Best ways to cook head-on shrimp/prawns/whatever you call them?

[blue_dolphin]

I couldn't find a cooking topic about shrimp but if there is one, feel free to move this there!

 

The chilly ocean waters off SoCal aren't exactly a shrimping mecca so I've only had head-on shrimp at restaurants or when traveling as I haven't really trusted the freshness of those available, at high prices, in the shops..  There's an LA-area operation that's been farming shrimp indoors called TransparentSea. They sell to local restaurants and at the Santa Monica Farmers market. I'm considering getting some of their shrimp as an option in my regular fish share.  They would be jumbo (12-15/lb) and I'd get a pound and a half instead of my usual catch of the week.  

Searching here, I saw that @KennethT is a fan of head-on shrimp and @Okanagancook posted about cooking head-on shrimp sous vide a while back. 

I'm a single eater here so I'd like to try as many options as I can, as quickly as I can. I know I can always save the heads for stock and freeze the rest but I'd like to try options that will show them off to their best. 

 

[TdeV]

Looking forward to pictures and discussion about all your experiments!

[blue_dolphin]

23 minutes ago, TdeV said:

Looking forward to pictures and discussion about all your experiments!

 

Thanks! I have until Monday to decide whether to get them or default to the usual catch of the day.  If I don't have a plan by then, I'll wait to get them until I do. I suspect they'll be offered from time to time or I can always drive down to the Santa Monica market. 

[KennethT]

You're right - I love head on shrimp, but then again I love eating just the shrimp heads.  If you're going to eat the whole head, the best thing to do, imo, is to deep fry them.  If you deep fry the whole shrimp shell on, you can eat the shells also. Just make sure they're really dry or they tend to splatter a lot.  First take a scissor and cut the shrimp head just after the eyes - you want to cut off the pointy thing on top that can be super sharp.  If frying the whole thing, I tend to cut down the back and then slice about 3/4 of the way through the meat so it cooks evenly.  When frying shrimp, I don't really measure the oil temp but it's probably around 375F or so - definitely not hotter than that.  Also, if you fry the shrimp heads, I like to save the oil - it becomes orange and has a nice shrimpy flavor - it saves in the fridge for a long time as long as you strain it first and is a great thing to add to fried noodles - I learned that from a famous pad thai place in BKK that makes it with shrimp head oil.

 

You can also cook the whole shrimp in a broth or sauce of some kind - the heads will flavor the sauce and then you can suck the heads like a crawfish.  It's not as sweet as a crawfish head and it's really earthy/shrimpy - my wife isn't a huge fan but I like it.

[Okanagancook]

As I recall my shrimp were only two days at the most out of the sea AND they were live.  From what I have read there are enzymes in the head that quickly spoil the shrimp meat/head.  So if you get dead head on shrimp they need to be very fresh.  Perhaps others can add their thoughts.

 

I heated some chicken stock with lemon juice to just under boiling, put a Thermapen in the largest shrimp in the batch I was cooking and just waited for the temp to get to 120F and then served.  I did not cook many shrimp at once and stirred the liquid as they cooked…it didn’t take very long.

 

hope that helps.

[blue_dolphin]

5 minutes ago, Okanagancook said:

So if you get dead head on shrimp they need to be very fresh.  Perhaps others can add their thoughts.

I appreciate the input. These will probably be a good 24 hrs out of the water by the time I pick them up so maybe no good. They say to eat within 3 days from the harvest date so I was hoping there was a window there. I assume they’ll be dead as everything is buried in ice for pick up.  

[heidih]

I'll second what @KennethT said. There was a local Chinese takeout spot that usually had the fried ones as an option. Really enjoyd crunching the whole shrimp- most eaten on the drive home. Otherwise low simmer in flavorful liquid or stir--fried as he noted.  I've purchased live Santa Barbara spot prawns at Morro Bay fish market (out of tank). I just let them have a short swim in flavorful stock. Again as Kenneth noted - similar to crawdads but more delicate flesh.   As with shrimp generally - don't overcook. 

 

ETA: the frozen blocks from what I no longer buy (sustaonabiity/labor issues) I think are frozen on board. I'd as the supplier for more info. 

Edited June 10, 2023 by heidih (log)

[Okanagancook]

I think I have read that 3 days for head on shrimp is the limit for freshness.

[AlaMoi]

head on / off - all the usual cooking methods apply -

 

however comma, I would not spend buckets of money on "fresh" shrimp that due to min. quantity you will have to freeze.

been there, done that - froze shrimp is a serious step down from fresh-never-frozen.

[liuzhou]

I too love head on shrimp and prawns and agree with @KennethTthat deep frying is best.

 

I buy them live and purged so they go straight into a hot wok of oil (they are killed instantly) and cook in seconds. I then drain and dress them with mix of salt and toasted then ground Sichuan peppercorns.

 

Smaller examples can be eaten shell on, but no matter what size they are biting into the head is orgasmic.

 

[weinoo]

 

I like the plancha - that way you can suck the juice out of the head before you get to the delectable body.

[KennethT]

1 hour ago, liuzhou said:

I too love head on shrimp and prawns and agree with @KennethTthat deep frying is best.

 

I buy them live and purged so they go straight into a hot wok of oil (they are killed instantly) and cook in seconds. I then drain and dress them with mix of salt and toasted then ground Sichuan peppercorns.

 

Smaller examples can be eaten shell on, but no matter what size they are biting into the head is orgasmic.

 

I would kill for some live prawns...  it's probably a common sight in your neck of the woods, but I have fond memories of a restaurant in Singapore that had maybe 30 different tanks of live seafood and the "fisherman" would go out with a net when an order came in - the prawns would literally jump out of the tank!

[dcarch]

When I make head on shrimps I also take out the digestive tracks, like Winoo's picture.

 

dcarch

[liuzhou]

14 hours ago, KennethT said:

I would kill for some live prawns...  it's probably a common sight in your neck of the woods, but I have fond memories of a restaurant in Singapore that had maybe 30 different tanks of live seafood and the "fisherman" would go out with a net when an order came in - the prawns would literally jump out of the tank!

 

There are indeed many such places here, too. Fresh (as in live) fish and seafood is de rigueur in many parts of Asia.

 

This one is on the street where I live. The customer goes up to the tanks and points out exactly which specimen of whatever it is they want. Then a member of staff fishes it out.

 

 

Edited June 11, 2023 by liuzhou (log)

[JoNorvelleWalker]

I used to have a head on shrimp as a pet, so I don't eat them.

 

[Bernie]

Prawns (that is what they are called in Australia 🙂) are generally sold as cooked raw fresh or chilled.

The last one (chilled is frozen then thawed and kept cold) are, I think,  the supermarket chains doing in order to make them look fresh. It also applies to fin fish).

So whats that got to do with the topic at hand?

Well the deep frying of the shells of prawns makes them palatable to me, though I probably would balk at the shells just cooked in a sauce, as they usually remain flexible and chewy, a texture I don't really like.

 

Most prawns wild caught commercially here are captured in the tropical and subtropical regions and are processed (cooked or blast frozen) on board ship.

In order to avoid oxidation, they are cooked or "washed" in a solution containing sodium meta bisulphate and if done poorly in cooked prawns leaves a residual somewhat unpleasant taste.

The blackening of the prawns is simply the oxidation of the blood and fluids within the prawn. These fluids are concentrated in the head end and may also be present in the "vein" down the back of the prawn.

Initially at least there does not appear to be any change to the smell or taste but for my part I discard the black bits by deheading and deveining the prawns before cooking and or consuming.

 

Prawns farmed commercially are "usually" processed in a similar way although harvesting and processing can be scheduled for cooler times. I find the farm prawns here almost OK but many are farmed in some overseas countries where labor is cheap and standards are generally lower. The tasted of farmed prawns is different to wild caught, probably because of the feed.

 

So what does it all mean? 

 

If the prawns are fresh and treated correctly by placing in a ice brine slurry immediately when caught then very little oxidation occurs and as long as they are kept close to freezing they may last weeks or more.   BUT even one warming up is enough to start to turn them black and it will continue from then on. Even subsequent freezing will only slow the process not stop it.

Whether the brine contains sodium meta bisulphate is never actually suggested but a chemist would be able to tell us if it would be effective.

If they are snap frozen (in a blast freezer) I would expect very little oxidation to occur.

 

So, in making your decision about buying prawns in your fish share you really need to know exactly how they are treated. If they are kept on ice for a week then their shelf life is markedly reduced.

If you can be certain that they are only hours or a day old and kept cold the whole time then they should be fine. I assume the processors will have to comply with state or federal regulations on food safety and the use of chemicals so that information should be available.

Because of the quantities you suggest it may well be worth considering fresh frozen (in small quantities), but some of those offerings from overseas are pretty dismal.

Perhaps contact the source farm directly to find out the full range they offer and they may well have all the information on their products.

 

[blue_dolphin]

I decided to order 1 lb of these shrimps as an add-on item to my fish share and I changed my usual fresh catch of the day share to frozen halibut so I don't need to worry about eating a ton in 2 days! 

I figure it's worth a try. I'll get them on Thursday and will report back.  

 

2 hours ago, Bernie said:

The tasted of farmed prawns is different to wild caught, probably because of the feed.

Yes, this is something I'm curious about.  I guess I'll find out!

 

2 hours ago, Bernie said:

Perhaps contact the source farm directly to find out the full range they offer and they may well have all the information on their products.

At this time, the company only offers fresh, chilled shrimp/prawns.  Their tanks are all indoors in the Los Angeles area and they harvest to order.  The harvest date and time are printed on the package labels so I'll be able to see how old they are.  They say they are chemical, preservative and antibiotic-free.  

 

2 hours ago, Bernie said:

So, in making your decision about buying prawns in your fish share you really need to know exactly how they are treated.

They offer tours of their operation now and again so maybe I'll drive down sometime, check it out and get answers to all those questions!

 

 

[liuzhou]

5 hours ago, Bernie said:

Prawns (that is what they are called in Australia 🙂)

 

Contrary to popular opinion, 'prawns' or 'shrimp' is not merely a dialect differentiation Yes, in general, the Americas prefer 'shrimp' whereas Australia prefers 'prawns'.  The UK uses both, differentiating by size, the smaller ones being 'shrimp' and the larger 'prawns'. However, while it is generally true that shrimp are smaller, it isn't necessarily a size issue either.

 

There are taxonomic differences between the two. This Spruce Eats article explains. As does this from USA Today.

 

Image © the Spruce - Fair Use

 

An example of the confusion is that the famous Santa Barbara spot prawn is actually a shrimp!

 

Edited June 12, 2023 by liuzhou (log)

[SusieQ]

5 hours ago, Bernie said:

Most prawns wild caught commercially here are captured in the tropical and subtropical regions and are processed (cooked or blast frozen) on board ship.

In order to avoid oxidation, they are cooked or "washed" in a solution containing sodium meta bisulphate and if done poorly in cooked prawns leaves a residual somewhat unpleasant taste.

The blackening of the prawns is simply the oxidation of the blood and fluids within the prawn. These fluids are concentrated in the head end and may also be present in the "vein" down the back of the prawn.

 

The only shrimp I ever buy anymore and then only very occasionally when on sale are shrimp labeled "raw wild Patagonian shrimp" shell-on headless deveined with "Sodium Metabisulfite (as A Preservative)." They taste pretty good. However, the last couple of times there were black segments in some of them and I asked about this. The fish person told me it was harmless. But I still cut it off. 

