Getting Rid of Shrimp
Catering companies and chefs use this quick and simple method for cleaning and deveining shrimp for a very good reason. It consistently yields stunning, succulent shrimp for all of your greatest recipes.
Why does it? An excellent substitute for pre-peeled or EZ-peeled shrimp is bags of cleaned and shelled prawns and shrimp. There's a good chance you'll have more size options and nicer shrimp for the money. That, in my opinion, is one of the finest arguments for doing it yourself.
Is shrimp cleaning really necessary?
Actually, no. The digestive tract is the little black line that is sometimes referred to as a "vein" on the bottom of shrimp. The color of the shrimp may differ from the rest of the meat depending on what it consumed prior to being caught. It could contain algae or a small amount of sand. But is it okay to consume shrimp poop?
Although some individuals find it offensive or distasteful, it is really quite safe to consume. Just the absence makes it appear better.
On the other hand, the texture is excellent when shrimp are peeled before consumption. Even so, it's not really necessary. I have a lot of friends who adore the boiled, spiced shrimp that is sold in seafood markets on the East Coast.
When should shrimp be cleaned?
Shrimp can be cleaned whether they are cooked or raw. Here are some recommendations:
Pasta dishes, stir-fries, and shrimp fajitas should all be cleaned before cooking.
Seafood pasta salad and shrimp salad are clean after cooking. The shrimp can be chilled and then peeled and cleaned while still in their shells for additional taste (since you serve them cold).
Keep the tail on This makes shrimp scampi and shrimp skewers look lovely, as well as any dish where the tail serves as a handle, such as a coconut shrimp or shrimp cocktail.
Some folks actually eat the shells. In culinary school, I tried it. It was alright. My jaw grew weary.
Step-by-step guidelines:
Any size shrimp, raw or cooked, peel-on or peel-off, can be prepared using this technique. How do you clean and peel frozen shrimp? To start, read the instructions for defrosting shrimp below.
You only require a pair of well-built kitchen shears or a paring knife. One shrimp at a time works.
Make a shallow cut (or snip) through the shrimp's back shell from head to tail using the knife (or shears). (I begin at the shrimp's fattest region and work my way toward the tail.)
The vein that goes down the back should then be gently removed and discarded.
There is no more action required if you wish to devein a shrimp that still has its shell on. The next shrimp is up! Otherwise, follow the procedures below to remove the shrimp shell.
Shrimp shelled and peeled:
The recipe and you will determine whether to peel the shrimp before or after cooking.
Start by pinching off the tail of a shrimp before attempting to remove the rest of the shell, which should come off rather easily.
If you want to keep the tail on your shrimp, break off the shell at the base of the tail, remove the shell and legs, if any, and just keep the tail.
Estimating shrimp size:
Shrimp are sorted by size on the boat and at the plant, and then assigned a number. This figure reveals approximately how many shrimp are included in a pound.
For instance, figure 16/20 indicates that there may be up to 20 shrimp in a pound.
Other times, the letter U could appear before a number, as in U10. This indicates that there are around 10 shrimp per pound (or less). for instance
U10 shrimp, or less than 10 shrimp per pound, are extra-colossal shrimp.
Under 15 shrimp per pound, or "colossal shrimp,"
Additional jumbo shrimp equals 16 to 20 shrimp per pound.
Extra big shrimp weigh between 26 and 30 of their pounds.
The shrimp get smaller as the number goes up, as you could have imagined. The shrimp get larger (and cost more) as the population decreases.
Don't be reluctant to start small. Tiny shrimp are great additions to stir-fries, shrimp salads, and large batches of fried rice. The largest shrimp should be used to make a significant impression. (Consider shrimp skewers or a really sophisticated shrimp cocktail.)
Recipe advice:
Shrimp, fresh or frozen? The best option, unless you live directly on the coast, is frozen shrimp. No matter what, I always purchase frozen shrimp. Really! This is why. This is due to the fact that practically all of the shrimp that is delivered to us has already been frozen, generally right after it is captured on a boat.
You can only obtain the freshest shrimp possible when you defrost it at home. When you purchase "fresh" shrimp at the grocery store, it has already been defrosted, but you aren't sure when. Possibly yesterday or last week. Since fresh shrimp tastes so much better than, um, not fresh shrimp, it is better to be safe than sorry.
Observations to make when purchasing fresh shrimp. When purchasing shrimp, trust your senses. Freshest-of-the-freshest shrimp should have a salty, almost sweet, oceanic aroma. If the shrimp have an ammonia-like odor, are slimy, and have aged-indicating black patches on their shells, go on.
Shrimp: wild or farmed? Your own budget for groceries will determine that. Although more expensive, wild-caught shrimp have a greater taste. I often go for farm-raised shrimp from an ethical, sustainable farmer. If you're unsure, thoroughly study the packaging (shrimp farmers are proud of their sustainability efforts and often highlight it on the label) and check Seafood Watch for the most recent information on shrimp.
Defrost in the fridge: Keep the shrimp in the fridge to thaw overnight (place the bag on a tray or in a bowl in case the bag has a tiny hole– and yes, I learned this the hard way.)
Thaw in the sink: To thaw items more quickly, open the bag and place them in a bowl of cold water as opposed to warm water. Then open the faucet and drip a little amount of cold water into the bowl, allowing any extra to overflow down the sink drain. The shrimp should defrost in a couple of minutes, depending on how much you are thawing.
Defrost in the fridge: Keep the shrimp in the fridge to thaw overnight (place the bag on a tray or in a bowl in case the bag has a tiny hole– and yes, I learned this the hard way.)
Thaw in the sink: To thaw items more quickly, open the bag and place them in a bowl of cold water as opposed to warm water. Then open the faucet and drip a little amount of cold water into the bowl, allowing any extra to overflow down the sink drain. The shrimp should defrost in a couple of minutes, depending on how much you are thawing.
Save the shells and create some delectable homemade shrimp stock with them.
Ingredients
1 pound or more of shrimp
Instructions
If the shrimp are still in the shell, cut down the center of the back of each shrimp with a pair of sharp scissors, leaving the tail intact.
Each shrimp's black vein should be removed by making a clean cut with a sharp paring knife along the vein. Each shrimp should be thoroughly rinsed, and then dried with paper towels.
If desired, save shrimp shells in the freezer to prepare shrimp stock (see notes).
Comments
Post a Comment