Argentinian Red Shrimp

[JustJoel]

It seems that Argentine red shrimp are the new “it” in the seafood world. Some have compared their taste and texture to lobster. So I bought a pound, frozen, shell-on.

Now, I’ll never regret buying shrimp, and this frozen stuff was a pretty good price, although a bit more expensive than shrimp from, say, Ecuador or Peru. And ultimately, I’ll just have to try it to find out if that’s true. Maybe I’ll use a half dozen and make a shrimp cocktail; that’s the true test of a shrimp’s flavor, right?

For the remaining shrimp, though, I’d like to have a really stellar dish (for one) that puts all the spotlights on the shrimp, if it really lives up to its rep. I was thinking that sometimes less is more, so a simple garlicky scampi might be good. I also once made camarones barrachos with tequila, lime, red pepper flakes, a bit of butter and not much else. Oh, cilantro for garnish. Stuffed shrimp might be an option, too, although a traditional crab stuffing seems to be, if all the hype about the shrimp is true, gilding the lilly. And then I think maybe Caribbean would be the way to go, with it’s fresh, citrus flavors, and maybe even a touch of coconut. Hmmm…

Have any of you tried Argentinian red shrimp? Is it indeed as buttery and tender as lobster? And what dish would you choose to put the spotlight on it?

 

[Kayelle]

Joel, I saw you mentioned that you own a SousVide. That is certainly the route I would take for this experiment with these special shrimp, and then serve them simply dressed as you wish.
You can't go wrong with these instructions..
https://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2017/01/sous-vide-poached-shrimp.html

 

[JustJoel]

Joel, I saw you mentioned that you own a SousVide. That is certainly the route I would take for this experiment with these special shrimp, and then serve them simply dressed as you wish.
You can't go wrong with these instructions..
https://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2017/01/sous-vide-poached-shrimp.html

Not a bad idea! I have had mixed results with shrimp cooked sous vide. Something goes wonky with the texture. Maybe I had the temperature wrong.

 

[Kayelle]

Not a bad idea! I have had mixed results with shrimp cooked sous vide. Something goes wonky with the texture. Maybe I had the temperature wrong.

Here's more reading on the subject Joel. Baking soda is the answer.
https://www.seriouseats.com/2017/01/the-food-labs-complete-guide-to-sous-vide-shrimp.html

 

[Cooking Goddess]

I use that shrimp brining technique every time now, Kayelle, since you brought it to our attention.

JJ, they have been selling that variety of shrimp up here for a couple of years now. I really don't find it to be all that different from a standard shrimp - except for the fact that the ones available to me seem to be cleaned not quite as thoroughly as others I have bought. So, basically, I buy what is on sale. I've found the wild caught FL shrimp to be the nicest to use, though - a brand called "Key West", I think.

 

[CraigC]

I've been buying Royal Reds for years. They aren't just from Argentina. They are a deep water species which are also harvested from the Gulf. They are as close to Caribbean lobster in taste as any shrimp I've ever tasted. We always have a 2 pound bag in one of the freezers. In this heat, I'd just steam them (following the directions on the side of an Old Bay tin) and serve as cocktail shrimp or make ceviche.

 

[caseydog]

Red shrimp are available from the Gulf, East of the Mississippi river. Gulf shrimp West of the Mississippi are brown. It is all about the river water and Gulf currents.

I love my sous vide cooking, but have not used it for shrimp. My favorite way to cook shrimp is on the grill. I do all of my buttering and seasoning first, and cook them very quickly over the hot coals.

The number one rule to cooking shrimp is to not overcook them. They cook really fast. I'm talking something like two minutes, one minute per side, on a really hot grill.

CD

 

[Kayelle]

I use that shrimp brining technique every time now, Kayelle, since you brought it to our attention.

Glad to hear that CG. The 1/2 tsp. baking soda addition with 1lb. of shrimp is one of the best hints out there for anyone who loves shrimp like we do.


Kenji, the guru to many says..

