How To Thaw Frozen Shrimp

A quick and easy to follow tutorial on how to thaw your frozen shrimp. Follow along with just two easy steps – pictures included! Out of sheer convenience and budget I am always buying frozen shrimp over fresh shrimp. Unless I’m really trying to impress someone, or my boyfriend and I are treating ourselves to fresh seafood. It’s just easier to get frozen shrimp that’s already cleaned for me. Plus the cost different can mean a lot when you are living paycheck to paycheck. Our local grocery store sells frozen shrimp for $7.99/lb. At the fish market, it’s anywhere from $11.99 – $15.99 per pound. That adds up fast if your buying for a lot of people.

So I have always opted for the frozen shrimp. Which means I had to make sure I was thawing my shrimp correctly. There’s one major mistake that everyone makes, myself included, and just recently even. You HAVE to thaw your shrimp with COLD WATER. If you put your frozen shrimp in hot water THEY WILL COOK, and QUICKLY. You don’t want that. I usually take a bowl, and a colander that fit together. I fill both with water, and place the shrimp in the colander. That way when they are thawed, you can easily remove them from the water. And yes, you’re hand will be cold while peeling the shrimp, but it’s worth it.

Check out my instagram to see some of the delicious meals I make with these frozen shrimp. And make sure to subscribe and stay up to date when I post a new recipe!

Step One: Thaw Your Frozen Shrimp

These are my go to tools when I need to thaw frozen shrimp. They fit together perfectly, and the bowl is big enough to hold juuuust enough water to submerge the shrimp. The first step is to get a bowl (or if you’ve got it, a colander and a bowl) and empty the frozen shrimp into the bowl.

So far this has been my favorite brand of frozen shrimp. It’s super clean, and definitely easy to peel as the packaging says. They are on the smaller side, as you’ll see in the following photos. So if you’re looking for jumbo shrimp, definitely look elsewhere. The packaging even has an easy spot to rip into on the top – so you don’t have to dirty and scissors!

Set this up in the sink, making sure to USE COLD WATER. Let them sit for about 30 minutes, and BOOM your shrimp are ready to be peeled. Isn’t is amazing how quickly they thaw? My mom keeps some frozen shrimp on hand for any night that she wants to make something quick for dinner. Or more likely, those nights we forget to plan dinner at all. Forgot to take the chicken out of the freezer? Replace it with shrimp!

Step Two: Peel Your Thawed Shrimp

After you’re frozen shrimp have thawed, removed them from the water and start peeling. I usually use the bag as a little shrimp shell garbage can in my sink. Then just toss the whole bag into the trash. I also like to rinse my shrimp as peel them. Even though the packaging says they’re clean, it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t check anyway and give them a quick rinse. Not only that but it helps ensure you’ve removed the entire shell. Once the shrimp are peeled – time to get cooking!