Frozen Shrimp Are Actually Fresher Than "Fresh," and Other Things You Should Know (2024)

A lot of people are eating bad shrimp right now, at this very moment. Not because they're bad cooks, or eating at bad restaurants, but because they don't know how to buy shrimp that is as fresh and delicious as possible. When we say bad, we’re talking about low-quality shrimp. The mushy-textured stuff that tastes fishy and smells even fishier. The easiest away to avoid these bogies? Learn what to look for when you’re at the supermarket.

Let’s talk about what “frozen” and “fresh” actually mean in the wide world of shrimp. Frozen shrimp are currently frozen. Duh. They’re in a bag, located inside the frozen food section of your grocery store. Of course they’re frozen. And they’ve most likely been that way since they were caught or harvested. When fisherman bring shrimp onto their boats, they throw them into ice immediately, freezing them within a very short time of being out of the water. This preserves the fresh, shrimp-y flavor of the shrimp, freezing them in time so that they're same-day fresh until they get thawed out again.

“Fresh” shrimp are a bit harder to put our faith in, because they've most likely undergone this instant freezing process too, but have been thawed by the fine folks at the fish counter. The “fresh” shrimp you see stacked on mountains of ice at your supermarket have most likely been frozen, and are now thawed, which means they're actually getting less fresh with every passing hour. So. Let us say this: Unless you’re absolutely sure that the “fresh” shrimp at the store are actually fresh-off-the-boat, frozen shrimp are a way better bet. Avoid shrimp that smell like ammonia (an easy way to tell that they’re bad) or have shells that feel soft or slimy (again, not a good sign). If you can’t be sure, or know they’ve been thawed, head to the freezer. The frozen shrimp will taste better, cook better, and feel better. Well, just as long as they’ve been raised responsibly.

We’ve confessed our love for the flavor of wild-caught seafood before, and with shrimp, it’s no different. Wild caught shrimp have a cleaner, sharper, more shrimp-y flavor than their farmed counterparts. Looking for that designation on the package is key. If the shrimp aren’t wild-caught, making sure they’re raised sustainably and responsibly is important. Farms will advertise this, so really, it’s about taking the extra twenty seconds to scan the package.

And when you’re scanning, you’ll notice there’s a size designation. Maybe small, medium, or large, and almost always with an accompanying number. That number comes without context, a seemingly meaningless wildcard in the shrimp packaging game. But it’s actually pretty useful information. The number tells you how many shrimp there are in a pound. The higher the number, the smaller the shrimp. The smaller the number, the larger the shrimp. And when you pick your size, it’s all about what you’re cooking. The tiny guys are great for fried rice, while the jumbo ones make more of an impact in presentation on their own.

And lastly, on the topic of appearance: shells. Generally, we like the shells on there if we can get them. Same goes for the heads. Is it a step outside your comfort zone? Maybe. Is it more work to peel them once they’re cooked? Sure. But those shells and heads hold so much flavor, we can’t really live without them. Cooking shell-on shrimp in a pasta sauce turns it almost into seafood stock. And they look rad too! Wins for the whole team! That said, we've been known to buy shrimp without shells from time to time—you're not peeling shrimp on a Tuesday night, and neither are we.

Your next grocery store stop in the seafood section is going to be calculated. You’re a major player in the shrimp game now. Shrimp skewers. Shrimp fried rice. Sautéed shrimp. Shrimp alfredo. No big deal. This is your kingdom. You were born to rule. And to eat delicious, responsibly-purchased, fresh-as-can-be shrimp.

Now that you know how to buy shrimp, get your scampi on.