About shrimp

Shrimp have their own characteristics with flavor, texture, cooking times, and a best cooking method for them. You have Gulf Shrimp, Farm Raised Shrimp, Tiger Shrimp, Imported Shrimp, and Coldwater Shrimp. In fact, there are over 300 species of shrimp in the world.
The flavor and texture of each type of shrimp are influenced by the waters they come from or are raised in, plus from what they eat or are fed. Wild shrimp feed on seaweed and crustaceans which gives them a more enriched flavor and thicker shells. The ability to swim freely also makes the meat firmer.
Fresh shrimp is highly perishable! Fresh shrimp should ideally be eaten within 24 hours of purchase. Unless you live in the part of the country where you can actually buy "fresh" shrimp, it is best to buy frozen shrimp. Most shrimp in the grocery stores are frozen shrimp that has been thawed. The shelf like of thawed shrimp is only a couple of days, whereas shrimp stored in the freezer retain their quality for several weeks.Shrimp consumption, however, is considered healthy for the circulatory system because the lack of significant levels of saturated fat in shrimp means that the high cholesterol content in shrimp actually improves the ratio of LDL to HDL cholesterol and lowers triglycerides.

CHECK NUTRITION DATA

Fresh Shrimp: Avoid shrimp that smells of anything other than salt water. If there is any hint of the aroma of ammonia, it's a sign the shrimp is way past its prime. Truly fresh shrimp will have almost translucent flesh. Do not buy shrimp with black spots or rings (unless it's black tiger shrimp) as this indicates the meat is starting to break down. Also avoid pink meat.

Frozen Shrimp: If possible, avoid shrimp that has been peeled and deveined before freezing. It can cause a loss of flavor and texture (shells will help to protect the meat of the shrimp and add more flavor to it). Never defrost any type of shellfish at room temperature and it is best not to defrost them in the microwave either. Defrost shrimp either in the refrigerator or in ice cold water. Do not defrost in a warm place or microwave.
Shrimp can be boiled, steamed, grilled, sautéed, baked, or deep-fried. They can also be cooked with or without the shell, with the vein or deveined. It can be prepared as a main course or as an ingredient in chowders and soups, salads, appetizers and sushi.

Read more »

How to devein shrimp

Deveining: Is the removal of the gastrointestinal trackt of a shrimp, a common part of preparing them for human consumption. The digestive tract is a dark band running from the head to the tail of the animal, where the spine would be if they were vertebrates. In females, the reproductive canal is also in the same area. One must first cut a slit in the shell at the back of the shrimp. Special deveining tools are sometimes used but knives, skewers, and even toothpicks can be used to devein. Removing the vein is not essential, as it is not poisonous and is mostly tasteless. Deveining does slightly change the flavour and makes it more consistent. Shrimp also sometimes consume small amounts of sand by accident and the vein thus might be gritty. Shrimp need to be kept cold. While you are working with them, keep them in on ice, or in ice water.

1. Pull off the head (if it is still attached) and legs.
2. Starting with the head end, pull off the outer shell. Depending on how you intend to present the shrimp, you can keep the last segment of shell and the tail tip on, for decorative purposes.
3. Using a small paring knife, cut along the outer edge of the shrimp's back, about 1/4-inch deep.
4. If you can see it, remove and discard the vein the runs along right under the surface of the back, with your fingers or the tip of your knife. If you can't see the vein, don't bother with it.

Read more »