July 10, 2009, Newsletter Issue #123: Shrimp Cooking Tips

Tip of the Week

Shrimp is a versatile seafood that can be grilled, steamed, baked, poached, boiled, and fried. Here are some other facts to know when cooking shrimp:


In general, a serving portion size is considered 1/3 to ½ pound of shrimp per person. Add some green tea to your poaching or boiling liquid for a delightful taste.


No matter how you cook it, shrimp is an excellent source of protein. It also is a low carbohydrate, low fat, and low calorie food. It is a source of Omega-3 fatty acids, also. Shrimp also contains high levels of vitamin B12, zinc, iodine, phosphorous, potassium, selenium and iron and have smaller quantities of calcium, magnesium and sodium. Many of these vitamins are essential for healthy skin, bones and teeth.

Shrimp can be green, pink, brown, blue, white or yellow in color before cooking, and turn pink with white meat after cooking. The most popular types are: brown, pink, and white. Most of them are caught from the Atlantic Ocean.

Cold water shrimp are preferred for cooking since the meat is noted for being more succulent and of better quality than warm water shrimp. (Atlantic shrimp – as sold in Red Lobster – is cold water shrimp).

Shrimp are normally graded by size and count, meaning the average number of shrimp to make a pound weight. The higher the number, the smaller the shrimp.

Not a shrimp cooking tip, but a buying tip (and general information shrimp tip):

Shrimp per pound:

10 shrimp or less = Colossal

11 to 15 = Jumbo

16 to 20 = Extra-large

21 to 30 = Large

31 to 35 = Medium

36 to 45 = Small

about 100 = Miniature

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