Want Plumper, Snappier Shrimp? Use Baking Soda

What I really want in shrimp is the opposite of mushy. I want them tender and plump, to be sure, but I also want them to have a snappy, springy bite to them. The real secret here is baking soda. It's a trick I picked up from Chinese recipes in which shrimp are sometimes tossed with an alkaline marinade before frying. I'm not sure of the mechanism involved and have not been able to find any resources that could explain it, but I do know that it works. Just toss the shrimp with a little baking soda (about a half teaspoon per pound) 30 minutes or so before cooking sous vide and they come out noticeably plumper and firmer after cooking.

 

[salt and pepper]

JJ, just wondering what the cost was?

 

[rodentraiser]

Our stores here are advertising Argentinian wild caught pink shrimp. I'm not sure if that's the same thing.

I bought a pound once and the only drawback I saw was that I really wasn't sure when they were done, already being pink like they had been cooked. I worry a lot about the hazards of eating undercooked shellfish, so I really like to know when mine are done.

 

[CraigC]

JJ, just wondering what the cost was?

We buy ours at the local Penn Dutch. They are regularly $8.99 lb and often on sale for $7.99 lb. They are offering live Maine lobster this week for $6.99 each, average about 1 lb.

 

[JustJoel]

Stupid question:
If I want to cook some frozen shrimp for the purpose of shrimp cocktail, do I need to thaw the shrimp before I cook them? Can I just throw the frozen shrimp into boiling water?

I stuck this here because it seemed really wasteful to start a whole thread just to ask a question that can most likely be answered with “yes” or “no.”

 

[buckytom]

Red shrimp are available from the Gulf, East of the Mississippi river. Gulf shrimp West of the Mississippi are brown. It is all about the river water and Gulf currents.

CD

Did you ever ride out a hurricane on your shrimp boat with Lieutenant Dan?

 

[GotGarlic]

Stupid question:
If I want to cook some frozen shrimp for the purpose of shrimp cocktail, do I need to thaw the shrimp before I cook them? Can I just throw the frozen shrimp into boiling water?

I stuck this here because it seemed really wasteful to start a whole thread just to ask a question that can most likely be answered with “yes” or “no.”

You asked two questions [emoji38] Yes and no.

And don't boil them - poach them with lemon, bay leaf, salt and peppercorns.

Also, there's no such thing as "wasting" a thread on a simple question. It's not like there's a limit

 

[JustJoel]

You asked two questions [emoji38] Yes and no.

And don't boil them - poach them with lemon, bay leaf, salt and peppercorns.

Also, there's no such thing as "wasting" a thread on a simple question. It's not like there's a limit

No, I don’t boil them, of course. I generally bring the poaching liquid to a boil, throw in the shrimp, cover and remove from the heat and let them cook for about 5 minutes, although I’m thinking if the shrimp are frozen, an extra minute or two might be called for.

 

[GotGarlic]

No, I don’t boil them, of course. I generally bring the poaching liquid to a boil, throw in the shrimp, cover and remove from the heat and let them cook for about 5 minutes, although I’m thinking if the shrimp are frozen, an extra minute or two might be called for.

I'd thaw them first. It doesn't take long. Frozen shrimp will bring the temperature way down and they may not cook through.

 

[CraigC]

I devein them, leaving the shell intact, and then steam them for cocktail or salads.

 

[Andy M.]

Put the frozen shrimp into a bowl and fill it with hot tap water. In 5-10 minutes you’ll have a bowl full of cool water and thawed shrimp.

No, it’s not a food safety issue. We’re talking 5-10 minutes, not 2 hours.

 

[Rascal]

Never heard of Argentinian shrimp, most of ours come from Vietnam. Shrimp cocktail might be old fashioned but I love it.

Russ

 

[JustJoel]

Put the frozen shrimp into a bowl and fill it with hot tap water. In 5-10 minutes you’ll have a bowl full of cool water and thawed shrimp.

No, it’s not a food safety issue. We’re talking 5-10 minutes, not 2 hours.

I usually thaw the shrimp under cold running water. And yes, it only takes a few minutes, after which they go into the fridge til I’m ready to cook them. I just wondered if I could bypass this step, ‘cause I’m lazy!