Skip to main content
Cooking Tips

You Should Be Buying Your Shrimp Frozen

 Plus more tips to help you become a savvy shrimp shopper.
By Published Oct. 27, 2022

What's the best place to find the freshest, sweetest, juiciest shrimp? The freezer section of your supermarket.

Jump to a Section

That's because when it comes to shrimp, the term “fresh” is mostly a fallacy: Unless you live near a coastal area and have access to fresh-off-the-boat shrimp, virtually all shrimp sold at fish counters were bought previously frozen and thawed by the fishmonger.

And the longer shrimp sits, the more its flavor and texture deteriorate.

Sign up for the Cook's Insider newsletter

The latest recipes, tips, and tricks, plus behind-the-scenes stories from the Cook's Illustrated team.

Why You Should Buy Shrimp Frozen

The quality of frozen shrimp is generally excellent. For superior flavor and texture, buy shrimp frozen and defrost them just before cooking. Within just 24 hours of thawing, the muscle tissue begins to degrade and turn mushy, and the shrimp's flavor becomes less fresh. 

Frozen shrimp offer flexibility: Bagged, IQF (individually quick-frozen) shrimp don’t freeze together in clumps, so you can take out only what you need and leave the rest in the freezer. Read more about the freezing process below.

What Is Individually Quick-Frozen (IQF) Shrimp?

Most shrimp are individually quick-frozen (IQF) right on the boat as soon as they are caught to lock in freshness. The process, which is also known as flash freezing, involves spreading the shrimp on a conveyor belt and running them through a blast chiller, which allows them to be frozen individually and rapidly.

The quick-freezing process avoids the formation of large ice crystals which would otherwise damage the flesh. And because the shrimp are frozen separately before they are packaged, individual shrimp don’t stick together.

Make Sure Your Shrimp Is Salt- and Chemical-Free

To prevent darkening or water loss during thawing, some manufacturers add salt or chemicals such as sodium tripolyphosphate (STPP) to shrimp that compromises the meat’s texture and flavor. To find out if shrimp is salt- or STPP-treated, ask the fishmonger or check the package label: “Shrimp” should be the only ingredient. 

IACP Award Winner

Foolproof Fish

Want to broaden your seafood scope? No matter what you buy from the fish counter, this award-winning book will teach you how to cook it.

Go for Wild Shrimp, Not Farm-Raised

Wild shrimp are tastier than farm-raised shrimp due to their diet of algae, which contains precursor compounds that convert to flavorful bromophenols reminiscent of iodine and the sea.

Buy Shrimp Shell-On, Not Peeled 

Not only are shell-on shrimp considerably cheaper than peeled ones but they’re often in better shape than shrimp that get raggedy during commercial shelling. Plus, the shell itself is one of the most flavorful parts of the crustacean and can be used to make a quick, briny stock for seafood-based pan sauces, soups, or stews

Shrimp Scampi

By using a few Test Kitchen tricks (like poaching our shrimp in wine), we created a restaurant-quality scampi with perfectly cooked seafood and a garlicky sauce.
Get the Recipe

0 Comments

Try All-Access Membership to Unlock the Comments
Don't miss the conversation. Our test cooks and editors jump in to answer your questions, and our members are curious, opinionated, and respectful.
Membership includes instant access to everything on our sites:
  • 10,000+ foolproof recipes and why they work
  • Taste Tests of supermarket ingredients
  • Equipment Reviews save you money and time
  • Videos including full episodes and clips
  • Live Q&A with Test Kitchen experts
Start Free Trial
JC
JOHN C.
16 days

Absolutely the best chicken ever, even the breast meat was moist! It's the only way I'll cook a whole chicken again. Simple, easy, quick, no mess - perfect every time. I've used both stainless steel and cast iron pans. great and easy technique for “roasted” chicken. I will say there were no pan juices, just fat in the skillet. Will add to the recipe rotation. Good for family and company dinners too. I've done this using a rimmed sheet pan instead of a skillet and put veggies and potatoes around the chicken for a one-pan meal. Broccoli gets nicely browned and yummy!

Absolutely the best chicken ever, even the breast meat was moist! It's the only way I'll cook a whole chicken again. Simple, easy, quick, no mess - perfect every time. I've used both stainless steel and cast iron pans. great and easy technique for “roasted” chicken. I will say there were no pan juices, just fat in the skillet. Will add to the recipe rotation. Good for family and company dinners too.

MD
MILES D.
JOHN C.
9 days

Amazed this recipe works out as well as it does. Would not have thought that the amount of time under the broiler would have produced a very juicy and favorable chicken with a very crispy crust. Used my 12" Lodge Cast Iron skillet (which can withstand 1000 degree temps to respond to those who wondered if it would work) and it turned out great. A "make again" as my family rates things. This is a great recipe, and I will definitely make it again. My butcher gladly butterflied the chicken for me, therefore I found it to be a fast and easy prep. I used my cast iron skillet- marvellous!

CM
CHARLES M.
11 days

John, wasn't it just amazing chicken? So much better than your typical oven baked chicken and on par if not better than gas or even charcoal grilled. It gets that smokey charcoal tasted and overnight koshering definitely helps, something I do when time permits. First-time I've pierced a whole chicken minus the times I make jerk chicken on the grill. Yup, the cast iron was not an issue.