How to properly boil frozen shrimp in the shell. How long to cook shrimp: secrets of Mediterranean cuisine. Interesting recipes with shrimp

Shrimp are quite popular nowadays and are actively used for making soups, salads, and are also a good snack for beer. In addition, this product has a delicate and delicate taste, and it also contains a sufficient amount of calcium, protein and protein.

Since shrimp are brought to us frozen, not everyone knows what to do with them. That is why our article will discuss how to cook shrimp in a tasty and healthy way.

Secrets of cooking shrimp

In order not to be disappointed in the process of preparing shrimp, you need to know a few rules:

  1. There is no point in throwing a lot of frozen shrimp straight into boiling water. It is best to defrost the product in advance and then rinse it. This way they will defrost much faster.
  2. If we take the ratio of liquid to shrimp, then the optimal ratio will be 2 to 1, and you need to take 40 grams per liter of water. salt if you need to cook these shrimps in the shell. Half the salt is required if the product is cooked without the shell.
  3. To cook shrimp quickly and tasty, it is best to throw a slightly thawed product into boiling water. A rich broth will be obtained if the water is cold.

How long should you cook shrimp?

It is known that shrimp meat is so tender that long heat treatment can only spoil it. As a result, they will turn out hard, even rubbery. Eating such a dish will not be very pleasant, especially if it was prepared for a holiday.

  • Frozen unpeeled shrimp are cooked for no more than three to five minutes.
  • The cooking time for fresh frozen shrimp is six to seven minutes.
  • If you want to eat frozen king prawns (unprocessed), you should cook them for about seven minutes.

How to cook frozen shrimp according to the classic recipe?

This recipe is widely considered the most common for one simple reason - it is easy and does not require a large number of ingredients:

  1. Defrost raw shrimp (you can take 1 kg) and rinse.
  2. Heat 2.5-2.7 liters of water, then add salt (40-45 grams of fine salt is enough).
  3. Place dried dill in the water, no more than two sprigs.
  4. After ten minutes, add the shrimp to the pan.
  5. Cook for no more than five minutes.
  6. Two minutes before complete readiness, add bay leaves (seven pieces) and pepper (about five peas).

How to cook boiled-frozen shrimp?

Boiled and frozen shrimp are already considered almost ready. What you need to do is defrost. However, on some packaging there is a note stating that the shrimp should be slightly boiled. The process will not be so difficult:

  1. Defrost the shrimp and rinse.
  2. Pour water into a saucepan and heat it. It is better to take the proportions of water and shrimp as follows: two to one.
  3. When the water boils, you can add salt, no more than a teaspoon per liter.
  4. Add herbs and seasonings.
  5. Add the shrimp and cook for no more than two minutes. If you need to cook tiger shrimps, then for up to three minutes.

If the shrimp are peeled, there is no need to cook them. You can just defrost the product, rinse it and add hot water.

How to cook unpeeled shrimp in a slow cooker?

  1. First, defrost the shrimp; 0.5 kg of product is enough.
  2. Add one large spoon of olive oil, the same amount of lemon zest and a bunch of dill and parsley.
  3. Place the shrimp in a container and fill with water so that it barely covers them.
  4. Set the “Quenching” mode.
  5. Cook for 20 minutes according to the timer.


How to properly cook frozen shrimp in a double boiler?

  1. Fill the steamer with water, only halfway.
  2. We lower one kilogram of shrimp, which must first be thawed.
  3. Add one lemon, 0.5 tablespoon of olive oil and a pinch of dill seeds.
  4. Set the desired mode.
  5. Cook for no more than fifteen minutes.

The great advantage of this cooking method is that it preserves all the beneficial substances found in the shrimp, which are lost when cooked in a pan.

How to cook shrimp in the shell in the microwave?

  1. Defrost a kilogram of shrimp. It is best to place the product package in a pan filled with warm water.
  2. Wash and dry.
  3. Place in a container with water, no more than two large spoons.
  4. Add two large spoons of soy sauce and salt to taste.
  5. Cook at maximum capacity for no more than three minutes.
  6. Take it out and shake it.
  7. Cooks for another three minutes.
  8. Take it out and sprinkle with lemon juice.

How to cook shrimp with lemon?

  1. We rinse the frozen product with warm water so that it thaws a little.
  2. Pour water into a saucepan (2 l), salt, add spices, juice from half a lemon.
  3. The water should boil over high heat.
  4. Then you need to turn down the fire and lower the shrimp.
  5. Cook the shrimp for three to five minutes.

How long should I cook shrimp and onions?

This process is somewhat reminiscent of stewing; in addition, the onion gives the finished dish a very pleasant flavor.

  1. Pour a little corn oil into the pan.
  2. Cut the onion into half rings and fry it until golden brown.
  3. Add minced garlic, no more than two cloves.
  4. There is no need to defrost shrimp. They are placed immediately.
  5. Cook over low heat with the lid closed. Add enough water to completely cover the shrimp.
  6. As soon as the water boils, reduce the heat and keep it on the stove for no more than two minutes.


How to cook shrimp for beer?

