Shrimp can be cooked in dozens of ways and they all taste good. The majority of shrimp eaten in the USA are consumed in restaurants, because many persons are timid about cooking shrimp at home. In fact, shrimp are simple to cook! We have included some general tips about cooking our shrimp. We are not professional cooks, so use these tips as general guides from one lay cook to another. We conclude this section with some recipes submitted by our clients. One tip common to all cooking techniques: USE SEA SALT for better flavor.
The most common error to cooking shrimp is to cook them too long! Overcooked shrimp become tough and loose their flavor. Our inland-produced shrimp tend to cook even more quickly than oceanic shrimp, so be careful. Sample shrimp as you cook them and remove them from the heat while they are still tender. Remember that shrimp continue to cook after they are removed from the heat. One option is to briefly immerse shrimp in ice water or spread shrimp on ice to stop the cooking.
Thaw and drain shrimp to be fried, sautéed, broiled or grilled. While individually quick frozen (IQF) shrimp don’t need to be thawed before boiling or steaming, we think they can be more accurately cooked (more tender) if they are thawed before cooking.
Thaw shrimp in cool water before cooking. Bring about 2 quarts of water to a boil, add favorite shrimp boil according to directions, add a quartered lemon and about 2 tbs of sea salt per quart of water. Add 2 lb of shrimp and wait 3 min. Remove the shrimp and put on ice until cooled. Sprinkle generously with additional shrimp boil and salt before peeling and eating. Use Old Bay seasoning for a traditional flavor, or use a New Orleans style seasoning like Zatarains for a zestier flavor.
These cooking methods are very different, but many of the same seasoning can be used with any method. The shrimp don’t have to be shelled before cooking. Leaving the shell on imparts a different flavor profile. When sautéing, don’t cook too many shrimp at a time, because the moisture from the shrimp can end up steaming the shrimp.
Thaw shrimp, peel and damp dry. Add about 1 tbs of butter and a dollop of olive oil to a sauté pan on medium heat. Squeeze a clove of garlic into the pan, fry briefly and then add a handful of shrimp and stir. After about a minute, sprinkle with sea salt, turn the shrimp and cook about same amount of time. Sprinkle with more sea salt and remove from heat. For a spicier result, use a Cajun flavored salt instead of sea salt, or sprinkle shrimp with a Cajun spice mixture while cooking. The more sophisticated palate would appreciate a splash of white wine to the pan during the last minute of cooking, or try adding a squeeze of lemon or lime for a great tangy flavor. Your flavoring options are really limited only by your imagination.
We recommend that beginners use one of the shrimp breading mixes provided in stores. Follow directions on the bag. These breading mixes tend to be overly salted, so try cutting them with your own combination of equal parts corn meal and flour. Eventually, you’ll end up making your own breading mix that best suites your own palate. Try dipping the shrimp in butter milk before dragging them through a flour mix.
These are some recipes submitted by friends and clients of ours. Please submit your own recipes to share with others.
Shrimp Bisque
Shrimp Remoulade
Cajun Barbequed Shrimp
Courtesy of Doug Allen CEC
Yield: 1 gallon
Ingredients:
4 oz onions, fine diced
4 oz carrots, fine diced
2 oz butter, unsalted
2 lb shrimp, shell-on, medium to small
1 ea bay leaf, small
thyme, fresh, small stem
10-12 parsley, fresh, including stems
2 oz tomato paste
4 oz Brandy, warmed and alcohol burned off
12 oz wine, dry white
2 qt velouté, made from fish or seafood
1 qt stock, shrimp
16 oz heavy cream
salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
Old Bay seasoning to taste
Fresh parsley for garnish
Method:
Veloté
To 8 oz blonde roux add 2 ½ quarts shrimp stock. Simmer one hour while skimming foam from top.
Shrimp Stock
Blonde Roux
By Lee Kidd courtesy of Doug Allen
Ingredients:
½ cup of tarragon vinegar
4 Tbsp. Creole hot mustard
1 tsp. salt
Black and cayenne pepper to taste
1 Tbsp. of paprika
2 Tbsp. of tomato catsup
2-3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 toes of garlic, finely minced
1 cup of salad/vegetable oil
½ cup each of finely diced celery and green onions
4 Lbs. of boiled shrimp, peeled
Procedure:
By Barbara Bryan
Ingredients:
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1/4 lb. (1 stick) butter
2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 1/2 Tsp. chili powder
1/4 Tsp. basil
1/2 Tsp. oregano
1 Tsp. fresh ground pepper
2 Tbsp. any brand of shrimp/crab boil seasoning
1-1/2 lbs. lg. fresh shrimp, with shells
1/4 Tsp. thyme
1/2 Tsp. Tabasco
2 cloves garlic, crushed
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Procedure:
