A Clever Hack for Quickly Defrosting Frozen Shrimp (Without Dirtying Any Dishes)
Shrimp are the speed-cooking all-star of your kitchen. They’re a tasty, endlessly adaptable protein that can help you make a flavorful, no-fuss meal, fast. But if the thought of dragging out that bag of shrimp from the back of your freezer has got you reaching for the takeout menu, stop right there! We have a simple solution that can save you time and dishes, courtesy of home cook extraordinaire @brunchwithbabs.
In her latest Instagram Reel breaking down easy weeknight meals, Babs walks us through a truly transcendent tip for prepping a bag of frozen shrimp: Simply take a pair of kitchen shears or knife (be careful!) and poke holes on both sides of the bag. Then set the bag down in your sink and run cold water through it until your shrimp have defrosted. Depending on the amount of shrimp, this should take about five minutes.
This method saves you the hassle of digging through your cabinets for that colander stuck under your other pots and pans (and if you’re ready to tackle that challenge, may we suggest 10 better ways to store your pots and pans?).
After you’ve quickly and efficiently defrosted your shrimp, you have the option to whip up a quick shrimp sheet pan meal as Babs does — or, you can grill up a few shrimp skewers, sauté a hot pepper stir-fry shrimp dish, or simply steam them for the perfect shrimp cocktail. Just remember to pat your freshly rinsed shrimp dry before moving on to your next step — and before you know it, you’ve conquered another weeknight meal or last-minute dinner party!