  1. First, defrost a kilogram of shrimp and rinse.
  2. Pour water into a saucepan, add one onion, two allspice peas, 2 bay leaves, one clove bud and a bunch of dill.
  3. Salt to taste.
  4. Place the shrimp in boiling water and cover with a lid.
  5. Cooking time is from three to five minutes.

How long does it take to cook shrimp for salads?

  1. Defrost half a kilo of shrimp and boil them in advance.
  2. Boil two liters of water.
  3. Add 40 g of salt, bay leaves (several pieces), add shrimp.
  4. When the shrimp float to the surface of the water, they can be removed from the gas.


How to properly cook unpeeled shrimp for rolls?

  1. Boil half a kilo of rice.
  2. Peel the cucumber and avocado and cut them into strips.
  3. We clean each shrimp (half a kilo in total), then boil or fry.
  4. Grate 300 grams of Philadelphia cheese, preferably on a coarse grater.
  5. When the rice has cooled, you need to add rice vinegar, and a little.
  6. Transfer the resulting mixture onto a sheet of nori. It is necessary to ensure that the portions are small.
  7. Then add the filling and roll up the roll.

Shrimp recipes

But how should you cook shrimp to make it tasty? Surely many housewives ask this question. In fact, this is not very difficult, the main thing is to put in all your efforts.

Shrimp with pineapple and squid

  1. Take 200 gr. canned pineapples and drain the water. Then we cut them into small squares.
  2. Boil ten quail eggs and peel them.
  3. Cut two leaves of iceberg lettuce into thin strips.
  4. Boil 300 gr. squid, then chop them and add to the shrimp, of which there should be 350 g, already peeled and boiled.
  5. We season it all with mayonnaise.
  6. Add salt and pepper to taste.
  7. Mix seafood with pineapples, lettuce and eggs, cut in half.
  8. That's it, now serve the dish to the table.

Shrimp in tomato sauce

  1. Take three tomatoes and remove the skin from them. Then it is better to pour boiling water over the vegetables and mash with a fork.
  2. Grind 30 gr. dill and 50 gr. parsley
  3. Add tomato paste (100 g).
  4. Then you need to cut the avocado into cubes.
  5. Mix with other ingredients.
  6. Add boiled shrimp (450 gr.).
  7. Salt and pepper.
  8. And lastly, add mayonnaise or olive oil, as well as juice squeezed from one lime.

As we can see, cooking king prawns, as well as regular ones, is very simple, and if you use your imagination, you will get an even tasty dish. You should also take note of one secret: melted butter is mixed with lemon juice and added to the shrimp. This will give the dish a rather enviable taste. In addition, if you have learned how to cook shrimp, you can try others.

Seafood, in particular shrimp, is very popular because it is considered a low-calorie dish. They contain protein and calcium; as a rule, shrimp are delivered to store shelves frozen. In most cases, they are pre-boiled in production, as a result of which the product has a delicate pink tint. Shrimp are the main dish; during the cooking process they are supplemented with soy sauce, lemon juice, herbs and spices. It is necessary to observe proportions so as not to accidentally interrupt the taste.

How long to cook shrimp

Since the shrimp come pre-cooked, they are considered ready to eat. For this reason, if you purchased small or medium-sized seafood, you need to simmer them for no more than 3 minutes. In the case of King (tiger) shrimp, the holding time increases to 5 minutes. The meat of this delicacy is very tender; if you keep it on the fire longer than expected, it will become rubbery. Perfectly cooked shrimp melt in your mouth.

Boiling shrimp with lemon

  1. Rinse frozen seafood through a colander with cold or warm water to thaw all the ice and remove any possible dirt.
  2. Select an appropriate pan so that the water content of the seafood is more than 2 times greater. Make sure that the shrimp float freely in the container throughout the cooking process.
  3. Pour water into a container, add salt, add spices for seafood, squeeze the juice from half a lemon (per 2 liters of water), wait until it comes to a full boil over high heat.
  4. Turn on the burner to medium power and place the shrimp in acidified water. Wait until it boils again and note the interval. Cook the mixture over medium heat for 3-5 minutes depending on the size.

Important!
Since shrimp meat is almost pure protein, it curdles quickly, so carefully monitor the cooking process and do not overcook.

Cooking shrimp with spices

  1. Rinse the shrimp in a colander with cool water. Choose the appropriate container in which to cook them. Start preparing the broth. Its quantity should be 3 times the weight of the shrimp.
  2. Pour water into a saucepan, bring it to a boil over high heat, then reduce slightly. Immediately after this, add black peppercorns (5 pcs. per 2 liters), cloves (3 pcs.), bay leaves (5 pcs.), half a lemon, cut into medium-sized pieces, 3 cloves of peeled garlic, 40 g into a container. . tomato paste or lecho, a little salt.
  3. After adding the spices, wait 2 minutes, then send the shrimp to cook for 3-5 minutes, depending on the size of the seafood.
  4. You can determine the readiness of the dish by looking at the color of the shell; it will become translucent. In addition, the shrimp will float to the surface. Immediately after this, turn off the stove and drain the broth through a colander.
  5. When all the water has drained, place the shrimp in a deep bowl, season with lemon juice (or apple cider vinegar) and olive oil.

