Frozen Wild American Shrimp are conveniently always available in your freezer, but do you know the proper way to thaw them before using then in your favorite dishes?

Remember, don’t leave frozen shrimp out on the counter to thaw. Like all other perishable foods, raw shrimp left at room temperature or in warm water can become a breeding ground for bacteria. One of the many benefits of Wild American Shrimp is that domestic, wild-caught shrimp are your healthier choice, and you want to keep it that way.

Instead, run a trickle of cold water over the frozen shrimp; the shrimp should be ready to cook in 15 to 30 minutes, depending on size and how they were frozen. Make sure the excess water goes down the drain as the shrimp thaw.

You also can put the frozen shrimp in a covered bowl and leave them in the refrigerator overnight.

This video, from Noreen’s Kitchen, shows you how:

By the way, are you familiar with the sizing system for shrimp? If those numbers look to you like a mysterious code, Chef Todd Reilly, Culinary Program Lead Instructor at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, is here to crack the code! You can also use the illustration above as a handy guide:

Now that you know how to choose your Wild American Shrimp by size and how to thaw them, click here for a variety of ways to cook them!