Oven Roasted Shrimp ~ Kitchen Basics ~ Noreen's Kitchen
Today I am sharing how to oven roast shrimp! This may not be something you have thought to do because most of the time steaming or boiling shrimp is what is done. Oven roasting is, in my opinion, the best way to cook shrimp for salads or for cocktails because you cook a lot at one time and at an even temperature and it comes out perfect every time! So let's say no to shrimp erasers and cook it in the oven! I have been roasting shrimp in the oven for years. I started out of laziness. I'm not going to lie to you. I can sometimes be lazy in the kitchen. I honestly like to find more efficient ways of doing things and this oven roasted shrimp is one of those ways. I live in eastern North Carolina where we have access to some of the most amazing, locally caught shrimp that you could ever put in your mouth so I try hard to go out of my way to support local business and the local fishermen when I can. If you live in an area where you do not have access to super fresh shrimp, you can always seek out good quality frozen shrimp. I prefer "white" shrimp and the 16-20 size which means that you will find approximately 16 to 20 shrimp per pound. White shrimp can have a few more than that depending on the time of year they are pulled from the water. If you are buying frozen shrimp, always seek out the raw variety and not the fully cooked. You can sometimes get "EZ Peel" shrimp which has had a blade taken to the back of the shell and it has been de-veined and the shells slip off more easily than other types. In the end, you should get what you prefer. I season my shrimp simply. Olive oil, lemon juice and some of my homemade seafood seasoning. You can use your favorite seafood seasoning such as Old Bay if you like. Whatever you have on hand will work and if you don't have a blend, some paprika, thyme, oregano, garlic, onion, salt and pepper will do the trick. Toss all those together with the shrimp. I preheat my oven to 375 degrees and then just pour the shrimp out of a baking sheet. Make sure they are in one layer, evenly distributed so that they heat hits them just the right way. You just want to make sure that your shrimp are not bunched up all in one place. This will cause uneven cooking and that will make you sad. These roast for between 12 and 15 minutes. Mine roasted for 12 minutes and came out perfect, as they always do with this method. One of the main benefits of roasting the shrimp is that the flavor of the shrimp is not washed away like it can be in the steaming or boiling process. This way you get the full robust flavor of the shrimp and all it's briney goodness. You can also roast shrimp this same way in their shells. They may take a few minutes longer, but they are perfect for cooking up a mess of peel and eat shrimp this way. No fuss, no muss, just toss with oil, lemon and seasoning and roast. You can do a ton all at one time and that saves time and effort on your part. I am going to be using these shrimp in a salad for an upcoming recipe video and these will get chilled for that purpose. If making peel and eat, be sure to chill the shrimp before serving so that the shells come off cleanly. You can keep the cooked shrimp in your fridge for up to five days to enjoy throughout your week in salads and eating out of hand. If you are making these for a party, you can make them at least one day in advance and have them ready for your guests to enjoy. Serve peel and eat shrimp in a bowl of ice to maintain safety and lots of homemade cocktail sauce for dipping! I hope you give roasting shrimp like this a try sometime soon and I hope you love it!