Important!
If you purchased frozen shrimp that are reddish in color, it means they were not pre-cooked. In this case, the seafood needs to be simmered on the stove a little longer (about 5-7 minutes).

Despite the fact that onions and garlic are added to the broth, the shrimp turn out very tender. The cooking process is more like stewing, due to this the seafood is imbued with not only the smell, but also acquires new taste qualities.

  1. Take a pan with thick walls and bottom, pour in some corn oil.
  2. Cut the white onion into rings and fry it until golden brown. Pass 2 cloves of garlic through a crusher and add to the pan with the onions.
  3. Do not defrost the shrimp; place them in a container immediately. Turn the burner on low heat, pour the mixture with water so that it completely covers the shrimp.
  4. Cover with a lid, bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for another 1-2 minutes.

Boiling shrimp with wine

  1. Place the shrimp in a colander and rinse them with water to remove the ice. Dry with a waffle or paper towel.
  2. Pour 2 liters of water into a pan, add 500 ml. dry white or red wine.
  3. Crush 4 cloves of garlic in a crush, grate the carrots or chop them in a food processor, turning them into porridge, add to a container with wine.
  4. Add salt and pepper (optional), place the pan over medium heat. Wait until it boils, then send the shrimp to cook.
  5. The duration of the procedure is 3-5 minutes, no longer. At the end of the period, turn off the stove, drain the water, and leave the shrimp under the lid for another quarter of an hour.

Classic shrimp recipe

The most common technology for cooking shrimp is to cook the product with salt, dried dill and bay leaf. The method is suitable for everyone because it does not require a large number of components.

  1. Remove the shrimp from the pack and defrost them under running water, rinse thoroughly.
  2. Pour 2.5-2.7 liters of water into the pan at the rate of 1 kg. shrimp. Add 40-45 gr. fine salt, wait until the crystals dissolve. Place 2 branches of dried dill in a container and wait 10 minutes.
  3. After this, send the shrimp to the pan, cook them for 5 minutes, 2 minutes before readiness, add 7 pieces. bay leaf and 5 peppercorns.

Cooking shrimp without boiling

In cases where you purchased seafood of a soft pink hue, it was pre-cooked in production. Since shrimp are frozen immediately after boiling without adding seasonings and salt, during normal defrosting they will turn out bland. This cooking technique is more suitable for eating shrimp in salads or main courses, where the components are salted together.

There are 2 simple defrosting schemes, let's consider them in order.

  1. Fill a large saucepan with cool water and place the bag of shrimp in the container (do not open it). Wait until completely defrosted, then rinse through a colander.
  2. Unpack the shrimp and rinse them under running water. Place in a deep container, pour over boiling water so that it covers the product completely. Wait 2 minutes, drain the water.

  1. Pour water into the pan so that it covers the shrimp 2 times, boil.
  2. Place 10 sprigs of cloves in boiling water, squeeze out the juice from half a grapefruit, add 5 g. coriander
  3. Take 1 bell pepper, grind it into porridge using a blender or food processor, add to the boiling broth. Add salt and pepper, reduce heat and add shrimp to the pan.
  4. Cook the product for about 3 minutes if the shrimp are boiled, and 5 minutes for raw seafood.
  5. After cooking, immediately drain the broth, prepare the nut sauce: grind 5 walnut kernels, 5 almonds into powder, add 20 ml. soy sauce and dilute everything with mayonnaise. Dip shrimp into the sauce and enjoy the delicious taste.

Important!
Never put shrimp in boiling water without first defrosting it. Otherwise, you will ruin the dish because the seafood will turn into jelly.

Cooking shrimp in a slow cooker

Technical progress has gone far ahead, which is why there is a multicooker in almost every home. It reduces cooking time, but not a single instruction manual for the device indicates that shrimp can be cooked in this way. Let's consider a simple technology.

  1. First, season the shrimp with olive oil at the rate of 60 ml. per 1 kg. seafood.
  2. Chop a fresh bunch of dill, add to the main dish and stir. Pour in 30 ml. lime or lemon juice.
  3. Transfer the mixture to a slow cooker, add 2-2.5 liters of water. Turn on the “Extinguishing” mode, wait until the timer turns off, or set the time yourself (20 minutes).

Cooking shrimp in the microwave

  1. Wash the shrimp under running water, place them on a cotton or paper napkin to absorb excess moisture (this will prevent the shrimp from getting soft while cooking in water).
  2. Take a baking sleeve and place some of the shrimp there in 1-2 layers to leave some free space. Pour in a little vegetable oil mixed with water in a ratio of 1:10. Tie it off and poke a few holes with a sewing needle.
  3. Place the microwave on medium power, place the sleeve with shrimp there, and simmer for 7-10 minutes. After the expiration date, garnish the dish with finely chopped dill and a teaspoon of natural apple cider vinegar.

After you cook shrimp, you will probably wonder what to cook with them. We have put together a golden collection of recipes that do not require much time or effort from you.

