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Cooking Shrimp

Basilgirl

By Basilgirl
in Cooking

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Basilgirl

Basilgirl

Posted
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The Boyfriend and I picked up three pounds of heads-on shrimp at the beach on Saturday. We had a debate on whether to cook them with the heads or not. I said yes; he said no. My sister said yes, so that's what I did, except for the ones I fried. It did kind of gross me out to rip the heads off though. They were looking at me! Any thoughts about this issue?

By the way, these were probably the best shrimp I have ever had. I guess because they were so fresh.

I love cooking with wine. Sometimes I even put it in the food.

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Gifted Gourmet

Gifted Gourmet

Posted
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the use of the term "beheaded" in today's political climate makes me shudder slightly ... :sad:

heads on for cooking, I agree ... had the heads on in a Greek place in London and loved the results ... :biggrin:

Melissa Goodman aka "Gifted Gourmet"

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Basilgirl

Basilgirl

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  • Topic Starter
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the use of the term "beheaded" in today's political climate makes me shudder slightly ... :sad:

I apologize for that. :sad: Maybe it was subliminal. My bad.

I love cooking with wine. Sometimes I even put it in the food.

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Jason Perlow

Jason Perlow

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If you are going to bother to buy them with the heads on, by all means, cook them with the heads on.

Jason Perlow, Co-Founder eGullet Society for Culinary Arts & Letters

Foodies who Review South Florida (Facebook) | offthebroiler.com - Food Blog (archived) | View my food photos on Instagram

Twittter: @jperlow | Mastodon @jperlow@journa.host

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irodguy

irodguy

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If you are going to bother to buy them with the heads on, by all means, cook them with the heads on.

No question, but do remember it's not necessarily that you "bother" to purchase with heads on. The price for shrimp in Asian stores in 1/2 that of anywhere else, but you better not mind the heads.

Never trust a skinny chef

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fifi

fifi

Posted
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Boiling with heads on is certainly the traditional way to go.

However... I do have a case for heading them first. We do a yearly party for about 80 people and boiled shrimp are the "appetizer". Given the size of the crowd, we really can't afford the space in the pot to leave the heads on. (We have to do two boils as it is.) We also found that there is a neat technique you can use when heading them that "deveins" at the same time. The other advantage is that we put the heads in the crab traps so the kids can catch some crabs. (Plus we have some folks that would get really grossed out with the heads on.) We find that the heads off makes a little difference in flavor but not enough to override the other reasons.

We got into quite a discussion about ease-of-peeling-mysteries here. The research paid off as seen here. :laugh:

Linda LaRose aka "fifi"

"Having spent most of my life searching for truth in the excitement of science, I am now in search of the perfectly seared foie gras without any sweet glop." Linda LaRose

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saltedgreens

saltedgreens

Posted
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I like to use the heads seperately. They make wonderful bisque.

Another use...

Take the heads and color them in a large rondeau in clarified butter. Deglaze with a little white wine. Add water to cover and reduce to demi-sec. Add a lot of whole butter and simmer for a while. At this point one can strain and freeze (taking care to stir every so often to homogenize the mixture) or, even more flavorful, puree the mixture all together, strain and freeze.

Boiling the tails with the heads will add more flavor to the court bouillion and therefore give a more natural/intense flavor to the tails.

saltedgreens
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Susan G

Susan G

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Three weeks ago I went to a new sushi place and asked if they had amaebi (sweet shrimp). I had no idea what it was, but it sounded good, and I'd heard they were in season. Well, I was given a plate with two translucent shrimp - all well and good, though a little gelatinous - and then from the back of the kitchen came the *deep fried heads*. Yup, they were looking at me. I thought, "How am I going to fit the antenae into my mouth?" The sushi chef explained to me that it was the fried heads that made the dish a delicacy.........ain't that always the way?? :biggrin:

They were delicious!

I will always cook my shrimp whole from now on.

I'm a canning clean freak because there's no sorry large enough to cover the, "Oops! I gave you botulism" regrets.

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irodguy

irodguy

Posted
Posted
Three weeks ago I went to a new sushi place and asked if they had amaebi (sweet shrimp). I had no idea what it was, but it sounded good, and I'd heard they were in season. Well, I was given a plate with two translucent shrimp - all well and good, though a little gelatinous - and then from the back of the kitchen came the *deep fried heads*. Yup, they were looking at me. I thought, "How am I going to fit the antenae into my mouth?" The sushi chef explained to me that it was the fried heads that made the dish a delicacy.........ain't that always the way?? :biggrin:

They were delicious!

I will always cook my shrimp whole from now on.

Yep my sister and I made her husband toss it by eating sweet shrimp years ago. We kept telling him how good they were :laugh::laugh: He just would not believe us. Something to do with me making him eat Wasabi Tabiko with raw quail egg just before that. :raz:

Never trust a skinny chef

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eunny jang

eunny jang

Posted
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If the finished product will be saucy and messy to stick fingers into, peel and behead. If not, leave everything on.

I love amaebi.

And I love sucking the heads of any shrimp, deep-fried to a crunch or boiled or sauteed or grilled or...or....

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Susan G

Susan G

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Yep my sister and I made her husband toss it by eating sweet shrimp years ago. We kept telling him how good they were :laugh::laugh: He just would not believe us. Something to do with me making him eat Wasabi Tabiko with raw quail egg just before that. :raz:

You are cruel, cruel people! :shock::raz:

I'm a canning clean freak because there's no sorry large enough to cover the, "Oops! I gave you botulism" regrets.

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patti

patti

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When the shrimp guys come knocking at the door, they offer to dehead the shrimp for purchases of ten pounds or more. I reserve the heads for making shrimp stock for my seafood gumbo.

Dear Food: I hate myself for loving you.

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