[blue_dolphin]

1 hour ago, liuzhou said:

 

Contrary to popular opinion, 'prawns' or 'shrimp' is not merely a dialect differentiation Yes, in general, the Americas prefer 'shrimp' whereas Australia prefers 'prawns'.  The UK uses both, differentiating by size, the smaller ones being 'shrimp' and the larger 'prawns'. However, while it is generally true that shrimp are smaller, it isn't necessarily a size issue either.

 

There are taxonomic differences between the two. This Spruce Eats article explains. As does this from USA Today.

 

Image © the Spruce - Fair Use

 

An example of the confusion is that the famous Santa Barbara spot prawn is actually a shrimp!

 

Thanks! The business I’ve mentioned grows Litopenaeus vannamei in suborder Dendrobranchiata aka Pacific white-leg shrimp, "White Shrimp" or "King Prawns" on the prawn side of the illustration you shared.

Edited June 12, 2023 by blue_dolphin (log)

[AAQuesada]

Here is a video about the operation that is a couple years old but gives a good idea of what they are doing. Def a cut of above what you normally get out here!

 

 

[Bernie]

22 hours ago, blue_dolphin said:

At this time, the company only offers fresh, chilled shrimp/prawns.  Their tanks are all indoors in the Los Angeles area and they harvest to order.  The harvest date and time are printed on the package labels so I'll be able to see how old they are.  They say they are chemical, preservative and antibiotic-free.  

That is probably an ideal way to buy prawns.  To make a good lasting business they will be doing it right. You might ask them what their opinion is on freezing, whether raw or cooked. Wonder what they feed them on?

In Australia, they also farm prawns but its outdoors usually. They farm Barramundi as well and most top chefs prefer wild caught. I actually have never asked about prawns. I am fortunate that we have a trawler that trawls at night (like most do here) and sells off the boat in the morning and messages all the regulars with catch and landing times and its a scramble to get to the wharf before they sell out.

[AAQuesada]

2 hours ago, Bernie said:

Wonder what they feed them on?

 

According to their website:

 

"Our feed is shelf-stable and made of a mix of fish meal, fish oil, algae meal, squid meal, and a plant-based binder.

We source our feed in the USA from ZIelger."

[blue_dolphin]

Here's one of my little critters:

 

So far, I have not done well with cooking them  Or maybe I should say that I did them too well!  I tried grilling them (Philips Avance indoor grill) and deep frying and have overcooked the tail end both times though the head end has been good. 

 

Here they are grilled per the recipe for salt grilled shrimp in The Japanese Grill.  I cut down the back but not too deep for these.  The cook time recommendation was 1.5 min/side. I shortened that up to a little over 1 min but that was still too much for the tails.  I was a little surprised as the photo in the book shows very charred looking shrimp and mine were barely colored but still too cooked at the tail. Temp near the head was ~ 125°F, near the tail ~ 150°F.  I cooked these as soon as I got them so they were only off the ice for as long as it took me to trim their spears and slit the backs.

 

The second round was deep frying and I cut about 1/2-3/4 the way through the back of the shrimp in hopes of more even cooking.  Heads good (temp ~120°F)  tails over cooked (temp ~150°F).  These were fridge temp when I cooked them so maybe letting them warm up might make it easier to get a more even cook. 

 

I did peel and sauté one in butter as I would normally do and they were very nice.  

Next up is sous vide and an aguachile.  For the sous vide, I plan to take off the heads and reserve them for stock.  I'll also take the heads off for the aguachile but will deep fry them and serve them along with the marinated bodies. 

[heidih]

Hhmmm  None of the ones I've had were cleaned up so no slitting or cutting etc.  The deep fried ones - were all abbout the crunch with just a sweet hit from the flesh. I've just now remembered the ones that freaked me in Corsica as a 12 year old. Those eyes!. Simply boiled in a flavored broth. Usually small lobsters and mussels also involved. And lots of good bread for dunking.