Shrimp in tomato sauce

  • boiled shrimp - 450 gr.
  • parsley - 50 gr.
  • dill - 30 gr.
  • avocado - 0.5 pcs.
  • lime - 1 pc.
  • tomatoes - 3 pcs.
  • tomato paste - 100 gr.
  1. Remove the skin from the tomatoes, pour boiling water over them and mash with a fork. Mix chopped dill and parsley with tomato paste.
  2. Cut the avocado into cubes and combine with the rest of the ingredients. Salt, pepper, add shrimp.
  3. Pour in mayonnaise or olive oil, squeeze out the juice of 1 lime.

Shrimp with squid and pineapple

  • peeled boiled shrimp - 350 gr.
  • boiled squid - 300 gr.
  • canned pineapple - 200 gr.
  • Quail egg - 10 pcs.
  • Iceberg salad - at your discretion (2-3 leaves)
  1. Drain the pineapples and chop the fruit into small squares.
  2. Boil the eggs, peel them, cut the salad into thin strips.
  3. Grind the squids and mix them with the shrimp. Season with mayonnaise, add salt and pepper.
  4. Combine all the ingredients into one mass, garnish with a quail egg, cut into 2 parts.

Shrimps in batter

  • boiled shrimp - 500 gr.
  • wheat flour - 120 gr.
  • chicken egg - 2 pcs.
  • butter - 20 gr.
  • breadcrumbs - 50 gr.
  1. Break the eggs into a bowl, mix them with pepper and salt. Combine flour and breadcrumbs into one mass. Peel the shrimp from the shell, dip them first in the egg mixture, then in the flour mixture.
  2. Place a piece of butter in a frying pan, place the product, and fry until golden brown. Typically, cooking time is 2-3 minutes. Serve with mayonnaise-garlic sauce.

It is not difficult to cook shrimp if you have sufficient knowledge regarding their preparation. Based on the size of the product, observe the holding time in the broth, and in no case increase the cooking time. Add spices to taste, do not overdo it with salt.

Video: how to cook shrimp correctly

Shrimp of various types are rapidly gaining popularity in modern cooking. This product is rich in protein, Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, antioxidants, iodine, vitamins A, E, PP, etc. Therefore, proper defrosting and cooking of shrimp is a pressing issue. How to cook unpeeled frozen shrimp? What tasty and healthy dishes can you prepare from them?

How to freeze shrimp

Shrimp are frozen in two ways:

  • freezing of raw product;
  • freezing boiled shrimp.

Healthier and containing the maximum amount of nutrients, vitamins and minerals are shrimp that are frozen without heat treatment. This is how shrimp that live in the northern seas are frozen, without removing anything from them (neither the head, nor the shell, nor the esophagus).

The second method is freezing the boiled product, which after heat treatment does not contain any pathogenic bacteria. Boiling takes place in sea water, after which the product is quickly frozen. However, the nutritional properties in this case are lower. This is how shrimp that live in warm seas or are grown on farms are frozen.

The freezing process can be organized directly at sea on fishing ships. However, most often, shrimp frozen in sea water are subsequently sent to a special enterprise, where the products acquire the appearance familiar to the buyer. Aquaculture shrimp go straight to the processing plant.

The freezing process is performed in two ways:

  • piece;
  • briquette

No matter how the shrimp are frozen, they must go through the glazing stage, that is, covering with a thin crust of ice that retains natural moisture inside the product. Before glazing, the products are carefully washed, so as not to damage the tails, and the antennae are removed.

The technological process requires that cold water be applied to shrimp prepared for freezing for 35-45 seconds. After this, the shrimp are quickly frozen for 7-10 minutes at a temperature of -32°C. As a rule, glazing and freezing are carried out 3-4 times. As a result, a thin transparent crust of ice 1 millimeter thick appears on the product. After this, the products are packaged and packaged.

Small, standard or king prawns - how long should you cook this product in order to preserve the nutritional and taste qualities as much as possible?

Tip: find out how the shrimp were frozen simply by the appearance of the product:

  • raw ones have a grayish-greenish color and a straight tail;
  • boiled - soft pink or creamy pink hue and a curled tail.


Shrimp varieties

There are more than 2 thousand species of shrimp in nature. But they can be divided into two groups:

  • living in the cold northern seas (Barents, Okhotsk, North, seas off the northern coasts of Canada, Greenland, Icelandic Islands, etc.), smaller;
  • caught in warm seas (off the coast of Vietnam, India, Bangladesh, etc.) or raised on farms, large and meaty.

Cocktail (salad) shrimp are small shrimp weighing 2-3 grams, juicy, with a slight smell and taste of the sea.

Tigers, the largest, measuring 30-35 centimeters, got their name due to the dark stripes on the shell; when cooked, they acquire a bright red color, and the meat has an elastic texture.

White shrimp of the Vannamei breed are called royal; they are fleshy and soft, up to 250-30 centimeters long.

The size of these crustaceans determines how long to cook frozen shrimp.

This is interesting! Boiled-frozen shrimp are sold in different ways:

  • whole, without preliminary cleaning;
  • cleared of head and shell;
  • cleared of the head, shell and esophagus.

The listed freezing methods do not in any way affect the quality of the product.

How to choose

Packages of the finished product contain information about the quantity in kilograms. The average number of cold-water shrimp per kilogram is 90-120. The lower this indicator, the larger the shrimp.

