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Q-talk *ON TOPIC ONLY* QUALITY ON TOPIC discussion of Backyard BBQ, grilling, equipment and outdoor cookin' . ** Other cooking techniques are welcomed for when your cookin' in the kitchen. Post your hints, tips, tricks & techniques, success, failures, but stay on topic and watch for that hijacking. |
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07-13-2017, 02:42 PM | #1 |
somebody shut me the fark up.
Join Date: 02-08-10
Location: Howell, MI
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Choosing frozen shrimp
The last couple of shrimp purchases we have made have not been at all good. Mushy and tasteless. So, with a Throwdown going on, I thought it would be a good time to ask.
Shell on or off? Cooked or raw? As far as we live from the sea, fresh frozen is the best we can expect. Everything I've seen for a while is imported. What say the experts?
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07-13-2017, 02:52 PM | #2 |
Babbling Farker
Join Date: 08-09-16
Location: Random Point In Time and Space
Name/Nickname : Parental Assigned Label
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Fresh and raw are best. I like the ez peel where the shell is still on but its split down the back and already deveined.
I have had decent success with the pre frozen raw bags at Costco for a pinch and I keep a bag in the freezer. However I think the larger shrimp do better in this form than the smaller ones with less of an impact on texture. |
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07-13-2017, 02:59 PM | #3 |
Babbling Farker
Join Date: 02-28-11
Location: Savannah, Georgia
Name/Nickname : Chad
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America's test kitchen did a segment on shrimp a while back, and basically if you're not buying directly off the boat, the frozen bagged shrimp is the best, because they're frozen on the boat and kept frozen until you thaw them. My preference is the bigger ones, shell on, and wild caught, not farmed.
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07-13-2017, 03:05 PM | #4 |
is One Chatty Farker
Join Date: 05-05-14
Location: Winter Park, FL
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The freezing process crystallizes moisture in the shrimp's body and explodes cells, etc. leading to flavor loss. This is inevitable in the freezing process. You can minimize the flavor loss by buying the frozen shrimp in as whole a condition as you can. My preference would be whole, not de-veined with head on.
Having said that, even those of us fortunate enough to have access to fresh still by frozen from time to time for convenience. Trade-offs.
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07-13-2017, 03:07 PM | #5 |
is One Chatty Farker
Join Date: 08-08-14
Location: Framingham, Taxachusetts
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I'm lucky enough to be able to buy fresh raw shrimp 20 minutes outa the water.
I have gotten frozen before, but it just doesn't compare. I would buy raw frozen shell on. But the key is to get them de-veined first! Not only is it a PITA to do, but nasty to boot!
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07-13-2017, 03:38 PM | #7 |
Babbling Farker
Join Date: 12-23-10
Location: Mount Pleasant, SC & Harkers Island, NC
Name/Nickname : Jay
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Read the label & buy domestic. Get them large & as whole as possible...raw, uncooked. I feel you'll have a better chance of getting decent flavor.
Heading, shelling, and de-veining doesn't bother me...we do a couple hundred pounds a week on average around here. As a side note...anyone ever seen blue shrimp?
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07-13-2017, 03:38 PM | #8 |
somebody shut me the fark up.
Join Date: 05-28-14
Location: Streamwood, IL
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I'm in the raw, frozen, shell on boat as well. Occasionally I can find frozen Texas Gulf shrimp.
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07-13-2017, 04:47 PM | #9 |
is One Chatty Farker
Join Date: 10-18-06
Location: Houston, TX
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frozen, raw, shell on wild caught. Keep in mind that gulf shrimpers stay out on the water for a long time. They freeze their catch on the boat, so pretty much all gulf shrimp has been frozen by the time it gets to the dock.
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07-13-2017, 05:06 PM | #10 |
is one Smokin' Farker
Join Date: 03-31-15
Location: Wakefield, Va
Name/Nickname : Mike
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Hit your local Meijer store. They often have Argentinian red shrimp on sale. I get the shell on then shell and devein them myself. The reds stay firm and accept seasoning really well.
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07-13-2017, 05:18 PM | #11 |
Is lookin for wood to cook with.
Join Date: 09-05-16
Location: Newtown, Ct
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How do you defrost them, did you set them in a water bowl, maybe to long.
I get frozen shrimp from big y defrost them in the bag and they are not 1/2 bad. |
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07-13-2017, 07:30 PM | #12 |
is one Smokin' Farker
Join Date: 06-30-13
Location: Benndale, MS
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If you have to buy frozen, the best would be non imported whole fresh shrimp, preferably fresh as possible from the Gulf here. My only further suggestion is to not get the IQF (instant quick freeze) shrimp from the boats that stay out for a while. They quick freeze them and are aggravating to peel, and my opinion is they lose texture and taste in that process. You can tell those by the eyes missing if they are head on shrimp.
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07-13-2017, 07:34 PM | #13 |
Quintessential Chatty Farker
Join Date: 02-22-10
Location: USA
Name/Nickname : Private
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I buy white shrimp when the boats are running in the gulf. If you want I'll give you a link to who I use. Keep in mind these are a 5# frozen block, I semi thaw them and divide up into smaller bags.
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07-13-2017, 10:42 PM | #14 |
is one Smokin' Farker
Join Date: 07-18-08
Location: Mebane, North Carolina
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Does anyone look at the country of origin when buying shrimp, scallops, or other shellfish? I worry about pollution where much of my available shellfish comes from, so I strongly prefer products that come from US fishing grounds.
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07-13-2017, 10:54 PM | #15 |
On the road to being a farker
Join Date: 06-29-16
Location: hamburg, mn
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US wild caught only. I saw a farm raised shrimp video from I believe it was Malaysia or Cambodia. They farm raise the shrimp in the sewage ponds while adding tons of antibiotics! Haven't eaten any farm raised seafood since.
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