Here's The Best Way To Freeze Fresh Shrimp

Though many cooks swear by using frozen shrimp in the kitchen for their convenience, sometimes only fresh shrimp will do — especially if you have access to fresh local catch straight from the ocean. However, if you have extra raw shrimp and need to preserve them for later, the freezer is the way to go. Fresh shrimp only last for a day or two in the fridge before quality starts to deteriorate, and you don't want to end up with slimy, smelly, unsafe shellfish.

Luckily, freezing shrimp is easy, and doing so in the proper way will minimize any effect on the food's flavor and texture. The best way to freeze shrimp is directly from the refrigerator (make sure to let them chill a bit before moving them to the freezer); simply place the shrimp in freezer containers or freezer-safe storage bags and seal them with an inch of clearance from the top.

These steps will help ensure that you maintain the crustacean's integrity. However, there are a few things to keep in mind to get your shrimp ready for freezing.

It doesn't take a lot of intensive prep work to process raw shrimp for the freezer. If the crustaceans came whole, you can leave the shells on or peel and devein them, but either way, be sure to remove the heads if they were initially intact. It's also a good idea to leave the shells on if you'll be freezing the shrimp raw since this helps maintain their taste and consistency.

You can also freeze cooked fresh shrimp. In this case, you'll want to remove the shells. Tails can optionally be left on, depending on how you intend to use your shrimp in the future (for cocktail shrimp, for example, you may want to leave the tails intact). 

Be sure to wash and thoroughly dry your shrimp if you'll be freezing them raw. Label the bags or containers with a "frozen on" date; whether raw or cooked, frozen shrimp will last in the freezer for about three to six months.

When you're ready to defrost those shrimp sometime in the future, the best way to do so is slowly in the refrigerator. Take the bag or container of shrimp out of the freezer and let it sit in the fridge overnight or until fully defrosted. Most frozen shrimp will require at least 12 hours to thaw fully, though this may vary based on fridge temperature, shrimp size, and more.

If you need the shrimp defrosted in a hurry, you can also zip them into a plastic storage bag (if they're not already in one) and fully submerge in a bowl of cool water for 20 to 30 minutes. Use a plate to weigh the bag down if necessary, then pat the shrimp dry after thawing with a paper towel. You can then use the thawed crustaceans in whatever recipes you'd like, from shrimp cocktail to shrimp scampi and more.