Shrimp Tips & Techniques Everyone loves shrimp! Easy to eat and quick to cook, no wonder it's a classic in nearly all the world's cuisines! There are some 300 species of shrimp worldwide all with varying sizes, tastes and textures. The world’s finest shrimp species comes from the Gulf of Mexico - we suggest Gulf White Vannamei Shrimp, as well as Gulf Brown, Pink and Royal Red shrimp caught in Florida waters. We proudly offer a wide variety of premium Gulf Shrimp - raw, cooked, shell on and peeled.

Whatever variety of shrimp you choose, it has almost certainly been frozen. Shrimp deteriorates quickly so use them within 2 days of thawing. Look for shiny, wet-looking shells and a clean briny scent, or live shrimp.

Size terms such as “Large or Jumbo” are confusing; instead think of shrimp in ‘count per pound.’ For instance, a ‘26/30 count’ shrimp has from 26 to 30 shrimp in each pound – the higher the numbers, the smaller the shrimp.

How long does it take to cook shrimp? This depends upon the size and cooking method, but generally speaking, shrimps cook very quickly. Test for a firm, springy texture shortly after the color changes (usually in 1-3 minutes). For the ultimate taste and texture, remove shrimp from the heat a little early and let carryover cooking finish the job.

Great shrimp is simple; start with high quality shrimp and take care not to overcook it. Read on for tips on various cooking methods, and make the most of this delicious and flexible gift from the sea.

Shrimp Cooking Techniques

Oven Roasted Shrimp
Heat oven to 400 degrees
Combine ingredients that will be used with shrimp. It can be a casserole style dish, or a coating or sauce over the shrimp. Add the shrimp as the last ingredient. Bake, in casserole, or in a single layer uncovered until shrimp are pink and firm.

Boiled Shrimp
For every pound of shrimp, boil 4 cups of water, seasoning with Shrimp and Crab Boil if desired. With the water at a rolling boil, add shrimp and stir to separate. Remove pan from the flame and rest for 1-3 minutes, depending upon the size of shrimp you are cooking. Test for doneness by cutting through the thickest part, when they are opaque, they’re done. Plunge shrimp in cold water to stop cooking.

Broiled Shrimp
Pre-heat broiler. Place peeled and deveined shrimp on a baking sheet. Brush with marinade or seasoned butter and place under the broiler for 4 to 5 minutes, turning once during the cooking process.

Poached Shrimp
Peel shrimp if desired. In a saucepan or skillet over medium heat, melt 1-2 TBS butter or olive oil and add 1 chopped garlic clove and one chopped shallot, sautéing just to soften. Add several sprigs of fresh herbs, and about 1 cup white wine, and/or fish stock as well as a hearty squeeze of lemon. Simmer for several minutes, taste and adjust with seasonings. Stir in 1 pound of shrimp and poach for 2-3 minutes and serve immediately. Poaching liquid can be turned into a sauce.

Fried Shrimp
Peel and de-vein shrimp. Toss in flour seasoned with salt and pepper. One by one dip in well-beaten egg thinned with water or milk, and then in seasoned breadcrumb, Panko (Japanese breadcrumbs) or cracker crumbs, and set aside. Can be held in refrigerator for several hours before cooking, dust lightly with more crumbs just before cooking.
In a deep fryer or pan, heat cooking oil until shimmering (about 360 degrees) carefully add shrimp a few at a time, cooking until golden brown.

Oven-Fried – prepare as above, drizzling or misting with oil or butter and broil to brown.

Sushi
Sushi is a popular appetizer item across all types of menus. While most seafood is served raw in sushi, some of it is cooked or partially cooked.
Shrimp for sushi is cooked in the shell, and is placed on a skewer to prevent it from curling during cooking. The skewer is threaded through the shrimp through the abdominal section. Place the shrimp in boiling water and turn off the stove. Stir the shrimp until it is pink and opaque. Plunge the shrimp in ice water to stop overcooking. Drain them and remove the skewers. Now peel and devein the shrimp leaving the tail on. Cut the shrimp open on the abdominal side and open it out. Remove the vein along the center and open it out, butterfly style.

