How to properly cook frozen, unpeeled and peeled shrimp: methods at home, recipes

Shrimp are considered a seafood delicacy because they have a very delicate taste. How to properly cook shrimp, frozen unpeeled and peeled, so that the meat does not lose its juiciness and taste. There are many ways to prepare seafood at home; the most popular and also simple recipes have been selected for you.

Product selection

If you have already bought shrimp, then you know that in most cases they are sold already boiled. To extend shelf life, the product is subjected to shock freezing, which forms a thin film of ice on the surface. Such seafood can be stored for about 1 year without losing its taste and maintaining its appetizing appearance. Sometimes seafood is sold in vacuum packaging, chilled, and the meat is already peeled.

According to the size of shrimp there are:

cold-water (Atlantic);
warm water (royal, tiger).

Small species are usually cheaper than royal or tiger ones. The taste of the meat of both is not too different, choose at your own discretion. If you are going to make a salad, then cocktail shrimp are better suited; if you just want to enjoy tender meat or cook sea soup, of course, choose large representatives of crustaceans.

Before purchasing a product, look at its appearance:

look at the frozen or manufactured date on the package, the fresher the seafood, the better;
the tail of crustaceans should be bent inward: this indicates that they were not stored for long;
the shell should be smooth and shiny, and the coloring should be uniform.

Some people misleadingly believe that a brown head is a sign of depravity, this is not true. The dark color of the head, as well as the presence of caviar, indicate that the seafood is healthy and its consumption is absolutely safe for health.

Shrimp meat is dietary because it contains only 95 kcal.

Nutritional value of boiled shrimp

You already know how to cook king prawns to fill the table with not only a tasty dish, but also seafood that is healthy for the body. In addition to its tasty appearance and pleasant fishy aroma, we get a source of vitamins, minerals and proteins. Tender boiled meat, prepared according to a proven recipe, contains half of the periodic table plus a vitamin complex from group B, E, PP, as well as a number of polyunsaturated fatty acids. What benefits does a shrimp dish bring to our body:

Easily digestible protein is a building material for cells.
Boiled tender meat normalizes the activity of the central nervous system, cardiovascular and endocrine systems.
The vitamin set increases the stability of the immune system.
The introduction of shrimp into children's diets does not cause allergic reactions.
With systematic consumption of shrimp meat, the condition of the skin, nails and hair improves.
Thanks to the antioxidant substance astaxanthin, blood vessels are cleansed of plaque, which prevents the development of hypertension and coronary heart disease in older people.

Such indicators make shrimp a food necessary for a balanced diet among people of different ages. They compensate for the lack of protein in the set of products for vegetarians and believers during religious fasting. Shrimp dishes add variety to everyone's holiday and everyday menu.

Nuances in preparation

To keep shrimp meat tender, it needs to be cooked correctly. It’s not at all difficult if you follow some subtleties when cooking:

Frozen shrimp should only be defrosted naturally. Do not use a microwave or defrost food under running boiling water. Due to the thermal effect, the meat becomes rubbery and the juice comes out;
Shrimp meat should be cooked only in boiling water; you cannot put food in cold water and then heat it, as all the useful components will go into the broth;
To add flavor during cooking, you can add spices and seasonings. Basil, rosemary, Provençal herbs, paprika, black and red peppers, and bay leaves are excellent for this purpose;
It is easy to judge the readiness of the product when the crustaceans float to the surface. Pay attention to the color of the shell: it becomes transparent.

Shrimp meat only takes a few minutes to cook, making them great for whipping up. Overcooked shrimp become tasteless, and their meat takes a very long time to chew. Cooking time depends on the type of product; details of how long to cook shrimp are described in the table.

Type of shrimp	Cooking time
Frozen peeled	5 minutes
Frozen Unpeeled	7-10 minutes
Royal and brindle	5-6 minutes
Small Atlantic	3-4 minutes

The smaller the shrimp, the faster they will cook. A freshly frozen product, which has a grey-green tint to its shell, is always cooked 2-3 minutes longer than already boiled red shrimp. Seafood can not only be boiled, but also steamed, in a slow cooker or microwave, or fried in a frying pan. You decide the cooking method yourself; regardless of the method, the dish will certainly turn out delicious.

