Maybe you have seen the TV commercials that talk about “Wild American Shrimp.”  Believe it or not, that isn’t just marketing hype. There really is a difference. Wild shrimp get to swim around a lot more. They also eat seaweed and other things in the ocean that gives them a greater depth of flavor than, say, farm raised shrimp. If you have a choice and your budget can handle it, go with wild American shrimp. You will be able to create more delicious shrimp recipes with them.

When you buy shrimp there are a couple of things to keep in mind that will be helpful.

SMELL: There shouldn’t be any! If you smell anything but the ocean, forget it.

FRESH or FROZEN:  Nothing in the world wrong with frozen shrimp. As a matter of fact, frozen is the best shrimp to buy unless you live on the water where the fresh shrimp live. If you have your choice, pick frozen shrimp that hasn’t yet been peeled and de-veined. The shell will help protect the meat and keep the texture and flavor in tact.

WEIGHT:  A good rule of thumb is that a pound of shrimp that has not been peeled and de-veined will yield about a half pound of meat.

APPEARANCE: Raw shrimp should look translucent. There should not be a color to the flesh, unless it is a tiger shrimp. And they tend to have black markings that look like rings. That is ok for tiger shrimp, but not for any other raw shrimp. Pink OK? Nope. Not until the little beast is cooked.

COOKING: Boiled shrimp should be shocked in ice cold water the minute they come out of the boiling liquid, unless you plan to serve them immediately out of the boil. That will see that the meat stays firm longer.

FACTOID: 90+ per cent of all shrimp in the United States comes from the waters off of the Gulf Coast states, hence the name Gulf Coast Shrimp.

It is delicious and good for you. It is a very versatile ingredient, too. Fried shrimp, boiled shrimp, grilled shrimp,  — I’m starting to sound like Bubba in “Forest Gump” – regardless of your preference, shrimp is one of America’s favorite dishes.

I hope you enjoy these delicious shrimp recipes. If you have one you would like to share, let us know!