Brining Cooked Shrimp

[zenpup]

About 30 years ago while in college I worked for a caterer who used to brine cooked shrimp after cooking in a salt and ice -water bath for about 2 days ahead of service.

The shrimp were boiled, then quick chilled and packed in containers of ice -water and salt.

They were perfect even after 4 days of storage. Just the right amount of salt, firm, almost crisp, and "shrimpy"

I had written the recipe down, but made it so frequently, I thought I'd never forget the proportions. Well, now that I am well into middle aged, I've forgotten the proportions of salt to water and have since lost the paper.

Does anyone still do this? I'd appreciate any input. TIA!

[Fugu]

For cold buffets, the way I cook and store shrimps(100 lbs. a week), I do not ice them after poaching. When I take them out of the court bouillon, they are still medium rare but they keep cooking as they cool.

The cooked shrimps are stored in the chilled court bouillon that the shrimps were cooked in and they will keep well for days. This method maintains that "crisp" texture and have deep shrimp flavour. Brining might just water down the delicate shrimp flavour.

Edited December 24, 2007 by Fugu (log)

[rooftop1000]

So many of the shrimp I get now...generic frozen supermarket...seem too salty too begin with

We know the product has changed with all the farming, so taste first