An easy way to cook shrimp

If you bought frozen cocktail shrimp in the shell, then it will take no more than 10 minutes to cook them. Even if the shrimp are already red (i.e. boiled), it is advisable to boil them again for at least 2 minutes, no more. First, wait until the seafood melts, then start cooking. You can take spices as you wish, whichever you like best. The procedure is as follows:

Place the crustaceans in a colander and rinse. Clean the shrimp shell from debris, ice and small dirt;
Pour water into the pan. You need to pour so much that the volume is 2.5-3 times the amount of seafood;
wait until the water boils. Add salt and seasonings to it. If you don't know what to add, add black peppercorns and a couple of bay leaves. You can add cloves;
Place crustaceans into boiling water and stir. Cook them for 2-3 minutes;
As soon as they begin to float and the shell becomes glossy, turn off the heat and pass the contents of the pan through a colander. You need to drain the broth;
Sprinkle shrimp with lemon juice or a little olive oil for shine. You can take a sample.

Transfer to a large flat plate lined with lettuce leaves. You can put lemon slices and herbs on the sides. This dish can even be placed on a holiday table, because it looks amazing.

To make the meat very soft, add tsp. lemon juice into boiling water before cooking.

Does it need to be defrosted?

Most often, on the shelves of domestic stores there is not a fresh product, but a frozen one.
And this is not surprising, because in this form it has a longer shelf life and is easier to transport. However, in such cases, you need to take into account that frozen shrimp are half cooked. Fresh shrimp is gray-green in color. The ones sold in stores have undergone a preliminary freezing process, which is why they are orange. This color is due to the fact that they have already been boiled before freezing. Cooking such products takes less time.

If there is visually too much ice, this indicates nothing more than several freezing cycles. It is better to refuse to purchase such a product and look for other options. Also, you should not purchase products by weight. Its quality, storage and transportation conditions are often noticeably worse than those sold in hermetically sealed bags. If you still can’t find another option, you need to cover the shrimp with a cloth and tap them, for example, with a rolling pin. This will help remove some of the stuck ice.

The product should be cooked as follows:

Salt and spices are added to boiling water, after which frozen shrimp are placed;
immediately after this, 40 seconds are timed, after which the contents of the pan are mixed with a slotted spoon and removed.

During this time the product should become soft. If warm-water shrimp are cooked, the time should be increased to 1 minute.

In some cases, you can abandon the cooking process without compromising the result. Since the product is sold almost ready-made, the main thing is to properly defrost and reheat it before serving. To do this, frozen shrimp must be poured with boiling water. The water should not be drained until the ice completely disappears. This cooking method will help serve a warm and tasty dish to the table.

Today you can find Argentine shrimp on sale. Their difference is that they can only grow in their natural habitat. Representatives of this species are quite large, so they should be cooked for about 5 minutes.

Azov shrimp resembles the Atlantic one. It is very small in size, so the cooking process is short. When placed in boiling water, the product will change color from gray to orange. It is recommended to take it out after one and a half minutes of cooking.

How to cook shrimp with lemon for beer

Foam lovers will definitely love this seafood recipe. The shrimp meat turns out moderately spicy and incredibly tasty, it’s impossible to tear yourself away from it. Try cooking this way once and you won't want to try anything else.

Compound:

450-500 g shrimp;
4-5 bay leaves;
6-8 sprigs of cloves;
10-12 black peppercorns;
half a lemon;
salt - tsp

How to cook:

Pour about 2 liters of water into a 5-liter saucepan and place over medium heat. After it boils, add spices and salt to boiling water, stir the broth.

Carefully place the shrimp in boiling water with seasonings and cook until tender, about 3-5 minutes. After cooking, drain the water, sprinkle the crustaceans with lemon juice and serve. Bon appetit!

Chef's Tips

Chef Pavel Kuptsov gives several life hacks on how to properly cook shrimp

There is an easy way to assess the degree of readiness of shrimp: if the shrimp is straight, it is not ready yet; if the shrimp has curled in the shape of the letter “C,” the seafood can be served. If the shrimp is curled into a ring, it means it is already overcooked. There is no need to cook these delicacies for too long so as not to lose their taste.

Shrimp broth can always be strengthened with the usual universal seasonings, and if one third of the broth is replaced with white wine, then during the cooking process the shrimp will be saturated with its aroma.

You should not get rid of seafood heads and shells if you cleaned the shrimp before cooking. If you boil them with salt, herbs and vegetables, you will get a wonderful broth from which you can make shrimp soup.

How to cook shrimp for salad

Have you decided to make a salad and bought unpeeled shrimp? It is very simple to cook them in the shell, and then the shell needs to be separated, since the salad should contain peeled shrimp meat.