When choosing, you need to remember the signs that indicate low quality of the product:

  • integrity damage;
  • opaque glazing;
  • black or yellowish spots indicating shrimp diseases;
  • white spots, as well as the presence of pieces of snow or ice, indicating repeated defrosting and freezing.

The shrimp should be covered with a thin, transparent, uniform layer of ice crust and have a uniform color. Now we’ll learn how to cook frozen king shrimp, unpeeled, so that the taste is delicate and refined.

How to cook properly

Let's figure out how long to cook unpeeled frozen shrimp. There are general rules for cooking unpeeled shrimp:

  • First, it is best to defrost the product naturally, for example, by placing it in a colander to allow excess liquid to drain;
  • Without removing the shell and head, rinse the defrosted product;
  • choose a large saucepan, bring the water to 60-70°C;
  • Place the shrimp in a container and boil after the water boils.

The cooking time is determined by the type of shrimp:

  • cocktail (salad) pre-thawed small shrimp are boiled for 3-4 minutes;
  • tiger should boil for 5-6 minutes;
  • royal boil for 10-11 minutes.

Unfrozen ones need to be cooked 1-2 minutes longer.

What can you add to water?

The simplest recipe is this: boil shrimp in lightly salted water (1 teaspoon per half liter of water) with the addition of bay leaf.

However, there are also unusual recipes:

  • the cooking recipe, invented in Spain, includes the use of dill, black peppercorns, bay leaves and a glass of milk when cooking;
  • one of the Italian recipes involves adding fish broth, a spoon of tomato paste, any herbs (basil, celery, etc.), several cloves of garlic and black peppercorns to the water;
  • The classic recipe recommends putting half a lemon, black peppercorns, parsley leaves and sprigs, bay leaves into the water, and you can also add dried spices that will enhance the taste.

Shrimp are cooked in a double boiler, in beer with sugar and spices - it all depends on taste preferences.

How to clean

Unpeeled shrimp must first be boiled to preserve their flavor as much as possible.

After cooking, cleaning is carried out according to the following algorithm:

  • first remove the shrimp legs;
  • separate the head;
  • carefully remove the shell (you can use scissors);
  • remove the intestinal vein running from the top of the back of the shrimp.

Lastly, the tail of the shrimp is removed. Now you can eat it natural, sprinkle it with lemon juice or olive oil, or you can prepare interesting dishes.

Shrimp recipes

There are many recipes based on boiled shrimp.

Many dishes combine several types of seafood. For example, it is tasty and healthy when supplemented with a boiled egg, light mayonnaise sauce and herbs.

Original appetizer - fried shrimp. To prepare it, you need to defrost boiled-frozen shrimp, wash, peel and marinate. The marinade includes soy sauce, 1 large spoon of lemon juice and half a spoon of hot ground red pepper.

The shrimp are marinated for an hour, then placed in a preheated frying pan with olive oil and fried for 4-10 minutes (depending on the size of the shrimp). When serving, sprinkle with finely chopped dill.

The most common are a variety of salads with shrimp. One of the recipes is this: add chopped lettuce, juice from half a lemon, 2 tablespoons of soy sauce and olive oil and herbs to boiled shrimp.

Shrimp are used to make creamy fish soup, cooked over an open fire, and added to pizza. Knowing how to cook unpeeled frozen shrimp, you can delight your family and friends with delicious and healthy delicacies. Bon appetit!

Diet experts say that seafood should appear on the family table at least twice a week. Shrimp are gifts from the world's sea that need to be treasured. One hundred grams of meat contains about 95 kilocalories, 19% of the composition is animal proteins, no more than 2.5% fat. This is not only a rational low-calorie snack for white wine or beer, but also a very interesting flavor component for salads, soups and main courses. However, in order to make maximum use of the positive qualities, it is necessary to take the purchasing process seriously and follow technological rules during cooking.

Selection and preparation of seafood

In retail outlets, the most common assortment of marine crustaceans is frozen, in the shell, or in an unpeeled form, and this is what we will focus on. It is believed that this option to offer the consumer to preserve properties is the best.

When choosing a product in retail chains, it is logical to compare items by price, size and condition. Atlantic, brindle, royal and Argentine breeds differ in characteristics. The Royal type has a slightly enlarged head, a small tail and a larger size compared to the Atlantic.

Atlantic

Brindle

Royal

Argentine

The numbers indicated on the packaging indicate the quantity in pieces per kg of product weight. For example, 70/90 is the guaranteed number of marine life in one kilogram. The smaller the numbers, the larger the size of one unit, and the more expensive they are.

The first tip when choosing is to prefer transparent packaging. It is very convenient to evaluate quality when buying in bulk. It is normal to see red, unpeeled shrimp covered in thin ice that forms when frozen immediately after catching. A thick ice coating is a sign of repeated freezing, which reduces not only the beneficial properties, but also the taste of the future dish.


The presence of snow in the bag is even worse, since it indicates repeated cases of defrosting and freezing. A pale and yellowish tint is a “certificate” of staleness, the straight tail of an individual is a thesis that they were very late in freezing after catching, seriously violating the technology, black spots on the shell are a disease of the crustacean. The greenish color of the heads is absolutely not scary - it only speaks about the specific feeding habits of sea creatures.

