Do you grill shrimp with shell on or off ?

[912smoker]

Funny how it seems all Asian markets have "that smell". I have had my life-dose of shrimp...my wife loves the heck out of them. The way I can still enjoy them is cornstarch coated with some old bay and deep fried. Looking at that skewer, I might try something like that again, it's been a while and that looks good. I wait till Food Lion (Southeast mid-Atlantic) has their 16-20s on sale BOGO.

Funny, my wife and her son really hate when a restaurant leaves the tails on. Never really thought about it myself!

I have my wife do the peeling. If I have to stand over those shrimp and if they have a strong smell, I wont want anything to do with them come time to eat. Cant stand strong raw seafood smell, period. I got some good looking Argentine shrimp once, they are pink when raw/frozen. They were very strong, even my wife said "never again"!

Great looking surf and turf there

On sale this week for us in GA



Keith

 

[Smokin Okie]

F

I have my wife do the peeling. If I have to stand over those shrimp and if they have a strong smell, I wont want anything to do with them come time to eat. Cant stand strong raw seafood smell, period. I got some good looking Argentine shrimp once, they are pink when raw/frozen. They were very strong, even my wife said "never again"!

Great looking surf and turf there

So glad you brought this up. Mrs Okie is convinced the shrimp had an off flavor similar to the " fish market " smell. I did not notice.

We bought shrimp from the same Asian market two weeks ago that did not have the strong smell of these. Mrs Okie thinks yesterday's shrimp were bad. Looks like I'm gonna be chuckin over a pound of these cause she's said not again.

But these did have a very very strong " aroma " . And she did peel them, while I deveined, so she got a good dose of it.

I've read in another forum, to buy frozen shrimp at the market. Then thaw them myself in the fridge. Rather than purchase the thawed shrimp from the display case. That sounds like a good idea, to me.

And next time I do this, I'm gonna make a sauce. Almost all these recipes from the Weber books include a dipping sauce. I sorta craved that yesterday.

 

[mike243]

I peel shrimp no matter how I am going to cook them, sister inlaw sent some gumbo up the other night, great flavor but shells still on the shrimp, ruined it for me as I aint fingering my food to eat it

 

[DougE]

I peel shrimp no matter how I am going to cook them, sister inlaw sent some gumbo up the other night, great flavor but shells still on the shrimp, ruined it for me as I aint fingering my food to eat it

If nothing else, it keeps you from wolfing it down too fast lol.

 

[zwiller]

Shrimp a no go at an asian market for me. Very different food quality control. My goto lately is kroger. They have these snack to go things pretty cheap. Must use same day or next tho. I simply MUST share this since someone here turned me onto it. Insanely good shrimp rub. Divine grilled and served with a steak.

EDIT BAD LINK I found some at Kroger for like $3.
https://www.amazon.com/Chef-Paul-Bl...22866103&sprefix=redfish+magic,aps,159&sr=8-5

 

[Gonna Smoke]

I am fortunate and thankful that fresh local shrimp is readily available right off the boat and I stock up in the fall. When I was younger and before I wrecked my shoulders, I'd go catch my own. Our recreational shrimping season is only a month away. I miss being a part of it and still buy my license just to support it...

 

[Fueling Around]

I am fortunate and thankful that fresh local shrimp is readily available right off the boat and I stock up in the fall. When I was younger and before I wrecked my shoulders, I'd go catch my own. Our recreational shrimping season is only a month away. I miss being a part of it and still buy my license just to support it...

When I lived in Washington (state) the shrimping harvest was so restricted thanks to Judge Bolt that I never went out for it.

I miss the Florida panhandle when I could get them fresh off the boat.
Central Florida Costco has the best purchase of frozen.
Prefer frozen as that means fresh to frozen.

 

[Smokin Okie]

Shrimp a no go at an asian market for me. Very different food quality control. My goto lately is kroger. They have these snack to go things pretty cheap. Must use same day or next tho. I simply MUST share this since someone here turned me onto it. Insanely good shrimp rub. Divine grilled and served with a steak.

https://www.kroger.com/p/chef-paul-seafood-magic-seasoning-blends-/0004799712320

The Asian market near me is huge. Was once a Safeway in an upscale shopping center. But when ya walk in the door, the smell of the seafood section is strong.

But they've got the best selection of shrimp.

 

[gmc2003]

If they're for a seafood salad or pasta dish then it's shell off. Finger food shrimps I leave the tail shell on.

 

[chef k-dude]

On sale this week for us in GA

View attachment 701875

Keith

Thanks Keith! Also on sale here in Virginia. That changes the day and direction I'm heading out to today or tomorrow. Never had a problem with that shrimp and its easy peel, already de-veined. $6.50 a pound! Asian import, but oh well. I've bought seafood on the east coast that purported to be "straight off the boat"...that clearly wasn't...

