How to Prepare Fresh Shimp for Freezing
Shrimp is a sea food delicacy that is greatly enjoyed around the world for its rich and hearty flavour. Freezing shrimp increases its shelf life and can help in preparing exciting shrimp dishes even when the market is out of seafood stock. However, it is important to know the right way to clean the shrimp first before you freeze it. Improper handling of this process will lead to your shrimp store going bad, which will be of no use for cooking purposes. This will also cause doubt about the hygiene and health of the shrimp. Therefore, following the right procedure is very important.
Things Required:
– Fresh shrimp
– Airtight containers
– Salt
– 2 tablespoons water
– Freezer
Instructions
-
1
Place your shrimps in the freezer for a couple of hours as soon as you bring them home. This pre-clean freezing helps put the shrimps into hibernation, making them easier to clean.
-
2
It is best to clean the shrimps right away after the few hours of freezing. The maximum time you can wait is twenty four hours.
-
3
Bring the shrimps to the kitchen sink and wash them under the water. Clean off any visible impurities with the flow of the water. Now remove the heads of the shrimps and also the black veins that run down the back. De-heading and deveining are easier if the shrimps are fresh and you have not wasted time before cleaning them. Simply pull the head off at a downward angle. This will ideally de-head and devein the shrimp simultaneously. Rinse the shrimps again after removing the heads and veins.
-
4
Now take a quart of cold water. Add the salt to it and make a salt mixture. Now wash the shrimps with this water again thoroughly.
-
5
After cleaning, place the shrimps in freezer zipper bags. The size of each portion that you make depends on your family’s requirements and the consumption pattern. Just make sure that each bag that you prepare is enough for a one time meal so that everything remains organized. You can also use air-tight containers for storing shrimps. These are more convenient and solid but are costlier than zipper bags. Label the bags or containers and place them in the freezer.
-
6
When the shrimp is needed, thaw it by placing the bag in a larger container filled with water for a couple of hours before cooking.
