How to Prepare Fresh Shrimp for Freezing

Freeze shrimp to enjoy later.

Freezing fresh shrimp allows you to stretch the shelf-life of this delicacy, but doing it wrong can leave you with freezer-burned, inedible seafood. Fresh shrimp may be frozen either in the shell or with the shell removed.

Things You'll Need

• Fresh shrimp
• Airtight containers
• Salt
• 2 tablespoons water
• Freezer

Instructions

1. Wash the shrimp in plain water and remove the heads and the dark veins that run down the back.

2. Add the salt to a quart of cold water and wash again. Drain thoroughly.

3. Package in the shrimp in a moisture- and vapor-proof container.

4. Label the container and freeze. The sooner you get fresh into the freezer after bringing them home, the better.

5. Thaw by placing the shrimp container in a larger container that you fill with cold water. Let sit for a few hours and remove the thawed shrimp.

Tips & Warnings

• Freeze your shrimp in the portion sizes you expect to use them in, not as one large batch. That way you won't have to thaw all the shrimp each time you want some.

• Don't store frozen shrimp for more than five months. Even frozen solid in water, their quality will begin to deteriorate.

• Make sure that your shrimp never reach room temperature for any extended period while raw. This will help you to avoid food-borne diseases and contamination.

References

• MissouriFamilies.org: Food Safety; How Should I Freeze Shrimp?