FOOD NEWS
The Greatest Mistake You Make While Buying Shrimp At The Grocery Store
BY MATTHEW SPINA
For seafood lovers, there’s nothing worse than finding out that your shrimp have gone bad. Beyond proper storage, you can prevent this by purchasing shrimp wisely.
You may be making a common mistake: selecting your shrimp from the seafood case at the supermarket. It sounds off, but frozen shrimp are your best bet for a freshly-caught taste.
"Fresh" shrimp displayed over ice at the store were likely previously frozen and then defrosted, so they're actually less fresh than shrimp that have been kept frozen.
Shrimp should be cooked within 48 hours of defrosting, so ones from the seafood case may already be subpar when you buy them. Frozen shrimp have even more advantages as well.
Fishermen typically freeze shrimp right after catching them, preserving their quality. You can even buy shrimp labeled individually quick frozen (IQF), which thaw better.
You’ll want to avoid shrimp with freezer burn, black spots, or any that seem slimy and/or limp. With this crustacean, frozen usually means fresh.