FYI: Tips on How to Buy Shrimp (So you can steer clear of gastly imported Chinese shellfish)

"The Ultimate Shrimp Book" by Bruce Weinstein ^

[yankeedame]

How to Buy Shrimp

Even people that hate fish seem to love "Gulf Shrimp". Here are some great tips on how to buy the best gulf shrimp. Just smell them! They should have little odor, just a hint of the sea, clean, and bright.

Steps:

1. Avoid gulf shrimp that has already been peeled and deveined - most shrimp is frozen and then thawed, and the gulf shrimp is less protected against the freezer without its shell.

2. Look for ***gulf shrimp*** with firm white meat and a full shell.

3. Do not buy gulf shrimp with black spots or rings - except if you're buying black tiger shrimp -as this indicates that the meat is starting to break down.

4. Avoid pink meat.

5. Make sure the shell is not yellow, as this indicates that it was bleached.

6. Avoid gulf shrimp that smells of anything other than salt water.

7. They should not smell like a bait shack. If they smell like ammonia or rotten eggs, it means the gulf shrimp are old.

8. "Gulf Shrimp" should not smell like chlorine, either. Washing shrimp in chlorine to kill bacteria is legal, but not acceptable.

9. Gulf Shrimp should not smell like gasoline. It means the harvesting trawler was leaking fuel into its belly.

10. "Gulf Shrimp" should not appear dusty yellow, especially around its neck. It's an indication of excessive sodium bisulfate, and that means the meat will be rough.

11. Be cautious of labels such as "jumbo," as there aren't any firm guidelines for applying such terms. For each "gulf shrimp" variety, the fishmonger should display the number of gulf shrimp that make up a pound; use this as a guideline instead. Larger shrimp are frequently more expensive, but that doesn't mean they taste better, although they will be easier to prepare, because you will have less of them.

8. Buy enough for 1/4 pound of shelled **Gulf Shrimp** for each person.

Three "shrimp" terms that may confuse you:

• GULF SHRIMP : This used to mean any shrimp caught wild off the Texas coast. It was once the sole source for the U.S. market. However, it has morphed into a feel-good moniker for any shrimp from a warm-water locale. Unless you live in Port Isabel, Texas, the label is just for pure marketing purposes.

• PRAWN : In most of North America, a prawn means any large shrimp (usually 15 or fewer per pound). However, in Great Britain, a prawn is any medium or large shrimp (35 or fewer per pound). And in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska, a prawn is a large freshwater shrimp. In the end, "prawn" is a term bandied about recklessly, according to Weinstein. No recipes in his book call for prawns.

• SCAMPI : It is a Venetian word for a small clawed lobster that is so rare now. In Italy, it is now reserved for a close cousin of the original; it now refers to a 9- or 10-inch Norway lobster. In the United States, scampi no longer refers to any particular crustacean at all, but rather to a preparation: baked or broiled in oil or butter with garlic.

[yankeedame]

I came across this while surfing the web for Gulf shrimpers who also FedEx. (sigh) It'll cost a pretty penny but from the horror stories I've been reading about imported Chinese "farmed" shrimp, I've decided our health is worth the extra $$$. I mean, it may be either this or MD/Rx bills.

Anyway, I thought I'd pass it along.

[Enterprise]

Ok then, here’s the question. Someone has to ask it. How many Chinese Restaurants in the U.S. are using food imported from China?

[Holicheese]

North Carolina Shrimp is where its at!

coverwith olive oil or vegtable oil and jerk seasoning.
Let sit in fridge for 1 hour.
Pour onto the grill.
Cook till they are done to your taste.
Open beer
eat and drink and be very happy you are not in China eating rancid, chemical and poo covered seafood.

[battlegearboat]

When in Destin/Fort Walton Beach, I buy shrimp at Sexton's on Highway 98.

In Houston, I like to buy right from the trawler's on the Intercoastal or one of those white trucks parked on the side of the road.

[weegee]

Houston PING

[martin_fierro]

gulf shrimp

Just so we're clear: Not her.

[Vision]

Gulf Shrimp should not smell like gasoline.

NOW you tell me.

[Xenalyte]

Hey, y’all wanna do shrimp next weekend?

[Eaker]

Gulf Shrimp should not smell like gasoline.

How is one then to start the grill?

[apocalypto]

I’d guess quite a few.

[Vision]

You use a grill? For our shrimp we dig a small pit and pour diesel fuel in it.

[Eaker]

I came up with a joke about cooking with bio-diesel but it was corny.......

[vetvetdoug]

These are very good guidelines for the consumption of shrimp. I was a shrimp food class 3 inspector for the USAF at Gulf Cities Fisheries in Pascagoula, Ms, and Bayou La Batre, Alabama, in 1974...(never saw Forrest Gump but saw Hurricane Carmen Sept 2, 1974). I routinely rejected shrimp coming in on the trawlers that reeked of chlorine. The USAF and Army procured shrimp for the troops and had military inspectors insure it was what the military was buying and observed its packing and processing. IMHO we were far superior to the FDA and USDA inspectors because our jobs depended upon how good we did it and also if we were caught taking bribes, Leavenworth didn’t appear too appealing...In 1976 Jimmy Carter did away with the military’s responsibilities in this quarter and gave the job to the FDA/USDA. Those inspectors were loosely monitored and were immune from many of the penalties we had facing us had we done a bad job.

[Eaker]

Jimmy Carter.

The gift that keeps on giving.

[Bacon Man]

Mmmmmmmmmmm shrimpy goodness.

[Eaker]

Shrimp wrapped bacon?

A new taste treat!

[stevie_d_64]

;-)

too funny!

[mom4kittys]

[Caramelgal]

Ironically, I bought some shrimp and a nice piece of salmon for grilling today from the Super Fresh grocery store.

The shrimp were labeled “USA” and the salmon “Fresh Caught - USA”.

I hope they are telling the truth.

[1COUNTER-MORTER-68]

Louisiana Shrimp Bump...