How Do You Freeze Shrimp In A Ziploc Bag?
Last updated on October 26th, 2022 at 05:20 pm
Ziploc bags are great for preserving food. There is, however, a proper process for freezing shrimp so they can retain their quality over time.
This article will discuss the precise methods of freezing shrimp in Ziploc bags.
Before freezing shrimps in a Ziploc bag, leave it in simmering water for over ten minutes. After the shrimp get stiff and cold, take them out and transfer them to Ziploc bags. Then, put the bags in the freezer for lengthy preservation.
How to Freeze shrimp in Ziploc Bags?
Shrimp only lasts between 1 to 2 days in a refrigerator. So the best way to preserve them is by freezing them.
The steps below will guide you on how to do that.
#1. Cooked shrimp will preserve better if you remove the shells.
The first thing to do is take out the shells and extract the tail. If it will take time to remove the shells at once, keep some of them in the refrigerator.
You should also detach the shrimp’s head and remove the fat vein across its back.
#2. Leave the shrimp in boiling water for over ten minutes.
After cutting off the unnecessary parts, boil water in a pot, then pour the shrimp inside.
Allow it to cool for ten minutes so the cold can kill some of the bacteria. Boiling will also remove lingering shell fragments. After ten minutes, bring out the shrimp from the water.
#3. Line up the shrimp on baking paper and place them in the freezer.
Place the shrimp on a baking sheet and space them away from each other. Next, place the shrimp in the freezer till they get cold and hard.
This process will stop the shrimp from plodding together. It is best to preserve the shrimp individually.
#4. Transfer the shrimp into Ziploc bags.
Bring the frozen cooked shrimp out of the freezer and move them into Ziploc bags. Before zipping the bags, ensure you crush the bag to expel all the air inside.
Place the bags into the freezer and label them with dates. Shrimp generally remain preserved in freezers for over three months.
Things to note;
- Do not leave cooked shrimp in the open for over two hours.
- If it would take too much time to remove shells, keep some of the shrimp inside the fridge.
- Frozen-cooked shrimp can stay longer than three months in the freezer. Although, a lengthier stay might bring about freezer burn.
#5. How to Thaw Frozen Shrimp
Eventually, you’ll need to cook your shrimp. The next step is to remove the shrimp from the fridge and thaw it.
Frozen shrimp can thaw slowly overnight in the refrigerator.
This method is the best way to thaw frozen shrimp. However, there are other methods to use if you need the shrimp sooner.
Bring the Ziploc bag from the fridge and submerge it into a large bowl filled with cold water.
Next, find a plate or pan and place it over the bowl. This act will ensure that the bag remains immersed in water.
About forty-five minutes later, the shrimp will be ready for cooking.
Forty-five minutes is still quite a long time to wait. But, no worries, there’s still another method to hasten the process.
This time, you’ll remove the shrimp from the bag and dump them directly into the bowl of ice water. The frozen shrimp will thaw within 10 to 20 minutes.
The thawing duration usually depends on the shrimp’s size. So in 20 minutes at most, the shrimp will be ready for consumption.
But, first, you must use ice water. Warm water is notorious for altering the shrimp’s tender quality; that’s why you must use ice-cold water.
After the shrimp thaws out, lay them out on paper towels.
This act will absorb the remaining moisture from the shrimp. In addition, it will enable them to tan well without overcooking.
What Is The Best Way To Freeze Shrimp?
The most efficient way to freeze shrimp is to remove the head and freeze it in a container.
This method will maintain extended storage life and save its quality. Freezing shrimp will considerably extend its life, but only if done correctly.
If you execute preservation poorly, the shrimp might get freezer-burned and taste different.
The following steps will guide you on how to freeze raw shrimp.
- Use plain water to wash and dry the raw shrimp to prepare them for freezing.
- Cut the head of the shrimp, but the shell is left untouched.
- Turn the shrimp into a small or medium-size freezer bowl.
- Pour ice water into the container and add 2 to 4 spoons of salt. Do not fill up the container; leave an inch of space at the top.
- Put the container into the freezer.
Does Freezing Shrimp In Ziploc Bags Ruin It?
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has admitted that Ziploc bags are healthy for storage.
Therefore, freezing shrimp in Ziploc bags will not ruin your shrimp. It is safe to preserve shrimp in Ziploc bags so long as the freezer maintains a 0°F temperature.
Ziploc bags come from polyethylene, a very tough plastic.
Polyethylene doesn’t react to many things; it is resilient to oils, acids, and alcohol.
Ziploc bags are two times thicker than non-freezer bags. This extra thickness helps it foil tears and breaks; however, this attribute raises its cost.
Let’s take a look at some pros and cons of the Ziploc bags below.
| PROS | CONS |
|---|---|
| In contrast to containers, Ziploc bags consume less space in the refrigerator since they wrap around food. | Ziploc bags don’t assure complete airtightness. |
| The compound Bisphenol A (BPA) is absent from Ziploc bags. This compound is the one used for plastic production. | Ziploc bags can serve as environmental hazards since they are plastics. |
| The prices of Ziploc bags are reasonable, and they are easily accessible. | Ziploc bags emit greenhouse gasses when exposed to infrared radiation. |
How Long Can You Freeze Fresh Shrimp?
You can freeze fresh shrimp for about two months. In general, frozen shrimp last between two to twelve months. This interval depends on how the shrimp is frozen.
It would be best to freeze the shrimp correctly to retain its quality when thawed. However, freezing shrimp won’t eliminate all the bacteria in the shrimp, only some.
You can freeze shrimp raw or cooked. This way, you can even preserve it for over a year, and it will still retain its taste after unfreezing.
In addition, if you freeze shrimp in a Ziploc bag, it stops the shrimp from getting freezer burned.
Freezer burn happens when air reaches the shrimp inside the freezer. The shrimp has developed freezer burn if you discover some opaqueness or white stains.
Another symptom they might show is a dry and rigid appearance. Freezer burn, however, doesn’t mean the food isn’t palatable any longer.
You can still eat the shrimp, but it could have a noticeable variation in taste from regular shrimp.
So the best way to cook this kind of shrimp is to add them to other dishes. This way, their odd taste won’t be too obvious.
Furthermore, a thawed-out shrimp should not remain longer than two days in the refrigerator.
Only thaw frozen shrimp when you want to use it immediately, so it doesn’t get spoilt.
Conclusion
The best way to freeze shrimp is to have them inside a salt water-filled container and put them in a freezer. You can thaw frozen shrimp by keeping them in the fridge overnight.
After washing and chilling shrimp, turn them into Ziploc bags and put them into the freezer.
The FDA has cleared Ziploc bags meaning they are safe for storing shrimp.