Good quality is thin icing, uniform in color and size. The tail is curved, there are no specks on the pink carapace.


Cooking methods and times

To prepare a dish correctly means first correctly preparing its components for use, and then boiling it so that the taste and softness are preserved. It is critical to avoid gross mistakes that lead to meat becoming tough and “rubber-like.” A frozen product differs from boiled ice cream in the duration of future cooking.


In the first case, the contents of the open package are defrosted, washed and placed in a bowl with already boiling water for 7-9 minutes. The larger the specimens, the longer they take to cook. Redness will indicate that it is close to done.

In the second option, the time spent in boiling water should not exceed 5 minutes, because before packaging the contents have already been boiled and then frozen.

When putting sea crustaceans into a pan, you need to clearly understand what type of product you are dealing with. Short or excessive fire time is equally unacceptable.


The art of cooking is to do everything according to the rules, in the correct sequence, keeping the heat treatment process in the desired range without overcooking. Sending shrimp to the pan immediately after opening the package is perhaps the most common cooking mistake.

A stream of warm water from a tap is good for defrosting; water for cooking is required in an approximate ratio of 2:1, that is, two liters per kilogram of product or 1 liter per 0.5 kg. The container must allow free floating on the surface. The approximate salt requirement is about two teaspoons per liter.

Warm water removes ice during the washing process, then the crustaceans are placed in boiling water and, after being cooked, removed from the stove and washed with cold water using appropriate utensils. There is no point in re-freezing a defrosted product, since not only the taste, but also the beneficial properties will still be lost.


A themed dish during preparation can be well complemented with lemon juice, bay leaf, allspice and cloves. In this case, the seafood is immersed in a ready-made boiling broth and cooked according to the rules outlined above.


After placing in boiling water, the emergence usually occurs after about 2 minutes with a change in color to a brighter one. Next, it is wise to set the fire to a lower value. When served, the dish is well complemented with vegetables and rice.


Some fans still prefer to rinse the shrimp in cold filtered water before starting cooking, and then throw them into salted boiling water with bay leaves and spices, then cover with a lid. Readiness is assessed 1-2 minutes after boiling.

In addition to cooking on the stove, shrimp can be cooked using kitchen appliances: microwave, double boiler or multicooker. In the first case, using olive oil and spices, it will take 10 minutes; in the second, not forgetting about salt, pepper and lemon juice - 15 minutes. In the third option - without water with spices, in the "Baking" switch position - according to the instructions.

Any method is possible, but requires minimal experience with the instruments.


Recipes

Application options can be simple and straightforward or quite sophisticated, depending on the complexity of the dishes. Let's focus on the first option, as it is more practical for the general user.

Party for beer

The classic is the simplest and most common option. The main task is to make sure that it turns out healthy and tasty. The number of parties depends on the size of the company and the duration of the meal.


Basic conditions:

  • 1 kilogram of frozen unrefined product;
  • onion head;
  • bay leaf – 2-3 pcs.;
  • a bunch of dill;
  • salt according to the taste of the cook, but no more than four teaspoons per two liters of water.

The initial stage is defrosting using a warm stream from the tap. Then the salted broth is prepared with the specified spices. After the start of boiling, add it and then close it with a lid. Cooking according to time, taking into account sizes. For frozen king prawns it will be 7-9 minutes, for boiled frozen prawns – 5 minutes. Drain the water through a colander and discard the contents.


Using beer

  • 1 kg crustaceans;
  • garlic – 4 cloves;
  • onion – 2 heads;
  • bay leaf – 5-6 pcs.;
  • one lemon and ½ bunch of parsley;
  • salt – 1 teaspoon;
  • ground pepper – black and red;
  • beer of your choice – at least 800 ml.


First, the raw materials are washed under running warm water and laid out. Then the garlic and onions are peeled, followed by fine chopping. Beer is poured into the pan and heated for 1 minute. Then add bay leaf, ground black and red pepper, chopped parsley, onion and garlic.

Having brought the contents to a boil, you need to lower the seafood into the pan and periodically stir gently. After 5-7 minutes, this process is completed, the contents are covered with a lid and infused for at least 20 and no more than 30 minutes. Draining the liquid and removing the bay leaf completes the job.

Using a multicooker

600 ml of water and 300 grams of shrimp are supplemented with salt and allspice. Crustaceans are washed in warm water and placed in a special bowl for steaming. Add water, add salt and pepper. The switch of the device is set to the “Steam” position, it cooks for 10 minutes. After which it makes sense to start tasting.


Classic for salads

A kilogram of marine crustaceans per three liters of water. Defrost, prepare the broth using bay leaves (4 pieces), black pepper and salt. Placing, as usual, is done in boiling water, cooking for 7-9 minutes, if the shrimp are really king. This produces an ingredient for salads, which is then used in its purified form.


No defrosting

Initial data:

  • shrimp – 500 grams;
  • water – 1.8 liters;
  • bay leaf – 4 pcs.;
  • salt, dill, pepper in the form of peas - 15 pieces.

