Hey there, fellow food lovers! I’m Jackie from TheCookingBooks, and today we’re gonna tackle a question that keeps popping up in our kitchen – can you fry precooked shrimp? The short answer is: Heck yeah, you can! And I’m gonna show you exactly how to do it right.
Why Would You Want to Fry Precooked Shrimp?
Look, I get it – frying something that’s already cooked might sound kinda weird. But trust me, there’s some solid reasons why you’d wanna do this:
- Adds an awesome crispy texture
- Takes way less time than cooking raw shrimp
- Perfect for quick weeknight dinners
- Makes leftover shrimp taste amazing
- Lets you add new flavors to plain shrimp
What You’ll Need
Before we dive in, let’s grab our stuff:
- Precooked shrimp (thawed if frozen)
- High-heat cooking oil (vegetable, canola, or peanut oil work great)
- Your favorite seasonings
- Paper towels
- Large skillet or frying pan
Step-by-Step Guide to Frying Precooked Shrimp
1. Prep Your Shrimp
- Pat those little guys completely dry with paper towels (super important!)- Season them up with whatever makes you happy- Remove tails if you want (I usually leave 'em on for presentation)2. Get Your Oil Ready
- Pour enough oil to cover the bottom of your pan
- Heat it up to about 350°F (175°C)
- Pro tip: Drop a tiny piece of breadcrumb in – if it sizzles, you’re good to go!
3. Frying Time!
- Place shrimp in the hot oil (don’t crowd the pan!)
- Fry for 2-3 minutes per side
- Look for that gorgeous golden-brown color
- Remove and drain on paper towels
Common Mistakes to Avoid
We all mess up sometimes, but here’s how to dodge the biggest oopsies:
- Don’t overcook! These babies are already cooked, remember?
- Never skip drying them first (unless you want hot oil splashing everywhere)
- Don’t crowd the pan (gives you soggy shrimp – yuck!)
- Watch your oil temp (too hot = burnt shrimp, too cold = greasy shrimp)
Serving Ideas
Now that you’ve got these crispy beauties ready, here’s what you can do with them:
- Throw them in tacos with some slaw
- Make an epic po’ boy sandwich
- Top your favorite pasta
- Serve with cocktail sauce as an appetizer
- Add to stir-fry at the last minute
FAQ Time!
Q: Can I use frozen precooked shrimp?
A: Yep! Just thaw them completely first.
Q What’s the best oil to use?A Any high-heat oil works – vegetable canola or peanut oil are my go-tos.
Q: How do I know when they’re done?
A: Look for that golden-brown color and a crispy exterior – about 2-3 minutes per side.
Final Thoughts
Listen up, frying precooked shrimp isn’t just possible – it’s actually pretty awesome when done right. It’s all about that quick cook time and getting that perfect crispy exterior while keeping the inside juicy.
Remember, cooking should be fun, so don’t stress too much about making it perfect. Play around with different seasonings and coatings until you find your favorite way to do it.
Now get in that kitchen and start frying! And hey, if you come up with some cool variations, drop me a comment below – I’d love to hear how it turned out for you!
Happy cooking!
Did you find this helpful? Share your fried shrimp creations with us on social media using #TheCookingBooks!
Why Use Cooked Shrimp?
Though using raw shrimp is more traditional, frying cooked shrimp has quite a few advantages. For a start, its simpler, with much less preparation time: Theres no fiddly peeling or deveining of the seafood involved, for example. You also dont have to be worried about heating the shrimp to the right internal temperature to ensure food safety. This can definitely take the stress out of frying, as essentially you know the shrimp are good to eat as soon as they look ready.
When youre frying cooked shrimp, you do obviously have to take care as the shrimp can become rubbery and tough quicker. But this is where the crispy coating is a lifesaver — fried shrimp batter helps to retain moisture inside the shrimp, so toughness should not be a problem. This is particularly the case if you cook it at a high temperature, which means the batter will crisp up quickly.
Frying Cooked Shrimp: The Basics
The three most common ways of coating and frying cooked shrimp are buttermilk fried shrimp, breaded shrimp and battered/tempura shrimp. With all these you need to start with shrimp that are fully thawed and patted as dry as possible.
To make buttermilk fried shrimp, dip each shrimp in buttermilk, roll in seasoned flour until well coated, shake off any excess flour and then fry. Traditional southern fried shrimp recipes swap some or all of the flour for cornmeal.
To make breaded shrimp, roll the shrimp first in beaten egg, then in breadcrumbs, before frying. For a drier, crisper result, use Japanese-style Panko breadcrumbs.
For tempura-style shrimp, Americas Test Kitchen from KCET TV station says simply whisking this list of ingredients together gives the very best result (these quantities make four servings of fried shrimp batter):
- 1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1/2 a cup cornstarch
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup vodka
- 1 cup seltzer water
- Kosher salt to taste