Forget thawing! Discover the best and easiest method to cook frozen shrimp straight from your freezer. This guide will show you how to poach frozen shrimp perfectly, ensuring tender, juicy, and flavorful results every time. Say goodbye to dinner dilemmas and hello to quick, delicious shrimp meals!
Cooking shrimp from frozen might sound unconventional, but it’s a game-changer for weeknight dinners. Remember the days of scrambling to defrost meat at the last minute? Just like with fish and chicken breasts, thawing shrimp is completely unnecessary. In fact, cooking shrimp from frozen can actually lead to even better texture and flavor.
While cooking frozen chicken breasts can be a bit tricky and might compromise on texture compared to thawed chicken, and frozen fish cooks surprisingly well, especially thicker cuts, frozen shrimp is in a league of its own. Cooking shrimp directly from frozen yields surprisingly superior results compared to thawing first. Seriously, you’ll be amazed at how much better they turn out!
Video: Effortlessly Cook Shrimp From Frozen
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Selecting the Best Frozen Shrimp
When it comes to frozen shrimp, making the right choices at the grocery store is key. Avoid the pre-thawed shrimp often found at the seafood counter. These are typically more expensive and need to be cooked immediately. Instead, opt for bags of frozen shrimp and store them in your freezer for whenever you need a quick meal solution.
What type of frozen shrimp works best for cooking from frozen? Medium to large-sized shrimp are ideal. Crucially, ensure that the shrimp are already deveined. Check the packaging to confirm “deveined” as you won’t be able to remove the veins while they are frozen, and it’s very difficult to do after cooking. Deveined shrimp are a must for convenience. Beyond that, peeled shrimp with the tail on, or “easy peel” shrimp, are excellent choices. You can cook them directly from frozen and easily remove the peels after cooking, if desired.
It’s also important to check that the shrimp are individually frozen, not clumped together in a solid block. Give the bag a shake; you should hear individual shrimp moving around freely. A few clumps of two or three are acceptable, but avoid bags with large, solid masses of frozen shrimp. Most commercially frozen shrimp are individually frozen. If you find some clumping, try gently banging the bag on your countertop to break them apart.
The Simple Method: Poaching Frozen Shrimp
My absolute favorite method for cooking frozen shrimp is poaching. It’s incredibly gentle and results in shrimp that are plump, juicy, and wonderfully tender – never rubbery or tough. Poaching is especially perfect for dishes like shrimp cocktail, but it’s versatile enough for almost any shrimp recipe.
The best part? Poaching frozen shrimp is virtually identical to poaching thawed shrimp! The only adjustment is a mere one-minute increase in cooking time. That’s it – no thawing necessary!
Here’s a step-by-step guide to perfectly poached frozen shrimp:
Step 1: Choose Your Pot and Fill with Water
Select a saucepan appropriate for the amount of shrimp you’re cooking. A 3-quart pot is perfect for about 12-15 large shrimp. For larger quantities, you’ll need a bigger pot. Fill the pot approximately 3/4 full with water.
Step 2: Add Salt to the Water
Add salt to the water. For a 3-quart pot, about 1/2 teaspoon of salt is usually sufficient.
Step 3: Include Aromatics (Optional)
Enhance the flavor of your poached shrimp by adding aromatics to the water. Half a lemon, squeezed and then added to the pot, is a fantastic choice.
Peppercorns and fresh parsley are also excellent additions for extra flavor complexity. While not essential, they add a subtle depth to the shrimp.
Step 4: Bring to a Rapid Boil
Bring the water to a rapid boil over high heat. Covering the pot will speed up the boiling process.
Step 5: Remove from Heat and Stop Boiling
Once boiling rapidly, remove the pot from the heat and allow the water to stop boiling.
Step 6: Add Frozen Shrimp
Add the frozen shrimp directly to the hot water.
Step 7: Stir Gently
Stir the shrimp gently to ensure they are evenly submerged in the hot water.
Step 8: Cover and Let Poach
Cover the pot and let it sit off the heat for 5-6 minutes, or until the shrimp turn opaque and pink. It’s crucial to keep the pot off the heat during this step. The shrimp will cook gently in the residual heat of the water. Boiling them will result in tough, overcooked shrimp.
If you find the shrimp appear cooked but have a slightly mushy texture, they likely need a little more time. Don’t hesitate to let them sit for another minute or two. As the water cools, there’s little risk of overcooking, and a slightly longer poaching time can ensure they are perfectly cooked.
For larger quantities of shrimp (more than 12-15), you’ll need to increase the poaching time. For example, 20 shrimp might take around 10 minutes. For even larger batches, use a bigger pot with more boiled water to ensure even cooking.
Step 9: Prepare an Ice Bath (For Cold Shrimp)
If you plan to serve the shrimp cold, such as for shrimp cocktail, prepare an ice bath while they poach. Fill a large bowl halfway with cold water and add two cups of ice cubes.
Step 10: Cool or Serve Warm
For cold shrimp, drain the hot poaching liquid and immediately transfer the cooked shrimp (discarding the aromatics) to the ice bath. Let them cool completely for a few minutes before draining again.
If you prefer warm shrimp, simply drain the hot liquid and serve immediately. They are delicious as is, with a squeeze of lemon, or added to pasta sauces or other dishes.
Perfectly poached shrimp chilling in an ice bath, ready to be served cold for shrimp cocktail or other dishes.
Step 11: Peel and Serve
If you used shrimp with peels, you can serve them with the peels on or remove them before serving, depending on your preference.
Podcast Episode: Cooking Shrimp From Frozen
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For more tips and insights on cooking frozen shrimp, listen to our podcast episode where we delve into the details and share some helpful hints for perfect results every time.
Listen to more Recipe of the Day episodes here.
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Recipe Card: Poached Frozen Shrimp
Description: The easiest and best method for cooking frozen shrimp, resulting in tender and juicy shrimp every time.
Ingredients:
- 12 large frozen shrimp (21–25 count per pound, deveined and peeled or easy peel)*
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 lemon (optional)
- 8–10 peppercorns (optional)
- Handful of fresh parsley (optional)
Instructions:
- Fill a 3-quart saucepan 3/4 full of water.
- Add salt. If using, squeeze lemon juice into the pot, then add the lemon half. Add peppercorns and parsley if desired.
- Bring water to a rapid boil over high heat.
- Remove from heat and let boiling stop.
- Add frozen shrimp. Stir. Cover and let sit off heat for 5-6 minutes until shrimp are pink and opaque.
- For cold shrimp, prepare an ice bath with 2 cups ice and cold water in a bowl.
- Drain hot water from cooked shrimp. Serve warm or transfer to ice bath to cool.
- Serve as is or peel before serving.
Recipe Notes:
* Shrimp Quantity Note: You can cook up to 20 shrimp in the same pot; they will take about 8-10 minutes. For larger batches, use a bigger pot and more water.
** Cooking Time Tip: It’s better to slightly over-poach than under-poach. If shrimp are mushy, they may need a bit more time. If unsure, let them sit a minute or two longer.
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Originally published January 2018, updated October 2022. Contains Amazon affiliate links.