I've read in another forum, to buy frozen shrimp at the market. Then thaw them myself in the fridge. Rather than purchase the thawed shrimp from the display case. That sounds like a good idea, to me.

And next time I do this, I'm gonna make a sauce. Almost all these recipes from the Weber books include a dipping sauce. I sorta craved that yesterday.

I get those frozen shrimp (above) and take them out of the freezer sometime late morning. The bag is a zip-lock. I fill the bag of frozen shrimp full of cold water and let them thaw on the counter or in the sink. By the time the wife is peeling they are just barely thawed. She gets them on a plate covered in plastic wrap and in the fridge quickly until I'm ready to cook.

I trust the grocery chains more than the Asian markets with stuff like seafood. Their tolerance for monetary loss is greater I think, where the Asian markets are more likely to sell stuff past its prime...in my opinion. Granted THEY wouldn't hesitate to eat it rather than waste it, but American grocery chains are more concerned about the loss of a lawsuit and bad reputation than throwing out some expired meat.

There IS an argument for buying some seafood thawed. Shrimp and snow crabs for instance are usually IQF and have a coating of ice on the them from the supplier. When you buy it frozen you are paying for that ice. If eating the same day, buying thawed is more economical. I have done experiments with snow crabs, buying frozen, thawing, the pre-cracking and pulling the meat. I found that even on a really good sale, the picked meat, after weighing, the net was the same price as lump crab meat in the container ready to go! I dont buy snow crab legs anymore! Great flavor but too much work and not really a bargain.

The shrimp definitely wants a sauce. Here is a good recipe I've done. Not grilling the shrimp, but I find it easier to get the shrimp just right. It can be hard to judge the doneness on the grill and I tend to overcook a bit to be on the safer side. Still good, but perfectly cooked shrimp makes a difference. I have it down with the deep fryer. Just 3 minutes with these 16-20s and by the time they have rested and been plated they are perfect.

I peel shrimp no matter how I am going to cook them, sister inlaw sent some gumbo up the other night, great flavor but shells still on the shrimp, ruined it for me as I aint fingering my food to eat it

Now that's just crazy, but then Cajuns do different stuff like that. It's possible they eat them shell and all, maybe even whole body. Some cultures eat the shrimp like that. I dont use shrimp in gumbo because for us, gumbo makes at least three meals for the two of us. Shrimp just gets tougher every time its reheated so I use boneless chicken thighs and andouille which are much more forgiving.

 

[zwiller]

Fixed that link from my previous post. I hate posting from mobile...

I have probably tried shrimp as many ways as Bubba but my fave is steamed peel and eat. I had some in VA Beach that were easily the best I ever had. Little kiss of Old Bay. Not joking plan to get back there and bribe for info.

 

[thirdeye]

On larger shrimp, I leave the shell on most of the time. Any marinade gets to the meat, the shells protect from overcooking, and peeling them at the table slows down the meal.

When I make deviled shrimp, I'm 50:50 on shell-on or peeled.

 

[civilsmoker]

I'm a shell off griller as I love the sear flavor, but you have to be johnny on the spot as to not over cook them.....ie blink to many times and they are tire rubber. Oh and no harm in putting a therm pen in to see what 145 looks and feels like.......

 

[Smokin Okie]

On larger shrimp, I leave the shell on most of the time. Any marinade gets to the meat, the shells protect from overcooking, and peeling them at the table slows down the meal.
View attachment 701927
View attachment 701928
When I make deviled shrimp, I'm 50:50 on shell-on or peeled.
View attachment 701929

Delicious looking shrimp.

 

[Smokin Okie]

Very timely, Kosmos does surf and turf.

He grills the ribeye direct. I do reverse sear. I like the overall sear rather than grill marks. And Mrs Okie and I also share one steak, that's why I like something with it, like shrimp.

His sauce looks delicious, will have to try that. Have yet to get anything from Kosmos that was not good.

 

[hoity toit]

Only big gulf of Mexico shrimp for me.. JUMBO or Colossal size grilled shell off, tails on and bacon wrapped.

HT

 

[thirdeye]

I grew up in Corpus Christi and in those days my Grandmother would buy shrimp and oysters right off the boats. The best deal was buying jumbo "bait shrimp" which coincidently, has been sorted in size and packed in shaved ice with the heads removed unless you were making a gumbo or something.

 

[Smokin Okie]

I bought frozen shrimp at the Asian store yesterday, and that bad aroma that knocked me over when I went in the front door last Saturday, is not there. IDK what to think about that.

I also found out I can buy frozen D 15's, but I have to buy a 4 pound box. I think I'm gonna do that.