# Self Sufficiency/Living off the Land or Off the Grid > Cooking, Food Storage, & Preserving >  Dried Shrimp

## Cajunlady87

Who doesn't like eating dried shrimp and washing it down with an ice-cold one.  I don't know about you but I've priced those little bags of dried shrimp they sell in the stores and they certainly aren't cheap.  Here's how to dry your own.  

Before starting check your local forecast for the week to make sure youi have at least 2-3 days of nice sunny weather ahead.  Boil your shrimp and include all your favorite seafood boiling seasonings.  Next, find a spot outside that will have the sun shining on it all day long.  Place a table in that area and spread your shrimp out and cover with cheesecloth to keep the flies off of them.  

Every two-three hours go stir the shrimp up to get even drying during the process.  In the late afternoon, pick up the shrimp and bring them inside.  Next day repeat the process.  Depending on the size of the shrimp and how hot the sun is you may have to repeat this a third time.  

Once your shrimp are dried, place them in an old pillowcase and beat it on a hard surface just enough to loosen the peelings from the shrimp.  Empty out the case and pick out your dried shrimp.  

Not only is this a great way to preserve shrimp to eat by itself but dried shrimp make the best tasting gumbos and stews.   :Smile:

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## RandyRhoads

Gonna try this, thanks!

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## Rick

Good stuff and it lasts a long time, too!

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## Cast-Iron

Dried shrimp?  I must be living a sheltered life.  Sounds like a good idea though.  Any idea what kind of shelf life they'd have? (I'm assuming that they would be shelf stable)

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## Sourdough

Please send five pounds of sample shrimp to Sourdough @ General Delivery, Alaska

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## hunter63

> Dried shrimp?  I must be living a sheltered life.  Sounds like a good idea though.  Any idea what kind of shelf life they'd have? (I'm assuming that they would be shelf stable)


Sounds good....I haven't heard about them either.......other than the time I heated up one on those roman noodles in a cup, with dried shrimp and spices.(had been stored in "The Place".... at the time was a 1963 Shasta Trailer for a couple of years)

Only problem was they had come back alive and were swimming around........They supposed to do that?

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## crashdive123

I guess I've lead a sheltered life.  I haven't tried them either....yet.

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## Rick

Most low fat meats can be dried. I wouldn't choose that method but if it works for her then it ... oh, you know. I'd cut them into chucks to expose more surface area and reduce the drying time.

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## crashdive123

I've had them in Ramen Noodles, but never considered them as a "stand alone".

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## Rick

They can't stand, silly. You remove the legs.

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## crashdive123

*Huh??????*

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## Rick

That is just sooooo wrong. They stuffed that little kid in a lobster. That's not right. I'll bet he's still wearing a diaper. That's got to ruin the lobster meat.

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## Stairman

Ive only seen dried shrimp in one place, Louisianna. In the late 70's I moved there to work offshore in the oil buisness and in the convenient stores were packs of seasoned dried Creole shrimp. These were a couple bucks and about 1 inch long but a tasty snack. Havent seen them since I moved back to Florida but may try to dry some little ones and see how they turn out.

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## Winter

Sounds good. I don't ever have a guaranteed 2-3 days of sunny or hot weather. I do have a food dehydrator.

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## GiLLiGaNN

Sounds like a great snack!

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## intothenew

Kinda sorry cell phone pics, but:

I never have dried them in the shell. As Cajunlady87 says, cook em' your way. I then peel them and cut into pieces.

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Put em' on a rack

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And crank it up

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And yes, they are great in gumbos and stews.

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## Cajunlady87

I believe it would be safe to say the shelf life of dried shrimp would be at least a year as I've kept some this long and probably longer.  

The art of drying shrimp using the sun to do so has been part of our culture for many generations.  Of course like anything else modern technology is now being used by the larger manufacturers of these tasty delicacies. Large dryers are now being used to speed up the process.  

Peelings are being recycled too.  They get pulverized and bottled to be used by many chefs as an extra seasoning in many dishes.  Years ago duck hunters would spread the peelings near their duck blinds to bait the ducks, it's now considered illegal.  

I've never tried a dehydrator to dry them, interesting concept though.   :Smile:

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## Rick

Those of us that get snow (white stuff that falls from the sky composed of crystallized water) generally rely on the dehydrator especially in the winter.  :Nod:

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## crashdive123

Snow.......I read about that once.  Sounds like interesting stuff.

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## Rick

Yeah, that explanation was for you.

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## Cajunlady87

> Snow.......I read about that once.  Sounds like interesting stuff.


He,He, He!  We must've read the same article.   :Smile:

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## intothenew

> He,He, He!  We must've read the same article.



And there is a disease associated with it, cabin fever. Good food and wine seems to help with the symptoms.

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## Cajunlady87

> And there is a disease associated with it, cabin fever. Good food and wine seems to help with the symptoms.


I'll drink to that and add some good music to the mixture.   :Smile:

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## waynek

You can get them already dried and vacuum packed in half pound or 1 pound bags. There great out of the bag or put into soup, stews etc.  www.grandisledriedshrimp.com

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## Rick

Pluggin' Grand Isle are we, Wayne?

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## crashdive123

Waynek - I had edited your post in error earlier this morning.  I have put it back to its original form - my apologies.

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## Winnie

Do mean to say he still hasn't got the hang of those white stuff identification flashcards?

Oh and if Prawns weren't so expensive, I'd dehydrate some too. You'd think living on an Island surrounded by bountiful seas, fish and seafood would be cheap. HA! Not a chance.

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## Rick

Define cheap.....Because I've been called that before. Names won't be mentioned.

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## wolf12107

Intothenew how long do you usually dry them for?

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## Rick

He might not see your question. This is a four year old thread and the last time he logged on was June of this year.

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## hunter63

> Intothenew how long do you usually dry them for?


Hope you get an answer....Intothenew hasn't been around for 3 years.

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## wolf12107

sounds like my luck

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## hunter63

> sounds like my luck


Yeah, I hear ya....
Google is your friend....
Found this...was curious myself....
http://www.backpackingchef.com/dehydrating-meat.html

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## madmax

I ate dehydrated shrimp in Hawaii.  Gross.

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## Rick

You can always tell when shrimp are dehydrated. They pee yellow.

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## crashdive123

Yeah, but if you don't find out until after you ea..............I think I just did my Bear Grylls imitation (so much better than squeezing elephant poo).

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## M118LR

From one Floridian to another: I understand a Cracker, I can indulge in Tabasco, but why wouldn't you just net and boil a couple pounds of fresh caught shrimp? I mean I've even gone so far as to serve them over solid water (ice), and I've even scraped crystallized solid water from the sides of the freezer. While in Hawaii I even used the washing machine to tenderize squid, but what possible use is there for dried shrimp South of the Georgia Border?

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## hayshaker

heck that"s easy asian military rations

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## M118LR

I remember when those where economical, and I was a single Sailor on the left coast. (yes I took full advantage of those times) 
Transverse mounts make a different sound sliding down a banister, rice feed and well ........
50 years to late to discuss on today's forums. JMO.

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