Compound:

0.9-1 kg of unpeeled shrimp;
2.5 liters of water;
tbsp salt;
slice of lemon;
peppercorns – 5 pcs.;
a couple of bay leaves.

How to cook:

Pour water into a saucepan and place on the stove. Add bay leaf and pepper to boiling water and stir.

Place the defrosted seafood in boiling water, cook for 4-5 minutes and separate from the water in a colander. To make it easier to clean the shell, rinse the crustaceans under running cold water for 1-2 minutes.

Take it by the tail and remove the shell; it gives in easily. Sprinkle the peeled shrimp meat with the juice from a slice of lemon, and add salt to taste. Now it can be added to any salad, for example, Caesar, Sea or Royal. Or you can make shrimp sandwiches for dinner.

With wine

This type of preparation of crustaceans is very popular in European cuisine. But it is quite simple and can be prepared at home.

Number of servings received – 4;

Time spent: 30-35 minutes;

pre-frozen seafood – 1 kg;
dry white wine – 100 ml;
olive oil – 2 tbsp. spoons;
lime – 1 pc.;
parsley – 50 gr.;
ground paprika – 1 teaspoon;
salt – 1 teaspoon.

Finely chop the parsley.
Prepare a thick-walled pan and place it on the fire.
Pour olive oil into the pan and let it boil.
Place the crustaceans into the pan.
Add spices and salt.
Cook with a lid on the pan for 2 minutes.
Remove the lid, add wine and cook for another 2 minutes.
After this, add lime juice, stir and cook for another 2 minutes.
Get ready seafood. Place on a plate. Sprinkle with finely chopped herbs.

Protein content 17.9, fat 7.3, carbohydrates 0.6 calorie content 144.6 kcal per 100g of product.

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King Prawns Recipe

It’s not for nothing that seafood received the name “royal”, since its size is large - about the size of an adult’s palm. Pay attention to what type of delicacy you bought: after all, crustaceans are sold in peeled and unpeeled form. The cooking procedure for both types is of course similar, but has slight differences:

wait until the seafood melts. Then rinse them free of debris and ice;
Add water to the pan about 3 times more than the weight of the delicacy. Place the pan on the fire, add salt and spices. As soon as the water boils, transfer the prepared product into it;
The cooking time for unpeeled shrimp is 7-8 minutes, and peeled shrimp will be cooked in just 5 minutes. At the end of cooking, drain the broth from the pan.

The delicacy is ready to eat. If you like spice, sprinkle the seafood with a pinch of red pepper before serving. Unpeeled crustaceans will be easier to peel if you run them under cold water for 2 minutes. Start cleaning from the tail.

Unpeeled king prawns need 2 times more salt than peeled ones. For 1 liter of water it takes approximately 1.5-2 tbsp. salt.

Bonus recipe: salad with shrimp and crab meat “Agatha”

This salad is perfect for a holiday table. It is distinguished by a delicate rich taste and subtle aroma of seafood.

For the Agata salad you will need:

1 can of canned Kamchatka crab;
3 boiled eggs;
1 shallot;
1 can of sweet corn;
0.5 kg frozen chilli shrimp;
200 g homemade mayonnaise.

Boil frozen northern shrimp for five minutes after boiling. Add leeks cut into large pieces, a slice of lemon and a few bay leaves to the water for them.
Drain the cooked shrimp in a colander and let them cool to room temperature.
While they are cooling, you need to peel the boiled chicken eggs and cut them into cubes.
Open a can of sweet corn with a can opener and place the contents in a colander or large sieve.
It is better to purchase canned Kamchatka crab meat in glass containers, so you can see the quality of the product before opening the jar.
Using a sharp knife, cut the crab meat into even pieces.
Chop the shallots by cutting them into long thin slices.
Thoroughly remove shells from cooled boiled shrimp. Make sure that there are no hard particles of chitinous coating left on them, this can spoil the taste and texture of the salad.
Place all prepared ingredients in a large bowl and mix lightly.

Homemade mayonnaise recipe

With the advent of such a kitchen device as a blender, preparing homemade mayonnaise has ceased to be a long and labor-intensive process.

For preparation you will need:

2 egg yolks;
1 glass of sunflower oil;
2 tbsp. l. white vinegar;
1/4 tsp. sea salt;
1 tbsp. l. Dijon mustard.

