How to Prepare Fresh Shrimp for Freezing

Ever wonder how to prepare fresh shrimp for freezing? It's actually not as hard as you think. This article will teach you to prepare shrimp for freezing. Let's face it, you never know who may stop in for dinner at a seconds notice and having your shrimp clean and frozen, half the work is done. Follow these quick and easy steps and now you can buy your shrimp and have it prepared and on hand in a seconds notice.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Shrimp
• Serated knife
• Paring knife
• Freezer bags

1. Soak your shrimp in a bowl of ice cold water.
2. Take them out one at a time, lying flat on a cutting board. With the serated knife cut off the heads leaving only the part you desire to eat(leaving the tips of the tail if you so desire).
3. Holding the shrimp in your hand lengthwise with the back facing the palm of your hand tear off the legs. You can use the side of the serated knife for support. In doing this the shell will open and loosen from the underside.
4. Hold the shrimp now under cool running water, remove the shell by separating it from the meat of the shrimp with your thumbs. Running your thumbs along the underside the shell will loosen and you will be able to remove the shrimp.
5. Take the tip of the paring knife and make a slit lengthwise from the top of the shrimp down to the tail along the back or outside of the shrimp. Holding it under running water you will see the vein. Clean this out using your thumb, and rinse.
6. Enjoy! Set in a bowl and repeat these steps on each of your shrimp. When complete put into freezer bags and freeze for use at another time to enjoy!

Tips & Warnings

• When removing the little legs from the underbelly of the shrimp hold them along the length of your knife and pull gently. They will come right off.
• To defrost quickly, take the whole bag directly out of the freezer and put into a bowl of cold water.
• Always wash hands and counters before and after preparing your shrimp for freezing.