Are my shrimp ok

[georgevan]

they have been in the freezer for over a year

 

[caseydog]

they have been in the freezer for over a year

Depends. I keep my frozen proteins in vacuum sealed bags, so I can easily keep shrimp for a year. The biggest problem you will face if just loose in a bag is freezer burn.

Also, if the shrimps have their shells on, they will last a lot longer than shelled shrimps. The shells protect them from freezer burn, up to a point.

CD

 

[pictonguy]

if your not OCD on waste, I would toss them.

 

[jennyema]

If they have been hard frozen, they are safe to eat but they might be unappetizing

 

[Aunt Bea]

I agree with @caseydog.

Raw shell on shrimp should be ok if you have a good freezer and they are in the original packaging. I would definitely cook them before I would toss them.

Shelled fully cooked shrimp may not fare so well but again, I would try to salvage them.

Good luck!

 

[blissful]

They're cold.

 

[Silversage]

If they are kept frozen, they won't actually spoil. But the quality will deteriorate. "Freezer Burn" doesn't make something unsafe, it dries out the flesh and messes up the texture. So while they won't harm you, the shrimp may seem dry and/or tough.

Vacuum packaging or other airtight method will prolong them in the freezer, but if they had much exposure to air in their package, they are more subject to freezer burn.

I probably wouldn't toss them, I'd just be selective in how I prepared them. They won't be as good as when you first bought them, so shrimp cocktail is out. But preparing them in a sauce or adding them to a soup or gumbo, or a saucy pasta dish or casserole would be just fine.

 

[georgevan]

They were as tough as leather so I threw them out.

 

[HeyItsSara]

i've heard something like 60% of the food we buy ends up getting thrown away. or maybe it's just produce.

 

[caseydog]

They were as tough as leather so I threw them out.

Umm, was that before or after cooking? Did they feel tough in your hands raw? Or, did you cook them and bite into one?

CD

 

[georgevan]

Tough before cooking

 

[blissful]

Tough before cooking

Well, that happens. Sorry to hear they were no good. This reminds me to go through the back of my refrigerator's freezer and check to see if anything is out of sight out of mind.

 

[HeyItsSara]

i have a frost free freezer. Stuff doesn't last as long in there as it did in a manual defrost. Can't beat the convenience though.

 

[caseydog]

Tough before cooking

Raw shrimp are naturally a bit tough. It takes a sharp knife to get a clean cut through them. But, if they are REALLY tough, I'm guessing freezer burn dried them out. That's why I repackage them in serving size vacuum seal bags when I buy them. As much as wild-caught Gulf shrimp cost, it's worth the cost in bags.

CD

 

[dragnlaw]

georgevan, you said they were tough as leather.... and then you mention they were raw. Golly gee whiz... I have visions of you chomping down and trying to chew them raw. Yup, I'd say they were probably tough too.

Funny thing about shrimp (and actually almost all stuff getting freezer burn). They 'burn' parts are sort of white and dry looking almost like paper. Shrimp are rather grey, but freezer burn turns the grey white. Even scallops, which are white, get a different colour of white and actually look dry and ... yup, papery looking.

Seems that many times lately my shrimp seems to have freezer burn along the back where they slice open the shell to remove the nasties. These bags of frozen shrimp are not out of date. Perhaps they are just not tossing them into the freezers fast enough on the boats? or are overloading their freezers faster than they should? Who knows.
Often it is not noticeable in the bags when you purchase them. I do try to purchase eco-friendly and check the dates but the "windows" on the bags sometimes just don't do the trick.

 

[jazzerlord]

they have been in the freezer for over a year

If the shrimp were in good condition before freezing and were properly packaged, it can significantly extend their shelf life. However, during prolonged storage, shrimp may lose their juiciness and become more rigid.

 

[caseydog]

Well, they are gone now. It is hard to tell these things over the internet. If Icould have seen those shrimp, smelled them, and felt them in my hands, I could have easily said "use them," or "toss them."

CD