Place all the ingredients for homemade mayonnaise in a clean container with high walls. A small life hack: if all the components of the future mayonnaise are at the same temperature, the sauce will cook faster and will have a fluffier and lighter texture.
Then immerse the blender attachment into the contents of the container and begin beating the yolks with butter. You should start from the very first mode, gradually increasing the speed.
The whole process takes no more than 12–15 minutes. Beat the mayonnaise patiently, increasing the rotation speed little by little. If the beating of the egg-oil emulsion is too intense from the very beginning, the mayonnaise may separate and the sauce will only have to be thrown away.
Season the Agata salad with homemade mayonnaise and place in elegant serving salad bowls.

By following these simple recommendations, you can quickly and without much hassle prepare a dietary dish, preserving all the benefits of the seafood delicacy. Boiled in a spicy broth or fried in aromatic oil, shrimp are perfect for an everyday meal or for friendly gatherings with a foamy drink.

How to cook tiger prawns in the shell

Seafood with an unusual tiger color can be quickly boiled in boiling water, even if it is in a shell and does not have a head. Do not peel off the shell before cooking; this can be done after cooking. The delicacy should be cooked in this way:

Place defrosted seafood, previously rinsed from debris and ice, in a colander to drain excess water;
Bring water to a boil in a saucepan, add 2 tsp per 1 liter. salt, add juice from half a lemon and a couple of black peppercorns;
Place tiger prawns in boiling water. Cook them for about 2-3 minutes, then drain the water and place the product on a flat plate.

After cooking, remove the shell and remove the intestinal band (it is located at the back of the tail). Pry the belly with a knife, the insides will easily come out, rinse the clean meat under water and dry. Now you can enjoy the delicacy, bon appetit!

Argentine shrimp recipe

If you manage to find an Argentine variety of crustaceans, do not miss the opportunity to cook it deliciously. It's not difficult, even a child can do it. Despite the fact that the seafood is unpeeled, this will not affect the cooking process in any way. We'll clean it up later. The algorithm of actions is presented below:

First, defrost the seafood, rinse and cut off the head;
Make not too deep cuts along the back with a thin knife blade. You will see a vessel, remove it with your fingers;
You don’t have to remove the shell for now, but if you want, take it off. It is easy to remove the shell from cooked foods, but it is difficult to remove from raw meat;
Heat 3-4 liters of water in a saucepan, add 3 tbsp. salt and bring to a boil;
Boil seafood in boiling water until cooked. It takes 4-5 minutes;
After cooking, drain the water, place the delicacy in a colander and rinse for 1 minute in cold water.

You can drizzle the shrimp with olive oil or lemon juice. For spice, add spices, you can sprinkle with ground black pepper, it will turn out very tasty.

You can add coriander seeds and a bunch of chopped dill to boiling water. This combination will give the shrimp meat a zest and emphasize its delicate taste.

What do we know about shrimp?

Shrimp is an aquatic crustacean of the higher crayfish class. 100 g of shrimp meat contains 24 g of protein and 1 g of fat, nutritional value is about 100 calories. Shrimp is believed to be good for a lot of things, from the heart to the brain, and is a fairly safe source of protein. If you peel shrimp yourself at the table, it’s difficult to eat a lot; this is also a useful quality compared to, for example, dumplings. The taste of shrimp is pleasant and memorable, you can’t confuse it. At the same time, shrimp easily absorb various spices, seasonings and sauces.

How to cook shrimp in a slow cooker

When you have a slow cooker in your kitchen, the list of shrimp meat recipes can be replenished and replenished. We suggest cooking the delicacy with garlic and herbs; it turns out very tasty and aromatic.

Compound:

500-600 g peeled shrimp;
2 garlic cloves;
pepper, salt;
a bunch of fresh herbs (dill, parsley, green onions).

How to cook:

Chop the garlic cloves and washed greens with a knife. Pour 1.6-2 liters of clean water into a multicooker container, add chopped garlic cloves with herbs, spices and salt. If you have laurel, throw a couple of leaves into the water. Close the multi-cooker container with a lid, then set the “Steam” or “Soup” mode.

As soon as the water begins to bubble, open the lid and add the defrosted shrimp to the brine. Cook them for at least 3-5 minutes until cooked; there is no need to cover them with a lid when cooking.

Then turn off the heat, drain the water and place the product on plates; you can boil spaghetti or rice as a side dish.

