly from the boat to a fishmonger, it’s better to just purchase frozen.
If you buy thawed shrimp, or straight from a fisherman, avoid any shrimp that feel soft, slimy or have an ammonia smell.
When purchasing local shrimp, make sure the head is still on and they smell fresh.
Keep frozen shrimp for up to three months in the freezer. A helpful tip is to note your frozen shrimp in your DinnerTime Pantry Manager. This way the shrimp will be resourced in your Meal Plan.
Frozen shrimp older than 3 months will still be safe to eat, but the taste and texture may not be as good.
Defrost frozen shrimp in your refrigerator 24 hours before you need it, or if short on time, let the frozen bag sit under a stream of cold water for about 15 minutes. Never defrost shrimp in the microwave.
Unless steaming with the shells on, peel and devein before cooking. You can purchase a deveining tool or use a small paring knife to help extract the vein found along the back of the shrimp. I just use my fingers! Here’s a how-to video to peel and devein your shrimp.

Shrimplicious!

Cooks quickly, oh my gosh, so quickly! It really only takes minutes to cook shrimp, however you don’t want to undercook shrimp. Read your recipe carefully to determine the right amount of time. Overcooked shrimp can be rubbery.
Cook shrimp any way…bake, sauté, boil, steam, grill, air-fry… How do you like to cook your shrimp?
Shrimp are found in almost every type of cuisine. Asian…Cajun…Indian…Italian…Mexican…Southern. You name it and it’s easy to find a shrimp recipe that fits your taste palate. You can even search in your DinnerTime Recipe Box for “Shrimp” and add in a cuisine like Asian to find all the delicious Asian recipes that include shrimp. Yum!

Shrimptastic!

Find shrimp anywhere in the world. In fact, there are over 2,000 different shrimp species from the tropics to the Antarctic Ocean. Most shrimp consumed in the U.S. are Gulf White, Gulf Pink or Gulf Brown.

Read your bag of shrimp to make sure it is healthy for you. Wild caught is still the best but farmed can be good too. However, shrimp from Asia and Latin America may not be good for you. Stick to Gulf Shrimp or local fresh caught. Check out this site for a guide to the best shrimp.

Choose the size of your shrimp based on your recipe. For example, steamed shrimp tend to be on the larger size and soups and stews use smaller shrimp. Be aware that shrimp get smaller as they’re cooked. Note that when buying a bag of shrimp it will be sold by weight. So there will be fewer shrimp in a one pound bag of jumbo shrimp than in a bag of mediums.

Shrimpmazing!

Shrimp is a nutritional win. For a three ounce serving of medium size shrimp, there are only approximately 84 calories with 20 grams of protein. They are high in potassium, magnesium and healthy omega 3 fatty acids. Additionally, shrimp is high in iodine, and important mineral for thyroid function and brain health.

Here is an interesting tip we found to make shrimp even tastier. Toss one pound of shrimp with a quarter teaspoon of baking soda. Let sit for 15 minutes. The baking soda raises the pH allowing more moisture to stay in the shrimp.

Try a new shrimp recipe today!