# Uncooked but still Smoked Shrimp



## princess

I don't know if I should put this in Food Safety or here, but since this is the place where people deal with shrimpies... I figured I'd start here.

I want to make my favorite Shrimp Gumbo-Laya recipe.

My recipie calls for raw shrimp, peeled.

I want a smoky flavor on my shrimp.

So here's what I think I want to do, and please tell me if this sounds crazy:

I want to buy my raw shrimp, thaw them, peel them, brine them and smoke them. Low low low temp fruitwood (Apple, I think, or maybe Pear) and get them nice and smoky flavored, then bring them in the house and cook them like I normally would for the Shrimp Gumbo-Laya recipe.

How long is it safe to smoke the shrimp? Does the same "40 to 140 in 4hr" rule that I use for beef, pork & chicken apply? I have only smoked shrimp once before and as a landlocked MidWesterner, shrimp are a pricey delicacy... In other words, I don't want to screw this up!

Help?


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## flash

Not sure, but if you get those shrimp to 140*, their cooked. Maybe some Liquid Smoke in this situation?


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## shoneyboy

I have been wanting to smoke some shrimp too. What I have been thinking about was to peel, season (with some Cajun spices) them place them in a pan and smoke for about 30 minutes. The cook time is still my question, but I know form experience that they are done once they turn pink. Would it hurt your recipe if they are cooked before they go in? If so what about 1/2 raw and 1/2 smoked (cooked). Your recipe would still get the flavor from the raw shrimp and you could still get the smoked from the others.Either way let me know how it comes out.....I have been wanting to try this for a while.....and it sounds like a great plan.....SB


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## eman

HMMMMMMMM,

the only way i would try to smoke shrimp and not fully cook them would be a true COLD smoke.

 Use some sort of smoke generator and  a big bowl of ice in the smoker to keep the temps down as low as possible. Do not let raw shrimp get warm for any ammount of time.

I will try to find the recomended temps .

They are in the 40° - 140° catagorie when being cooked according to the USDA regs.

 But i keep shrimp as cold as possible untill ready to cook.


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## princess

I want to avoid Liquid Smoke if possible. 

 


Flash said:


> Not sure, but if you get those shrimp to 140*, their cooked. Maybe some Liquid Smoke in this situation?


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## mballi3011

I would avoid the liquid smoke myself. I would like Bob (Eman) said keep the shrimp cold till you are ready to smoke them. Now I would smoke them for maybe and 1 1/2 or 2 hours at the most. Just keep a close eye on them and when they curl up and almost touch head to tail they are done. Now I'm not the best one for this cause I have over smoked some shrimp sometimes. They are just take hard to smoke too.


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## princess

So here's what I ended up doing...  (I apologize for the poor res pics... just had the camera phone handy)

Found really good shrimp, fresh-never-frozen flown in from Maryland at D&R. $14.99 lb, appx 22 to a pound. The heads had been removed, but I still had to shell them.







Brined in a nice icy cold good brine. I used 3 qt + 2 cups of water and 2 cups of sake. Sliced lemon. Garlic cloves (smashed & sliced) some bay leaves, some peppercorns, 1 c. kosher salt and 1/2 c. sugar. Boiled, cooled & chilled the day before.







Turned on the smoker, dampers open ALL the way, running applewood small chips. Waited for the smoke to look nice and pretty. Patted the shrimp dry with paper towels, then popped them onto my tray. Top rack of the smoker, and it was cold enough out that it was only about 90* up there.







Left them in for an hour.

They had dried and gotten nice and tacky, but were obviously still very raw. Tossed them into a sautee pan with butter, garlic and a little more sake.







Served over rice. DELISH!!


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## princess

This worked well enough that I am not too worried. The shrimp were only above 35* for an hour in the smoker and the flavor was WAY evident.  Will definitely be doing this for the gumbo-laya. I am SO glad that the flavor was SO powerful with just an hour's exposure!


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## eman

Great Job on the shrimp!!!!
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





Nice to see that you were able to get some smoke to them without cooking.


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## ecto1

Holy Smokes is that what shrimp cost in the midwest?


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## princess

No, that's what they are on *sale* for... 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





   Normally, it is even worse.

My only other option is to buy prev. frozen, but they treat those and since I am brining I do not want them already soaked.


ECTO1 said:


> Holy Smokes is that what shrimp cost in the midwest?


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## princess

Thanks!

I think it is because I peeled them 1st that they picked up SO much flavor.


eman said:


> Great Job on the shrimp!!!!
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> Nice to see that you were able to get some smoke to them without cooking.


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## eman

I need to load up a truck load of fresh shrimp and head up that way!!!!! $2 lb here off the boat and $15 lb there . Nice profit.


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## princess

Next summer, I'll drive south and meet ya halfway. I can bring you Indiana Sweet Corn so fresh and fine it'll make you weep for a buck a dozen. 