Tempura Shrimp
Shrimp is battered in a mixture of rice flour and baking powder, egg and very cold water - for ease, we also offer boxed Tempura batter. Melt oil in a heavy saucepan or deep fryer. Dip each shrimp in the batter before placing in the hot oil. Deep fry until golden; approximately 2-3 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the shrimp to a wire rack. Keep warm in a 200 degree oven until all the shrimp are ready to
serve. Cook only a few shrimp at a time to avoid "cooling" the cooking oil.

Stir-fried Shrimp
Rinse or brine shrimp and pat dry, or marinate as desired. Heat a large wok as hot as possible. Add a generous amount of cooking oil, as well as minced garlic and ginger to taste. When garlic just starts to brown, add shrimp and toss or stir to coat with oil and scatter evenly over bottom of the pan. Fry undisturbed for one minute then splash with rice wine, soy sauce or teriyaki, toss and leave undisturbed for one minute longer. Remove and serve.
If veggies are being used in the stir-fry, steam, remove and reserve. Stir-fry shrimp as above, leaving them slightly underdone. Repeat stir-frying steps with steamed veggies, tossing in shrimp the last 30 seconds.

Grilled Shrimp
Pre-heat grill on high. Peel shrimp, rinse or brine, and pat dry. Skewer smaller shrimp to make handling easier. Season as desired. When grill is very hot, mist grilling grate with cooking oil, immediately add shrimp and grill for 1-2 minutes, brushing tops with marinade, oil or butter. Turn and repeat on second side, finishing with sauce as desired.

Sauteed Shrimp
Preheat a heavy skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Shrimp can be dredged in seasoned flour if desired. When pan is hot, add oil or butter, shrimp and seasonings. Saute shrimp for 1-2 minutes per side and serve with fresh lemon. Do not crowd skillet!

Stuffed Shrimp
Peel and de-vein shrimp, leaving tails on. Cut shrimp almost in half lengthwise and flatten slightly. Place on an oiled pan and fill with an equal volume of fully cooked dressing – such as crab, sausage, artichoke, spinach, etc. Drizzle melted butter over the top, or mist with oil and roast in the top of a 325-400 degree oven, uncovered, until dressing is sizzling.

Salt-Leaching or Brining Shrimp
This technique is used to increase the crunchy texture of shrimp by leaching out some of the shrimp’s surface moisture, it also boosts flavor.
Dissolve 1 TBS Kosher or sea salt and 1 tsp sugar (sugar optional) in 2 cups of water, add ice to chill, add shrimp and soak - 30 minutes for peeled shrimp and up to 60 minutes for shell-on shrimp. Drain, rinse and dry. Great for frying, stir-frying or grilling.

Shrimp Stock
A great way to boost the flavor of a dish or sauce! Reserve shrimp shells, heads, tails or broken pieces (can be saved up in the freezer if desired). Quickly stir-fry with oil, garlic and ginger, then add plenty of water and simmer. Additional aromatics can be added such as carrot, celery, parsley, thyme, lemongrass, peppercorns, bay leaf, etc. Simmer to reduce liquid down to a flavorful stock, strain and use to enhance sauces, rice, etc.

Shrimp Scampi
Scampi is not shrimp, but an Italian name for a small, lobster-like crustacean. They are also called langoustines, Dublin Bay Prawns, or lobsterettes. True scampi are rare in the U.S. The term Shrimp Scampi has come to mean shrimp that are sautéed with butter, garlic, lemon and parsley.

Pickled Shrimp
Shrimp should be peeled, deveined and steamed or boiled. Shrimp are combined with pickling ingredients and stored in an airtight glass container (jar).

Cold pickling ingredients:
Ingredients can include sliced onions, oil, red wine vinegar, tarragon vinegar, sugar, capers lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, salt, hot sauce and bay leaves.

Hot pickling ingredients:
Ingredients can include thinly sliced lemons, dried red chiles or pepper flakes, peppercorns, cloves, kosher salt, flat beer, peeled garlic.

Shrimp Recipes @ TonysMarket.com