The first step is to rinse the crustaceans well in a colander.

Second, boil water and add salt, dill and spices to it, wait 2 minutes.

Third, put the shrimp in the broth and wait for it to boil, stirring and covering with a lid. After the expected signs appear, reduce the heating power and wait another 7-8 minutes. Fourth, drain the liquid and try. You can use sauce.

First, cook the rice, then finely chop the onion and greens, peel the shrimp from the shell. Pour boiling water over the meat.

Place the frying pan on the fire and heat it with oil. Place the meat with onions and fry. Add pepper and sauce, keep on medium heat for 6-7 minutes. Next comes the turn of rice, which is also laid out for light frying.

Garlic

For one kilogram of raw materials you need:

  • 6 cloves of garlic;
  • vegetable or olive oil - 3 tablespoons;
  • ground black pepper;
  • salt and lemon.

After defrosting, take a frying pan under running warm water and pour oil into it. Heating is carried out over high heat. The sea crustaceans are laid out and fried over the same fire without closing the lid.


While stirring, evaporate the liquid. Add chopped garlic, pepper, salt. Fry for about 5 more minutes, remembering to stir. Turn off the stove and let it sit under the lid for 10 minutes. Cut the lemon into slices, which are used for moistening before use.

To learn how and how much to cook frozen king prawns, see the following video.

Ingredients:

(4 servings)

  • 800 gr. fresh frozen shrimp
  • 1.5-2 l. water
  • 2 bay leaves
  • shrimp sauce
  • 2 tbsp. mayonnaise
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1/2 tbsp. soy sauce
  • lemon juice
  • First of all, we need the shrimp themselves. Shrimp can be small, medium or large. Size doesn’t really affect how to cook shrimp. But what is very important is the freshness of the shrimp. Good frozen shrimp always have a uniform color, a shiny shell and a curved tail. The latter depends on the type of shrimp: the larger the shrimp, the less curled it is.
  • Before cooking, shrimp must be thawed. To prevent shrimp from losing their taste, they should be defrosted in the refrigerator at a temperature of 3-5°C. Room temperature is not the best choice; hot water and microwave are excluded.
  • It is better to cook any shrimp unpeeled. The shell not only gives additional taste and aroma, but also protects tender meat from loss of liquid.
  • So, pour a sufficient amount of water into a large saucepan and put it on fire. The method of boiling shrimp in sea water has now been forgotten and is practically not used. But earlier, especially when nobles or crowned heads expressed a desire to try this delicacy, shrimp were cooked only in sea water.
  • To achieve the desired effect of sea water, be sure to salt the water, and it is advisable to use sea salt. We put about 30 grams of salt for every liter of fresh water.
  • For flavor, add a couple of bay leaves. It is not recommended to add a lot of spices, as they will clog the taste and aroma of the shrimp. Boil the water for a couple of minutes until the salt is completely dissolved.
  • Place shrimp in boiling water. The water then stops boiling.
  • We increase the fire, but don’t go anywhere ourselves. We wait until the water boils again.
  • How long to cook shrimp

  • If you ask a good cook: How long does it take to cook shrimp? He will answer you - “not at all.” Exaggerated, but true.
  • The main rule of delicious shrimp is to cook the shrimp quickly.. Therefore, as soon as the water with shrimp boils, immediately remove the pan from the heat.
  • If the shrimp are large (king or tiger), then cook for half a minute, maximum one minute. In order not to miss the moment, we count down out loud. Yes, yes, out loud. Even after keeping the shrimp a little in hot water, we risk getting a rubber shrimp instead of the most tender meat.
  • The second rule of delicious shrimp is that after boiling, the shrimp should be cooled as quickly as possible.. The ideal option is to drain the shrimp in a colander and then place them on crushed pieces of ice for 1-2 minutes. If you don’t have ice on hand, simply rinse the shrimp with cold water.
  • Place the cooked shrimp on a large plate. That's all, as you can see, there is nothing complicated about how to boil shrimp. If you follow these simple tips, your shrimp will always turn out extraordinarily tasty and tender.
  • We serve the shrimp either warm or chilled, depending on the chef’s idea. Don't forget to prepare a special sauce for shrimp.
  • There are several basic shrimp sauces, but this one is my favorite. It's fast, tasty and practical.
  • Take two small cloves of garlic, finely chop them or crush them in a garlic press.
  • Mix mayonnaise, soy sauce and crushed garlic.
  • Add one teaspoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice.
  • Mix everything thoroughly. Serve the finished sauce with the shrimp.

These dishes are worth trying

Reviews and comments:

Irina 04/25/13
I don’t remember where I read that after cooking shrimp should be left in hot water for taste, and I always did that. I tried to cook it in a new way, as you wrote. The shrimp turned out great. Thanks for the recipe

Victoria 06/12/13
Some advise boiling shrimp for a quarter of an hour, others, like you, just bring them to a boil and immediately turn them off. Who to believe?