I can be halfway to NoLa in 5hr. :)


eman said:


> I need to load up a truck load of fresh shrimp and head up that way!!!!! $2 lb here off the boat and $15 lb there . Nice profit.


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## rdknb

I agree eman lol.  I can get shrimp pretty cheap here in Maryland


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## eman

We get sweet corn here for 10 cents an ear in season. lol When i was stationed in illinois i went across the road from the base and picked a couple bushels of corn (with permission from the owner)  brought it back on base cleaned it up and boiled it w/ some liquid crab boil and some honey. Even the locals who tried it said it was the best corn they'd ever tasted.


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## princess

I like to do the Paula Deen method of peeling them, wrapping them in bacon, replacing the husks and grillinging. OhfertheloveofGod are they good!!

I also really REALLY *REALLY* have a passion for "Mexican Street Corn" or _elote_. My local Mexican Grocery laughs at me for how often I go in to get authentic ingredients to feed my passion in the summertime!!


eman said:


> We get sweet corn here for 10 cents an ear in season. lol When i was stationed in illinois i went across the road from the base and picked a couple bushels of corn (with permission from the owner)  brought it back on base cleaned it up and boiled it w/ some liquid crab boil and some honey. Even the locals who tried it said it was the best corn they'd ever tasted.


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## ecto1

Princess said:


> I like to do the Paula Deen method of peeling them, wrapping them in bacon, replacing the husks and grillinging. OhfertheloveofGod are they good!!
> 
> I also really REALLY *REALLY* have a passion for "Mexican Street Corn" or _elote_. My local Mexican Grocery laughs at me for how often I go in to get authentic ingredients to feed my passion in the summertime!!
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> eman said:
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> We get sweet corn here for 10 cents an ear in season. lol When i was stationed in illinois i went across the road from the base and picked a couple bushels of corn (with permission from the owner)  brought it back on base cleaned it up and boiled it w/ some liquid crab boil and some honey. Even the locals who tried it said it was the best corn they'd ever tasted.
Click to expand...



I like my elote on the cob not in the cup with butter lime and chili topped with lemon pepper..  No mayonnaise for me.


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## brud

I would peel the shrimp and keep the heads and peels.

Put them in a flat pan smoke them then use them for stock.


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## princess

What a tremendously great idea!!

We were thinking about doing lobster for xmas, and I always save those shells for stock, it would have never occured to me to smoke them!! Sweet!! THANKYOU, Brud!! 

Cheers!

-Princess


Brud said:


> I would peel the shrimp and keep the heads and peels.
> 
> Put them in a flat pan smoke them then use them for stock.


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## Jeff Puchalski

Have you ever tried to refrigerate or freeze your shrimp after partial smoke them to finished them off later?  been looking for some advice but haven't found anything.  I hear some seafood mongers now sell semi or lightly smoked raw shrimp but looking to myself soon so trying to get as much info or feedback in advance before starting the testing as they jumbo shrimp is $$.  Thanks for any feedback from anyone!

Cheers,
Jeff



princess said:


> I don't know if I should put this in Food Safety or here, but since this is the place where people deal with shrimpies... I figured I'd start here.
> 
> I want to make my favorite Shrimp Gumbo-Laya recipe.
> 
> My recipie calls for raw shrimp, peeled.
> 
> I want a smoky flavor on my shrimp.
> 
> So here's what I think I want to do, and please tell me if this sounds crazy:
> 
> I want to buy my raw shrimp, thaw them, peel them, brine them and smoke them. Low low low temp fruitwood (Apple, I think, or maybe Pear) and get them nice and smoky flavored, then bring them in the house and cook them like I normally would for the Shrimp Gumbo-Laya recipe.
> 
> How long is it safe to smoke the shrimp? Does the same "40 to 140 in 4hr" rule that I use for beef, pork & chicken apply? I have only smoked shrimp once before and as a landlocked MidWesterner, shrimp are a pricey delicacy... In other words, I don't want to screw this up!
> 
> Help?





princess said:


> So here's what I ended up doing...  (I apologize for the poor res pics... just had the camera phone handy)
> 
> Found really good shrimp, fresh-never-frozen flown in from Maryland at D&R. $14.99 lb, appx 22 to a pound. The heads had been removed, but I still had to shell them.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Brined in a nice icy cold good brine. I used 3 qt + 2 cups of water and 2 cups of sake. Sliced lemon. Garlic cloves (smashed & sliced) some bay leaves, some peppercorns, 1 c. kosher salt and 1/2 c. sugar. Boiled, cooled & chilled the day before.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Turned on the smoker, dampers open ALL the way, running applewood small chips. Waited for the smoke to look nice and pretty. Patted the shrimp dry with paper towels, then popped them onto my tray. Top rack of the smoker, and it was cold enough out that it was only about 90* up there.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Left them in for an hour.
> 
> They had dried and gotten nice and tacky, but were obviously still very raw. Tossed them into a sautee pan with butter, garlic and a little more sake.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Served over rice. DELISH!!


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