Last Updated on November 21, 2023
Shrimp!
Again and again, that is the product request we get from ButcherBox members.
And so, we are incredibly excited to announce that we will soon be offering wild-caught raw shrimp to be delivered directly to your door via ButcherBox.
Our shrimp comes frozen and ready to cook. Caught in the Gulf of Mexico, our peeled shrimp are perfect for a weeknight shrimp scampi or, if you are feeling adventurous, some breaded and fried coconut shrimp. The shrimp are tender and mildly sweet and are high in protein and low in fat.
Whole30-approved, these gulf shrimp are slightly pink when raw, and come deveined, tail off, and cook up in about three minutes. You can also trace the origin of every package using the LegitFish traceability QR code on every package.
How to Prepare Wild-Caught Raw Shrimp
- Thaw: According to the FDA, the best way to thaw seafood is to do it gradually by placing it in the refrigerator overnight. To thaw seafood quickly, seal it in a plastic bag and immerse it in cold water.
- How to Cook: Heat a sauté pan with your favorite cooking oil on medium-high heat. Place shrimp in the pan and cook for 2 minutes on each side, until flesh is pearly or white, and opaque. For best results, do not overcook. As ButcherBox Head Chef Yankel Polak says, “Shrimp is one of my favorite things to cook, and it’s incredibly simple to prepare perfectly.”
More Shrimp Cooking Tips
Shrimp cooks fast, and it should typically be the last thing you add to a pan. Begin with your flavor (spices, acids, cooking oils) and other ingredients, then add the shrimp at the last moment. Cook for two to three minutes per side.
If you want to grill shrimp, soak some bamboo skewers in water for 30 minutes and skewer the shrimp. It makes them so much easier to manage with a spatula or pair of tongs.
Shrimp is also great poached. To poach, heat your poaching liquid to a boil, add the shrimp and immediately turn off the heat. All you need is four to six minutes in the hot water ifor a perfect shrimp cocktail. Have an ice bath ready to shock the cooked shrimp and keep them from over cooking.
For a shrimp pasta dish, try to get more shrimp flavor early in the cooking process by sautéing in a hot pan. Sear the shrimp for a minute on each side, remove the shrimp from the pan, and set them aside and continue to cook your pasta and accompanying ingredients. Add the shrimp back in at the very end to complete the cooking process.
Lastly, for deep-fried shrimp, bread thoroughly and add to a low smoke point cooking oil that is at 350°F. Give them 15 seconds or so for a crust to build before gently stirring them so that they cook evenly and don’t clump together. Remove to a paper towel to absorb excess oil and enjoy with your favorite dipping sauce.
Yankel Polak is the Head Chef at ButcherBox.
Dennis Keohane is the Editorial Director for ButcherBox.
