How to Heat Cooked Shrimp

Cold cooked shrimp are tasty when served with cocktail sauce or added to salads. You can also heat cooked shrimp in just a few minutes. Heat cooked shrimp carefully to preserve their taste and texture, writes Fred Thompson in "The Big Book of Fish and Shellfish." Avoid overcooking, which alters the flavor and toughens the shrimp.

Grilled shrimp on a plate. (Image: tycoon751/iStock/Getty Images)

Step 1

Defrost cooked frozen shrimp completely before heating. Place them in a bowl, covered, in the refrigerator overnight. For faster defrosting, wrap the shrimp securely in plastic wrap or a plastic bag and leave them covered with cold water in the sink. This will defrost 1 lb. of shrimp in about an hour.

Step 2

Add the shrimp for just the last minute or two of cooking if you are combining shrimp with other hot foods such as vegetables or noodles.

Step 3

Place cooked shrimp in a pot of boiling water for one minute. Remove the shrimp with a slotted spoon and place them in a serving bowl.

Step 4

Cover the bottom of a frying pan with cooking oil. When the oil is simmering over medium-high heat, place the shrimp into the pan. Stir the shrimp so they are evenly heated, about one minute. Use a large slotted spoon to remove the shrimp from the frying pan. Place them in a serving bowl or on a serving plate.

Things You'll Need

• Large bowl

• Plastic bag or wrap

• Large pot

• Large slotted spoon

• Frying pan

Tip

Use packaged, frozen shrimp before the expiration date.

Do not defrost shrimp at room temperature or in the microwave, according to Helpwithcooking.com.

Warning

Buy only cooked shrimp that is kept separated from raw shrimp and other raw seafood. Cooked seafood can become contaminated by bacteria on raw seafood, according to the American Dietetic Association.