Shrimp cocktail is a popular appetizer at most fine restaurants.
Shrimp is served often as an appetizer and added to pasta and salads to give dishes a healthy satisfying flavor. Shrimp is highly perishable and is best eaten immediately after purchase. If you are having doubts whether your shrimp is fresh or has gone bad, there are signs you can look for before purchasing and eating shrimp. Add this to my Recipe Box.
Basics of Purchasing Shrimp
When purchasing shrimp it is best to buy fresh shrimp and purchase it the day you plan on serving it. Shrimp must be eaten within 24 hours of purchase, as it spoils if it is not served immediately. If you do not live on either coast where you can buy fresh shrimp, you should purchase it frozen. Most shrimp sold in grocery stores is frozen shrimp that has been thawed. Frozen shrimp will keep for a couple of days in the grocery store.
Smell of Shrimp
To identify when a shrimp has gone bad you will first notice an odor. Shrimp should smell like saltwater and that should be the only distinguishable odor you pick up from the shrimp. If you recognize the odor of ammonia around the shrimp this means the shrimp has gone bad and you want to pass it by. The odor of ammonia rises when shrimp is spoiling.
Appearance of Shrimp
Look the shrimp over before purchasing. Fresh shrimp should be translucent in appearance. The shrimp should be perfectly white as if you could almost see through it. If you notice any black spots or rings on the shrimp (unless it is black tiger shrimp) do not purchase it, as discoloration on a shrimp is a sign that the meat is spoiling. Another sign of bad shrimp is pink meat, which you should avoid.
Peeled and Deveined
If you purchase frozen shrimp you do not want to purchase peeled and deveined shrimp, This causes the shrimp to lose its flavor and texture and opens up the meat to spoiling. While this does not mean the shrimp has gone bad yet, it will not stay as fresh as if it was not peeled and deveined.
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