How Long Will Raw Shrimp Last In The Fridge
Raw shrimp last fresh in the fridge for 1 to 2 days while cooked shrimp last for 3 to 4 days. However, raw shrimp can be stored for upto 3 months in the freezer to maintain the best quality. You should keep raw shrimp at the bottom of the fridge when storing it.
Raw shrimps will keep for about two days in the refrigerator, but they are best used ASAP. Fresh shrimp should stay in the refrigerator only 2 days for safety; frozen shrimp should stay in the refrigerator no longer than 4-5 days. Frozen shrimp may stay 4 to 5 days in the refrigerator, particularly if that is the way you are defrosting it, rather than room temperature. Cooked shrimp that has been frozen will last for 6-9 months in the refrigerator, and already frozen or canned shrimp will stay good for 9-12 months in the freezer.
If you have frozen shrimp in the refrigerator, be sure to either cook it within 1 to 2 days, or safely store it in the freezer. Remember to cook your shrimp shortly after purchase, so that you do not keep the shrimp in the refrigerator for longer than three days. The general rule is to leave the shells on if you can, and keep the shrimp in the refrigerator only two days prior to planning on cooking.
| Types | Shelf Life |
| Fridge | 1-2 days |
| Freezer | 1-2 years |
| Pantry | 2-3 days |
If you are unable to prepare the raw shrimp within 2 days, you are better off moving them out of the refrigerator into the freezer. If you thaw your shrimps now, try to not store them more than 2 days so that they retain their freshness and plumpness. If the shrimp are not super fresh when you prepare them, you can probably get away with trying to use them after three days instead of giving them a full four.
While you may ensure your cooked shrimp is safe to eat by keeping them in the fridge, they might not taste quite as good as they did when you just cooked them.
If you would like to have both the raw and cooked shrimp defrost faster, you are fine microwaving it, or using cold water to defrost it, but they should be eaten right away, and refrigerated no longer. If using hot water or a microwave to quickly defrost, defrosted shrimp should be used right away because of the growth of bacteria.
Place the uncooked shrimp in the cooler section, preferably on the bottom, where temperatures will be cooler — using plastic wrap or a leak-proof container, keep shrimp on the plate so that any stray spills can catch. Cover the shrimp loosely with wax paper so that air can circulate around the shrimp, and then store the shrimp in the coolest part of the fridge. The shrimp should be wrapped in plastic sheeting or placed in a sealed container before refrigeration. Twenty-four hours before cooking, place shrimp into a clean container and cover them loosely with plastic wrap.
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For best preservation, put the fresh shrimp in a zip-lock bag and immerse in a bowl of ice in the fridge to keep it safe until you need to use it. If you are in a rush, put your prawns into a bowl and dump hot water on them to quickly defrost. Refreeze shrimp after they are thawed is not recommended, because doing so will greatly harm texture and quality.
Freezing shrimp is a good way to keep them for a long time, but is not the best way to preserve their freshness. You can make sure shell-on shrimp stays fresh for longer by keeping your freezer temp set for shrimp, which is 28degF (-2.2degC). While three to six months is ideal to keep the quality of your shrimp, you may keep them frozen indefinitely depending on what type of shrimp products you purchase.
When frozen, fresh, hulled shrimp lasts for six to nine months beyond the date printed on the package. This is not necessarily a bad thing, but it does mean that many of the shrimp sold as fresh do not last nearly as long in your refrigerator. While frozen shrimp can be kept indefinitely, this is not a great idea to do, unless you are looking to consume tasteless shellfish. You can prolong the shelf life of fresh shrimp by freezing them, but you could wind up with damaged seafood if you do not properly.
Shrimp can grow bad bacteria if you keep them for too long, or if you do not store them under 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Always store shrimp in a cool environment, ideally in the refrigerator or freezer, to keep them safe. Most people know you should never keep raw shrimp out of the house, and not in your refrigerator either, unless you plan on cooking your shrimp right away. Make sure that you are not keeping your shrimp, or any food, at this temperature, particularly if your shrimp is not cooked yet.
Simply throw raw shrimp in the trash if it smells unusually putrid, or if anything does not seem to look right after being in the refrigerator for several days.
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Be sure to keep an eye on the packets of raw shrimp so that you make sure that they stay fresh until you are ready to cook them. If the “use-by” date on your packaging offers a longer estimate, the raw shrimp can be allowed to go for another day, but generally, two days is best. After purchasing the shrimp, it can be stored refrigerated for one to two days–the sell-by date on the package can expire in this time of storage, but shrimp is still safe for consumption beyond the sell-by date as long as it has been stored correctly.
Most manufacturers will include warnings on their packages saying shrimp must be refrigerated within 2 hours of cooking, so make sure you follow these guidelines. When cooked and stored in a sealed container, the longest that shrimp can remain refrigerated is 3-4 days. Raw, pre-frozen shrimp can be stored safely for another day or two before cooking when thawed in a freezer.
You may wish to heat cooked shrimp dishes that have been stored in the fridge as quickly as possible to preserve the flavors and textures. You can accelerate the transition further by placing leftovers in cold water, unless you have prepared them in the sauce or in combination with other ingredients. In other words, shell-on shrimp can keep in the refrigerator for 2-3 days, since their shells keep bacteria from growing.
How do you store raw shrimp in the refrigerator?
Use fresh shrimp within a day or two after storing it in the coldest section of your refrigerator. If the shrimp are packaged in plastic, it’s best to open the bag, place a damp paper towel on top, and place it in a basin of ice in the refrigerator. “It gets nasty when it’s completely encased in plastic and unable to breathe.”
How long is uncooked thawed shrimp good for in the fridge?
A raw shrimp that has frozen can remain in the refrigerator for two to three days before being cooked if it has been defrosted for one or two days, according to the United States Department of Agriculture. As long as the shrimp are refrozen within that same period, you can safely refreeze them.
What does shrimp taste like when it’s bad?
There is a strong acidic taste to bad shrimp. In addition to being bitter and sour, it is highly unpleasant and hazardous to your health. There are many warning signs for sour shrimps, but the first one that stands out is the foul odor from ammonia-covered meat.