Alyona
Victoria, you must trust, first of all, common sense. How much does one shrimp weigh? From 5g. small up to 30-35g. large. The protein that makes up the shrimp begins to coagulate at a temperature of 60 degrees Celsius. So how long does it take for a shrimp to cook? Fifteen minutes are out of the question!!!
And one more example from life. If you have ever gone to a river and caught crayfish, you should remember that crayfish are boiled for exactly 5 minutes, and crayfish are much larger than the largest shrimp)))

Djulia 06/22/13
We are finally at sea! We cooked shrimp according to your recipe. It turned out delicious. True, she couldn’t overcome herself and turn off the heat immediately after they boiled, and let them boil for a minute. After all, the shrimp were not frozen, but fresh. Who knows when they were caught there. It's better to play it safe.

Alyona
Cool for you, you are at sea)))

Afanasyev Igor 02.11.13
Cooking shrimp correctly is actually difficult, and if you overcook it for even a minute, it won’t turn out delicious. I use this cooking method all the time and I always have delicious shrimp.

Lina 11.11.13
Thank you for the detailed topic and special thanks for the shrimp sauce recipe. I still couldn’t find something useful, usually everyone recommends sauce with ketchup, but yours is something unusual and original.

Sonya 11/13/13
We love shrimp, but it turns out we cook it completely wrong (I didn’t know that I needed to defrost it, and I didn’t rinse it with cold water either ((then they turn out rubbery for me!

Evgeniya 11/15/13
To be honest, I have never encountered shrimp. And I had no idea how to cook them. This is a whole science that includes knowledge of shrimp anatomy. Great. I love learning something new.

Alyona
Always happy to help)))

Marina 11/22/13
I’ve never tried shrimp, somehow they didn’t attract me and didn’t arouse my appetite, but now my opinion has changed, looking at the photo I now wanted to try it, in case I liked it.

Alyona
Marina, be sure to try the shrimp, life is full of surprises)))

Irina 11/28/13
It seemed to me that I knew how to cook shrimp and knew the secrets of cooking, but it turned out that not quite. Now I understand why they sometimes turn out rubbery. I didn’t know about defrosting them in the refrigerator, now I will follow all the advice in this article.

Love 11/29/13
You really shouldn't overcook the shrimp, they will lose all their flavor! Of course, you don’t have sea water on hand, but you always have sea salt and bay leaves too, it gives a wonderful aroma to the dish. As soon as they boil, our shrimp are ready!). Mayonnaise and garlic sauce is an excellent addition to warm shrimp!).

Galya 07.12.13
Oh, it’s kind of scary for me to cook shrimp for just a minute, God knows where they were caught and when, although I mentally agree with your arguments, the eternal Russian suspicion is stronger. Okay, neither you nor me, I will cook for 5 minutes, and I will carry out all the other subtleties according to your instructions.

Alyona
A wise decision, five minutes is much better than twenty)))

Olga 12/15/13
I didn’t know that it’s better to defrost shrimp before cooking. I thought that, on the contrary, you should throw shrimp just taken out of the freezer into boiling water. Interesting note about sea water, worth a try.

Vitalina 12/22/13
It turns out that there is a whole science of how to cook shrimp so as not to miss the moment of readiness. I used to think that it was enough to simply dip them in salted boiling water for 2 minutes, and voila, they are ready. But no, there are still a lot of tricks for preparing them.

Tamara 01/03/13
Good afternoon You write that we take frozen shrimp, but in supermarkets they are almost always boiled and frozen. Please clarify?

Alyona
Tamara, good day to you too! It is preferable to buy fresh frozen ones, without previous heat treatment. They turn out to be the most delicious and juicy. Another thing is that these are not always available in the store.
If only boiled-frozen ones are available, then you shouldn’t cook or fry them for a long time, since they are already ready.

Inna 02/09/14
I was pleasantly surprised by my new knowledge in the field of cooking. I love seafood, they are frequent guests on my table, but boiling shrimp in sea water is new to me. I'll try to cook in a new way :)

Tatyana 03/13/14
I didn’t know that shrimp should be cooled after cooking, but to be honest, I cooked them longer than the allotted time, now I’ll correct myself). You should know and take note of the subtleties of preparing dishes; the taste depends on this. Thanks for the recipe!

Alyona
Tatyana, thank you for your comment)))

Katya 10.28.14
My best friend is addicted to frying shrimp, and she fries them for quite a long time. As a result, her shrimp are tough and smell like oil. I can't eat this! I'd rather use your method. In my opinion, you have a correct and logical approach to this sacrament))

Vlad 11/19/14
Thank you, the shrimp are great!

Valentina Ivanovna 21.11.14
I really liked the sauce for the shrimp. I added salty soy sauce to it, the kind they use for sushi, I assume that's what you meant.

Ekaterina 11/25/14
girls and boys, I’m from Sakhalin, and I can tell you that we don’t cook them at all, because you just need to pour boiling water over the shrimp, add salt, stir and drain the water, they cool down very quickly, so it’s not recommended to cool them by any other means, if With this method, the shrimp simply melt in your mouth, and you don’t even need to add salt to the water, but before eating, dip the peeled shrimp in soy sauce, it’s very tasty))))

Alyona
Ekaterina, thank you very much for your shrimp recipe. I fully agree, the less heat treatment, the more tender the shrimp are)))