Shrimp, pink

Scientific name:  Pandalus spp.
Market names:  Shrimp or pink shrimp
Common names:  Northern shrimp, pink shrimp, coldwater shrimp, salad shrimp

The Pink Shrimp Story

Found in most northern waters, pink shrimp rank among the most important commercial shrimp species in the world. In the North Atlantic, they range from Greenland south to Martha’s Vineyard in the west, and from Iceland and Greenland south to Britain in the east. In the northeastern Pacific, they range from the Bering Sea south along the North American coast to Oregon. In the western Pacific they are found from Russia south to Japan and South Korea. P. jordani, a close relative of P. borealis, is found exclusively along the Pacific Coast from Queen Charlotte Sound in Alaska to San Diego. Trawlers harvest pink shrimp over clay and mud bottoms in depths ranging to 4,500 feet. Rarely exceeding 5 inches, pinks are smaller than many shrimp species (average market size for whole pink shrimp is 40 to 55 shrimp per pound). They are also hermaphrodites, spending their first year and a half as males, then turning into females.

Product Profile

Pink shrimp have a very sweet taste, more flavorful than warmwater shrimp. The tail of the live pink shrimp is more red than pink, and the shrimp and shell are translucent. Cooked, the shell is pink, and the meat is an opaque white tinged with pink. The cooked meat is fairly firm, though less so than that of warmwater shrimp, and moist. The taste and texture of both pink shrimp species are practically indistinguishable.

Pink shrimp is usually sold peeled, cooked and frozen. Watch for an acrid aroma in thawed or fresh shrimp; it is the first sign of deterioration.

You Should Know...

Because raw shrimp is relatively perishable, it’s wise to purchase IQF product. You can remove any amount of the frozen shrimp from a bag and return it to the freezer without harm.

Nutrition Facts

Serving size: 100g/3.5 oz. (raw)
Amount per serving
Calories 92
Fat Calories 8
Total Fat 0.9 g
Saturated Fat 0.1 g
Cholesterol 152 mg
Sodium 140 mg
Protein 19.4 g
Omega-3 0.2 g

Cooking Tips

Pink shrimp are often referred to as salad shrimp because they are small, which can limit applications. They are best used in salads, casseroles, quiches and omelets and as a garnish for other seafood. Raw shrimp meats can be sautéed with garlic or battered and quickly fried. Whole shrimp can be cooked in or over boiling water. They’re done when the tails curl and the body is no longer translucent; it takes only moments, so watch closely.

Substitutions: Crab meat can be substituted for recipes calling for cooked shrimp meat; Chinese white shrimp, Gulf pink shrimp

Cooking Methods

Boil, Fry, Sauté, Steam

Primary Product Forms

Fresh

• Whole (raw or cooked)
• Tails

Frozen

• Whole (raw or cooked)
• Tails (peeled, cooked)

Value-added

• Canned
• Smoked

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