What are some good methods of freezing shrimp? I would like to freeze some in about 1 lb. bags to use throughout the year for things like peel and eat,low country boil,etc.
Head off, shell on, in water.
quote:
Originally posted by Bolbie…the harbor was slick as an eel pecker.
You might want to consider Ziploc freezer containers with the lids on them. They prevent shrimp tails from busting the bags and they stack really well in the freezer. Reusable too.
18’ Hewes Bayfisher/115 4 Stroke Yamaha/6’Powerpole, etc
I 2nd the container idea. Recycle cottage cheese, sour cream, etc. containers. They work too. I check mine after initial freeze and add water if needed to make sure top layer is completely covered in ice.
If you’re lucky enough to live at the beach, you’re lucky enough.
“Head off, shell on, in water.”
Any salt?
I’d rather fish than eat.
A gun in the hand is better than a cop on the phone.
In God We Trust
quote:
Originally posted by Taz“Head off, shell on, in water.”
Any salt?I’d rather fish than eat.
A gun in the hand is better than a cop on the phone.
In God We Trust
I don’t. Interesting idea though. I’d like to here if anyone else salts their water. I’d imagine you Shouldn’t salt it too much, though
quote:
Originally posted by Bolbie…the harbor was slick as an eel pecker.
I buy pint and/or quart deli containers, then in the fall I buy 50-75 lbs of 21-25 count (off a boat, if possible). Don’t over-fill the container with shrimp as they need to be completely covered with water, yet enough expansion space when freezing occurs. I frequently keep 'em a year or longer … 
all good tips above.
i tried salted water, didn’t seem to make much difference.
i tried bags, the tail spines even punched holes in doubled-up freezer ziplocs. pint and quart containers are perfect- i did about half of each last year and find that i want more pints than quarts when it’s just two of us eating them. a well-packed quart should hold a little over a pound of tails. i fill mine about 3/4" shy of the top and freeze, then top off to exclude all air as full cooler said.
I use empty cardboard orange juice containers with water. tape the top down before freezing.
I buy a case of quart size styro cups with lids at sams for about $35 for 500. Head shrimp, fill cup fill with water, and add tablespoon non iodised salt, put on lid and freeze. Had some for dinner last night dated oct 2009 they were as fresh as as off the boat. Just cut and peel the cup off and defrost in water
Why is it that freezing them with the heads on seems to make the shrimp mushy as opposed to head off?
I freeze mine in bags in water, I freeze them in the freezer that is in the refrigerator in the garage. I put a layer of newspaper and then a layer of bags. That is 8 bags. I then put another layer of newspaper before another layer of bags. I repeat this until all the bags are in the freezer. Once they are frozen solid I transfer them to my chest freezer. If there has been any leakage it happens in the little freezer and the paper catches it. I do this so no leakage is in the chest freezer and no bags are stuck to each other in the chest freezer. I throw the newspaper away so now the little freezer has no leakage in it either. this has worked for me for more years than I can count.
I use the plastic quart containers used for freezing fruits and vegies. I add shrimp heads off, water, and a tbl. spoon of salt. I don’t know what the salt does, but my family has done this with fish and shrimp since I can remember. We have reused the containers for several years. When done you can wash and store in an empty bread bag to try and keep as clean as possible until the next use.
Good luck
If you want shrimp to really last - vacuum seal them. I use a deveiner to shell/devein, wash them, put un freezer on a cookie sheet them put in vacuun sealer bags and seal. They will last a very long time.
dollar tree…Not dollar general has many sizes of containers for freezing…including the ziplock or glad brand…usually four or five to a pack…you can also go to restaurant supply stores and get them. I bought some that are like the type you get soup in at Chinese restaurants…but like the square type better. As someone said…leave space for expansion…if top pops off your shrimp will dry out. I dehead mine before freezing
miss’n fish’n
212 SEAHUNT CC
Sea Squirt 16
Cheep plastic containers are the way to go. No leaks - last long time - stack well in freezer.
J Ford
I use 1 quart freezer bags filled with water and then place all the bags in a plastic dish pan to freeze. Once frozen I remove them from the dish pan and place in the freezer. After about four months in the freezer I notice the shells are hard to remove after you boil them so I peel the shrimp before cooking if they have been in the freezer a while. The tails do stick an occasional hole in the bag but mine are always completly frozen in ice using this method. Edisto Beach tap water is already salted, they do this as a covenience to folks freezing shrimp and fish (lol). The plastic dish pan is also very convenient for freezing ice for coolers etc.
Rob
Triumph 17
Honda 75
Very good tip!
quote:
Originally posted by GoobYou might want to consider Ziploc freezer containers with the lids on them. They prevent shrimp tails from busting the bags and they stack really well in the freezer. Reusable too.
18’ Hewes Bayfisher/115 4 Stroke Yamaha/6’Powerpole, etc
go to your local chinese restaurant and buy a case of there to go soup containers. Cheap and they last forever.
2001 18’Sea Pro (140 suz)
WWW.WinnsboroConcrete.com
I have gone from plastic containers back to ziplock bags both because they are cheaper and because it seems like if you put enough water in the container to cover the amount of shrimp you want in there, then it expands enough so some of the lids don’t stay on. I keep the tails from poking holes in the bags by putting water in th bag before adding the shrimp. Works for me, anyway.
www.jhcooper.com
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