Cooking shrimp in a double boiler

Fans of healthy eating will find a steamer useful when preparing seafood. Thanks to this method of cooking, all the juice remains inside the meat, and the aroma that spreads throughout the house during the cooking process is beyond words!

Compound:

12-14 large shrimp in shell without head;
l water;
salt – 2 tbsp.

For the sauce:

quail egg – 1 pc.;
mustard - tsp;
paprika – ½ tsp;
3 tbsp. olive oil;
a couple of sprigs of basil;
garlic clove;
lemon juice – 1 tbsp.

How to cook:

Place thawed, washed seafood in a deep cup. Then prepare a brine for them: dissolve salt in water and pour it into the container of the device. Pour the brine into a cup and soak the seafood in it for 20-25 minutes.

Then place the crustaceans on the tiers of the steamer, and pour the brine into the cup. The dish should be prepared in no more than 10 minutes.

While the steamer is running, make the sauce. Mix all these ingredients in one deep bowl, mix thoroughly using a blender. You will get homemade mayonnaise to taste. Serve the crustaceans with the sauce for your feast. Bon appetit!

Steamed seafood can be served with wasabi and pickled ginger.

The benefits of this seafood

Due to the high protein content, seafood contains a lot of amino acids that the body needs. Crustaceans are rich in iodine, which is so necessary for the proper functioning of the thyroid gland. Shrimp are several times richer in iodine and meat content. The crustacean contains a large amount of fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, K.

Crustaceans contain large amounts of calcium, which, along with iodine, has a beneficial effect on the thyroid gland. Calcium has a positive effect on the immune system, improves the formation of blood cells, kidney function, and the process of strengthening muscle and bone tissue. Potassium, which is contained in shrimp, helps the cardiovascular system function properly. Zinc promotes the release of hormones, strengthens nails and improves skin.

Seafood contains a very high amount of cholesterol. Which leads to the formation of cholesterol plaques and can lead to blockage of blood vessels. Therefore, it is recommended to eat shrimp along with greens and vegetables, which help eliminate cholesterol.

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How to cook shrimp in the microwave

Try cooking shrimp meat according to the recipe below, the result will definitely not disappoint you. Use seafood in the shell: it will help retain the juices inside. The main point is not to overexpose the product for more than 7-8 minutes, otherwise the effect will be the opposite. The cooking procedure is outlined below:

transfer defrosted crustaceans without heads, but in the shell, into any heat-resistant container and close with a lid, but so that there is a hole in it for steam to escape;
Place the cup with the product in the oven and turn it on at maximum power. You need to cook for about 2-3 minutes.

The product is ready to use. Salt the finished delicacy, season with spices and treat your guests.

As you can see, there are a lot of cooking options, the list goes on. You can add ready-made seafood to pasta, bake with vegetables, or eat just like that. Shrimp meat contains a lot of protein, amino acids, vitamins of all groups, iron, potassium, calcium, zinc and other useful compounds. The delicacy is very healthy for your health, so eat it as often as possible.

How to cook boiled-frozen unpeeled shrimp - step-by-step instructions

Most varieties of small (northern, Black Sea, Azov, etc.) and some types of medium and large shrimp arrive on the shelves in boiled and frozen form. They are distinguished from raw seafood by their red color. This means that they were cooked in production and then frozen. There is NO NEED to cook them at home! After defrosting, they are completely ready to eat. To obtain the desired taste, already thawed shrimp can be marinated for a short time or served with your favorite sauces.

Methods for defrosting boiled-frozen shrimp:

Transfer from the freezer compartment of the refrigerator to the main compartment. The defrosting process will take 8-9 hours, but the shrimp will retain their taste, shape and aroma to the maximum.
At room temperature, seafood will defrost in approximately 1-2 hours.
You can also put the shrimp, without removing their bag, into cool water. Defrosting will take 40-60 minutes. Then you can heat the seafood in the prepared sauce, avoiding boiling.
Another way to defrost is in the microwave. You need to transfer the shrimp into a special microwave-safe bowl and put it in the microwave, selecting the defrost mode and setting the serving size. During defrosting, it is advisable to periodically stop the operation of the device and stir the seafood, because Microwaves heat unevenly.
The next option is to put it in boiling water for 1-2 minutes so that the ice glaze has time to melt, but the shrimp meat does not start to cook.
Frying in hot oil will also promote quick defrosting. Boiled-frozen shrimp should be fried in a frying pan for 30-40 seconds on each side. It will take 1-2 minutes to fry a freshly frozen product, respectively.