What is the Best Way to Cook Frozen Shrimp?
Shrimp is without a doubt one of the most popular forms of seafood in the US and abroad. When compared to other types of shellfish, like lobster for instance, it is more affordable, and can be just as delicious if prepared correctly. It is an extremely versatile shellfish and with a bit of experience, is very easy to cook.
As the title of this post suggests, many people are asking: What is the best way to cook frozen shrimp? The reason why this is such a popular question is because this shellfish freezes very well. Many of us, after we buy some, store it in the freezer for future use. In fact, most of the shrimp we purchase is frozen before we buy it from the store. Even the shrimp that is supposedly fresh, has more than likely been recently thawed. There is nothing wrong with this, as I said earlier, this shellfish freezes quite well.
Hopefully the shrimp you already have on hand is still in the shell. You should avoid, if possible, purchasing any that has been peeled. A lot of the flavor is in the shells, so if it has been pre-peeled, it would have lost a good deal of essential flavor. Besides, if you peel it yourself, you can save the shells and use them to make a delicious stock that can be used in lots of other recipes.
Of all the various methods for 
cooking shrimp, grilling and broiling are by far my favorite methods as I believe they impart the best flavor and are rather simple to prepare. Below is a recipe and instructions for marinating and grilling shrimp.
ABOUT THAWING FROZEN SHRIMP
I highly recommend that you DO NOT use your microwave to defrost shrimp, or any meat for that matter. I know, from past experience, that the microwave can partially cook the meat during the thawing process and it also does something to the flavor and texture of the meat. I will usually take the shrimp out of the freezer a day or two before I plan on cooking, place it in a covered bowl, and defrost it in the refrigerator. If I am in a really hurry, I will place them in a colander and thaw under running cold water. Those are in my opinion, the best methods for 
thawing frozen shrimp.
ABOUT GRILLING SHRIMP
Grilling this delicious shellfish, preferably on a charcoal grill, provides intense flavor and they hold up wonderfully on the grill. Some of the best types of ingredients that compliment grilled shrimp are acids like lemon, lime, orange, tomato and vinegar. One of my all time favorite ways to grill them is by first marinating them in a citrus herb marinade. This is especially wonderful in the summertime. It is light, healthy and goes great with an ice cold beer or glass of wine.
A NOTE BEFORE WE BEGIN
Keep the shells on when marinating and grilling. Many recipes call for grilling with the shells removed. This is not recommended as the shells not only provide great flavor, but they also protect the shrimp from overcooking and drying out. This is not necessary, but it is also quite helpful to keep the tails on as well. After cooking, the tails provide an easy way to handle the shrimp while eating.
GRILLED SHRIMP WITH CITRUS HERB MARINADE
INGREDIENTS
1 Pound of Shrimp (Thawed if Frozen, Shells on & De veined)
1/4 Cup of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 1/2 Tablespoons of Fresh Lemon Juice
1 1/2 Tablespoons Fresh Orange Juice
1/3 Cup of Freshly Chopped Parsley
1/3 Cup Freshly Chopped Cilantro
2 Cloves of Garlic Minced
1 Teaspoon of Salt
1/4 Teaspoon of Freshly Cracked Black Pepper
4 skewers - Either Bamboo or Metal. (If using bamboo, soak in water for 15 -20 minutes before grilling)
DIRECTIONS
Step 1 - De vein the Shrimp - Cut a 1/4 inch slit, through the shell, in the back of the shrimp and carefully remove the vein, leaving the shell intact.
Step 2 - In a large bowl, mix together all ingredients except the shrimp
Step 3 - Add shrimp to the bowl with the marinade and toss to coat. Refrigerate for 1 Hour.
Step 4 - When you are ready to cook, thread the shrimp on the skewers and discard the marinade.
Step 5 - Preheat your grill to high and cook for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes per side.
Well there you have it. You now have a good idea of what to do with those frozen shrimp sitting in your freezer. I hope you enjoy the included summer grilling recipe. Enjoy and happy eating!
Shrimp With Sherry and Italian Breadcrumbs - A Fast and Fabulous Meal
Whether it is breaded, popcorn, batter-fried, paella, shish-ka-bobs or casseroles, Americans love shrimp. Grocery stores have the fresh version on ice, but it is often a frozen product that has been thawed. Fish should never be defrosted and frozen again. You may see ice crystals on fish and this tells you it is not fresh.
Frozen varieties keep for about two months in the freezer, according to the healthy Eating Website. As the expiration date draws near, grocery stores run fish specials. Check this date before you buy. Look for bags that are 36-40 count per pound.
The Whats Cooking in America Website tells shoppers not to buy any peeled or deveined products because the flavor and texture are compromised. Still, it is handy to have a bag of shrimp in the freezer. Follow safe food handling practices. Do it defrost fish at room temperature. Though you may be tempted, do not defrost fish in the microwave because it will become tough.
The best way to defrost any fish is to put it in a bowl of cold water and refrigerate it over night. You may also put it in a large strainer and run cold water over it. Even though frozen shrimp has been cleaned, examine it for black specks in the veins and, if you see any, remove them.
