Cooking shrimp...

[uniqueenigma]

I know that shrimp is a crustacean, so it's a form of seafood. Sometimes when I eat it, it tastes "fishy". However, I've also had it when I loved the taste of it; it didn't taste fishy to me at all, it tasted similar to chicken as strange as this may sound.


How do I cook shrimp so that I don't end up with a fishy taste? I want to incorporate it into my diet, but if it doesn't have a taste that I like, I'm not going to eat it. What is the cause of shrimp tasting fishy? I am assuming it's because it's undercooked? If so, how do I prevent this? I know that for the most part, seafood cooks very quickly in comparison to meat (chicken, pork, red meat). What's the approximate cooking time for shrimp so that it's not undercooked, but not overcooked?

[Jeekinz]

If shrimp tastes or smells fishy, it's going bad. Buy your shimp at a different market. Smell them first, they should not smell fishy.

Shrimp, like some other crustaceans, have a built in thermometer. Cook them until the shell turns pink. If they are shelled, cook them until the meat turns opaque.

In a pan, shrimp only take about 1-2 minutes per side.

You can butterfly them and stuff them, boil them, grill/BBQ them, fry, sautee. You get the picture. The key is to start with fresh shrimp.

Oh, and it should not taste like chicken either.

[attie]

Originally Posted by uniqueenigma

What is the cause of shrimp tasting fishy? I am assuming it's because it's undercooked? If so, how do I prevent this?

Hello uniqueenigma, may I assume that you are talking about boiled shrimp? To me shrimp has it's own distinct flavour so I can't give you a reason why they should taste fishy, this is how I cook them.
Bring the salted water to the boil, use sea water if you are close by the sea, so that's what it should taste like. Add a little sugar, say a table spoon per gallon roughly. Add the shrimp and just before it comes back to the boil you will notice some will float, when they all float it's time to pull them out, don't let the water boil for more than a minute.
Put them immediately in to iced salted water, this will keep them moist. I find that if you let them cool on the bench they can be a bit dry at times and hard to peel.
I have not eaten steamed shrimp but I would imagine the flavour would be more intense and more to my personal liking.
I hope this helps you

[attie]

Originally Posted by Jeekinz

If shrimp tastes or smells fishy, it's going bad

That is more than likely the reason Jeekinz

[quicksilver]

Jeekinz said it best.

[Jeekinz]

Originally Posted by attie

Hello uniqueenigma, may I assume that you are talking about boiled shrimp? To me shrimp has it's own distinct flavour so I can't give you a reason why they should taste fishy, this is how I cook them.
Bring the salted water to the boil, use sea water if you are close by the sea, so that's what it should taste like. Add a little sugar, say a table spoon per gallon roughly. Add the shrimp and just before it comes back to the boil you will notice some will float, when they all float it's time to pull them out, don't let the water boil for more than a minute.
Put them immediately in to iced salted water, this will keep them moist. I find that if you let them cool on the bench they can be a bit dry at times and hard to peel.
I have not eaten steamed shrimp but I would imagine the flavour would be more intense and more to my personal liking.
I hope this helps you

Attie, where did you learn to cook shrimp like that?

I definately want to try your method, sounds great!

[MexicoKaren]

Shrimp should taste sweet, never fishy. Jeekinz and others are right. Your shrimp was not fresh. Before you buy it, ask to smell it. If it doesn't smell fresh - just like the ocean, don't buy it.

[attie]

Originally Posted by Jeekinz

Attie, where did you learn to cook shrimp like that?

I definately want to try your method, sounds great!

That is a pretty well a standard way for us to cook them Jeekinz, some people will add honey or curry powder to the water instead of the sugar but I haven't tried any of those. The sugar helps boost the sweetness of the shrimp so I guess you could add any flavour that would transfer from the water but they are a bit to expensive to experiment with.

[MexicoKaren]

I am lucky to live in an area where fresh shrimp are abundant. I'm going to buy some tomorrow and cook them as you suggest, Attie. Thanks!

[Robt]

I go visit my Mom in Fort Myers, Fl and I can't wait for the fresh shrimp! My Mother for some reason, hates the smell of "fish", so I was never to cook it in her house, I finely figured out by various things I saw and learned from in the NW that cooking shrimp almost isn't.

In that situation I boil some water in the house and of course spice it as I want. Then I carry the boiling pot outside onto the yard table and dump the shrimp in. Wait about ten minutes [it was said above, they are self timing],then eat.

Shrimp aare so simple, even I cannot fail, except by making it too complex [long].