“How long do you fry shrimp” is a question asked time and time again, and it is a question that one must ask many, many times before one finally becomes able to answer it. Yes, I was one of those people that struggled to fry shrimps properly, but thanks to all that I have learned, that time is now but a faint memory.
It would leave me very frustrated when I wasn’t able to fry shrimp, as I am a huge fan of seafood shrimps, in particular. I did the research, I tried all the methods; you name it, I tried it. But in the end, I would always end up either over-frying or under-frying the shrimps. My expenses buckled under the strain because I kept ordering fried shrimp takeaway!
Somewhere along the line, I ran into an old friend on the way to one such place, and it happened to be a very lucky coincidence.
With hesitation, I brought up my numerous misadventures attempting to fry shrimp, and to my utter disbelief, she said she’d been in the exact same situation. We bonded that night over our shared struggles properly frying shrimps, and more importantly, she gave me the solution which ended my woes once and for all.
I can still remember when she asked me, “how long does it normally take to fry shrimps?” because at this moment, everything became clear. I realized that I couldn’t find the right answer to her question. I hadn’t even been paying attention to the length of time I was frying my shrimps.
She settled my mind on that score, and what’s more she even told me the right temperature to fry shrimp and also the oil needed to perfectly fry my shrimps. A couple of days later, I followed her advice; let me tell you, it resulted in the most perfectly-fried shrimp I’ve ever tasted.
If anybody’s out there and you’ve been having issues with frying your shrimps, then your problem might just be the timing. If I am correct, then today is your lucky day; I will be walking you through the process of conveniently and properly frying shrimps, all starting from the most fundamental question: how long it takes to fry shrimps.
How long does it take to fry shrimps?
Let’s jump right into it: how long does it really take to fry shrimps? Knowing how long it takes to fry is the most important part of cooking or frying your shrimps. Imagine coating your shrimp nicely only to watch each little guy get burnt in the fryer; you might as well feed it to the dog, because I ain’t eating that!
All that being said, it takes just 2 minutes to perfectly fry shrimps. Be very mindful of the type of oil you use, as there various types of oil to fry shrimp, some of which include canola and sunflower oil. Also make sure to check how hot the oil is before frying. The best temperature for frying shrimp is 375 degrees F; monitor the fryer closely to make sure this temperature is maintained.
Benefits of consuming shrimps
Let’s look at a thing or two about shrimps; did you know that there can be such a thing as healthy fried shrimps?
You might not know this, but shrimp is one of the most nutritious seafood in the world owing to its high protein content as well as its high phosphorus, vitamin and mineral content. Shrimp are also known for their high amount of omega-3 fatty acids, keeping our bodies healthy and strong.
Shrimp also contain a range of nutrients, including 100% selenium, 75% vitamin, well over 50% phosphorus, 30% chlorine as well as copper and iodine. Selenium in shrimps is an important antioxidant that plays an important role in immunity and thyroid function.
It also helps fight free radicals, which damage cell membranes and DNA which in turn leads to aging and disease. Another antioxidant that the shrimp possesses is astaxanthin, which is basically responsible for the color-change pigment in shrimps and is also known for its ability to reduce inflammation.
Shrimps are relatively low in calories, as one medium shrimp contains 7-8 calories; this means that 12 add up to less than 85 calories! That’s 15 less than a 3-ounce breast of chicken!
It may interest you to know that the jumbo shrimp, the type that is usually served in shrimp cocktail, contains about 14 calories; a spoonful of cocktail sauce contains about 5 calories. Therefore, if you have three jumbo shrimps with at least a teaspoon of cocktail for each then, you are bound to have about 60 calories. That is about 10 less than one pig blanket!
3 great ways to fry shrimps
Knowing how to properly cook or fry shrimps is an essential part of making that tasty and flavorful shrimp you have always wanted. Basically, shrimp is relatively easy to cook and there are numerous ways to prepare it. Below are some of the ways you can fry/prepare your shrimp.
Pan frying
Frying them in a pan happens to be one of the best ways of enjoying shrimp. This is usually done in a pan over high heat with vegetables, and they go really good with pasta or rice. Frying the shrimp is the quickest way to cook, and it is one of more nutritious ways since most of the recipes that involve pan frying keep the ingredients quite fresh. Pan-frying shrimp is definitely the ideal way to fry shrimp on a stove.
Deep frying
You can also choose to deep-fry your shrimps, one of the most delicious ways to make shrimp. Make sure that your oil is of good quality, and choose a nutritious kind which is suitable for deep-frying (olive oil and peanut oil are good for this). Keep in mind that you can either choose to fry raw shrimp or fry cooked shrimp depending on how you like them.
Deep frying breaded shrimps
Deep frying breaded shrimps is an amazing way to enjoy shrimps. It involves dunking the shrimps in panko bread crumbs combined with other ingredients like oil, eggs, pepper and salt and then frying in your deep fryer. In case you don’t have a deep fryer, you can use a heavy saucepan or a large skillet as a substitute.
You can also batter the shrimps before coating them in bread crumbs and later mixing with other ingredients. Fried shrimps are the perfect impromptu dinner to enjoy with friends and family.
Conclusion
I believe that question “how long do you take to fry shrimps” has been satisfactorily answered. With my advice, you would be hard-pressed to even come across another burnt shrimp ever again in your life. It is a problem you simply will not have anymore. Now you have the tools; but do you have what it takes? Get out there and fry your shrimp like a pro!