I have been making this dish for so many years I forgot its original name and do not use a recipe. My husband calls it drunken shrimp, but I like my name better. This is an elegant entree when paired with baked potatoes and a butter lettuce salad with fresh pears, blue cheese, and candied walnuts. We love this recipe and I hope you will, too.
2 pounds of cooked, frozen shrimp
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1/4 cup extra light olive oil
2 cloves of minced garlic from a jar
1/3 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon lemon pepper
1/4 cup extra dry sherry
3/4 cup Italian breadcrumbs
3 tablespoons extra light olive oil
Thaw shrimp as directed on package. Put butter in a bowl and melt in microwave. Remove and add olive oil, garlic, parsley, lemon pepper, an sherry. Fold in shrimp. Arrange mixture in individual, oven-proof dishes (I use giant scallop shells). Put Italian bread crumbs in a cup and stir in olive oil. Bake in 400-degree oven until the shrimp is hot and the breadcrumbs start to brown. Garnish with lemon wedges. Makes 4-6 servings.
Copyright 2009 by Harriet Hodgson
Harriet Hodgson has been an independent journalist for 30 years. She is a member of the American Society of Journalists and Authors, the Association of Health Care Journalists, and the Association for Death Education and Counseling. Her 24th book, “Smiling Through Your Tears: Anticipating Grief,” written with Lois Krahn, MD, is available from Amazon.
Centering Corporation in Omaha, Nebraska has published her 26th book, “Writing to Recover: The Journey from Loss and Grief to a New Life.” The company has also published a companion volume, the “Writing to Recover Journal,” which contains 100 writing prompts.
Please visit Harriet’s Website and learn more about this busy author and grandmother.
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How To Cook Lobster Tail
Learn How To Cook Lobster Tails
So you want to learn 
how to cook lobster tail? Excellent! When cooked the right way, lobster tail is one of the most succulent foods on the face of the earth….
Many beginner cooks are intimidated when it comes to cooking lobster tails and rightly so. They aren’t cheap! So you want to make certain you are cooking them correctly to avoid waste.
Lobsters, once considered to be a poor mans food, are now more of a delicacy that people only occasionally enjoy. There are a variety of ways to prepare lobster tails and I hope this post will help you on your quest to cooking the perfect lobster tail.
Preparing and Broiling a Lobster Tail Step By Step
Step 1 - Preparing the Lobster Tail:
Step 2 - Cooking the Lobster Tail:
Step 3 - Finishing the Cooking Process:
Grilled Lobster Tails
In the following video, chef Jason Hill shares his method for grilling lobster tails.
Here are the ingredients Chef Hill provides to make this fantastic Lobster Tails:
2 (8 oz.) lobster tails
2 tablespoons chive oil or extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon garlic-shallot puree (or 2 crushed garlic cloves)
2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
2 cups water (use as needed)
Salt and pepper (as desired)
How to Smoke a Salmon
For the purposes of this article, I am going to assume you have your own smoker. But don’t worry if you don’t because I am going to show you how to guild your own in later articles.
I like to start with a good quality Wild Alaskan Salmon. Farmed salmon is almost like eating poison and I highly suggest you stay away from it at all costs. Spend a little extra and I promise you your taste buds will thank you. That being said, I like to use Chum Salmon. It is lesser known than all the other species of salmon, but it is a little less expensive and has a very high oil content. This is a good thing. The more oil a fish has the better it is for this process of smoking, and it will not dry out as quickly
First things first. You need to prepare the salmon 12 hours ahead of time with a process called brining. This brine I will show you is quite simple but adds really nice flavor to the fish.In a large container pour in 4 cups of warm water, 1 cup Kosher salt, 1 cup sugar, and 1 cup brown sugar. Stir vigorously until well combined. At this point your salmon should be cut up into chunks of equal size. Place them in the brine mix, skin side up please. Put the lid on your container and put it back into the fridge for 12 hours.
After 12 hours take each piece of salmon out of the brine, rinse lightly under water, and place on the counter to dry. After about an hour of drying, a pellicle will form over the top of the Salmon. This just looks like a shiny skin and that is what we want. Now we put the rub on that is going to flavor our smoked salmon delicacy. For this application I am going to give you my recipe for what I like to call “Indian Candy”. This recipe was shown to me by the Indians of the Pacific Northwest. Rub each piece of fish with butter until lightly coated. Then rub each piece heavily with brown sugar. Let sit while you prepare your smoker.
You want to get your smoker between 150 and 180 degrees rolling with Alder smoke. I highly suggest Alder as it gives the salmon a very unique flavor. You will enjoy it, I guarantee you. Put your salmon in and close the door. Do not even peek for two hours. Just let the smoke do its work. After two hours begin to look every once in a while for the Salmon to start flaking. Once it begins to flake it is done.
Now here is a secret that no one will tell you. The flavor of the salmon is better the next day. What I like to do at this point is vacuum seal each piece while it is still warm. This ensures that maximum flavor stays with each piece. Put into the fridge until the next day, open and enjoy.
I hope you have enjoyed this lesson on how to smoke a salmon. As you can see it is not that hard, just a little time consuming, but trust me on this one, it is well worth the wait.
Chris is a chef and an award winng BBQer. Check out more of his recipes at http://www.squidoo.com/alaskanseafood
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