Ever cooked the most delicious BBQ shrimp for dinner, then tried to reheat them and ended up with dry, chewy shrimp instead of tender, juicy shrimp?
While you may have nightmares about reheating shrimp and subject yourself to eating cold shrimp, once you reheat shrimp the right way, they will be as tender and juicy as the day you cooked them.
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Can You Reheat Leftover Shrimp?
Of course, you can reheat leftover shrimp. When reheated correctly, you will not be able to tell the difference between freshly cooked shrimp and leftover shrimp.
The key to reheating shrimp is to make sure you do not overheat the shrimp or be left with rubbery shrimp.
How Long Do Cooked Shrimp Last in the Fridge?
When stored in the fridge, cooked shrimp have a lifespan of 3-4 days.
However, you must ensure you store your shrimp in an airtight container or resealable zip-lock bag within 2 hours after they were cooked.
Alternatively, you can also wrap your shrimp in foil paper before storing it in the fridge.
Can I Reheat Breaded Shrimp?
Yes, you can reheat breaded shrimp. It is best to reheat breaded shrimp in an air fryer, toaster oven, or in a skillet coated with oil.
Do not add liquid or reheat breaded shrimp with a lid on the skillet, as it will make the shrimp’s coating soggy.
Tips for Reheating Shrimp
Although reheating shrimp seems as easy as placing them in a pan and cooking them on the stove, there are some tips that will ensure you end up with tender shrimp.
If you froze your leftover shrimp, make sure you thaw it overnight in the fridge.
If you reheat shrimp from frozen, the shrimp’s exterior will be hot, and its interior will be cold.
No one wants to eat unevenly heated shrimp, so defrost it before reheating it.
Furthermore, do not heat shrimp after they have already been reheated.
The more you reheat leftover shrimp, the more its quality will diminish. It is best to reheat smaller portions of shrimp, especially if you only need 1-2 servings.
Before you reheat your shrimp, make sure it hasn’t spoiled by giving it the sniff test.
If your shrimp gives off an unpleasant odor, throw it away. In addition to this, if your shrimp has a slimy texture, discard it as it has gone bad.
If you do not plan to reheat your shrimp within 4 days after it is cooked, freeze it.
Freezing the shrimp will extend the shrimp’s lifespan. However, if you freeze your shrimp for too long, its quality and texture may be drastically impacted.
How to Reheat Shrimp
Reheating shrimp can be as easy as cold smoking cheese if you know what you are doing.
Luckily, there are 4 different ways you can reheat shrimp.
How to Reheat Shrimp in the Oven
Reheating breaded shrimp in the oven creates a crispy, golden brown coating. Yes, reheating shrimp in the oven can take some time.
However, once you are eating crispy, delicious shrimp, it will all be worth it.
To reheat your shrimp in the oven, heat your oven to 300°F.
Place your leftover shrimp onto a sheet of aluminum foil and loosely wrap the shrimp in the foil.
Place the leftover shrimp onto a cookie sheet and make sure the shrimp are spread out in an even layer.
Bake the leftover shrimp for 10-15 minutes until they are thoroughly heated, and serve the shrimp hot.
How to Reheat Shrimp in the Microwave
If you are pressed for time, reheating shrimp in the microwave is your best option.
However, you must make sure you heat your shrimp in the microwave using gentle heat to prevent them from overcooking and becoming rubbery.
Arrange the shrimp in a microwave-safe bowl with a lid in an even layer.
Sprinkle 1-2 tablespoons of water over the shrimp and add the lid to the bowl or cover the shrimp with parchment paper. Covering the shrimp will prevent them from turning rubbery.
Heat the shrimp for 2 minutes until the shrimp are hot. If the shrimp are not hot enough, heat them for an additional 30 seconds to 1 minute.
How to Reheat Shrimp in a Frying Pan
Sauteing leftover shrimp in a frying pan is an excellent way to reheat them.
Sauteing leftover shrimp will allow them to absorb some moisture as well as sear the shrimp. All in all, you’ll end up with tender, golden brown shrimp.
To reheat shrimp, place a frying pan over medium-high heat. Next, add 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil to the frying pan.
Do not drown your shrimp with oil, or you will end up with oily shrimp.
Arrange the leftover shrimp in an even layer in the frying pan. Do not overcrowd the pan, or the shrimp will not cook evenly.
Cook the shrimp for 2-3 minutes, then turn it over and cook it for an additional 2-3 minutes until they are thoroughly heated.
How to Reheat Shrimp in the Steamer
Like reheating crawfish and crab legs, you can also reheat shrimp by steaming them. However, steaming shrimp is not recommended for breaded shrimp.
This method only works for grilled or sauteed shrimp.
To reheat your leftover shrimp in a steamer, fill a pot with 1/2-1 cup of water, place your steamer basket on top of the pot and set it over medium-low heat.
Make sure the steamer’s basket does not touch the water. If the steamer basket touches the water, the shrimp will boil instead of steam.
Once the water is boiling, arrange the shrimp in the steamer’s basket in an even layer.
Cover the shrimp and cook it for 2-3 minutes until they are thoroughly heated.
Additionally, a clear indicator that your shrimp are done steaming is their signature smell.
Remove the shrimp from the steamer basket and serve them hot.
Final Thoughts
No longer will you be subjected to rubbery reheated shrimp.
Now that you know how to reheat shrimp correctly, you can look forward to tender shrimp every time you reheat them.
You might also be interested in:
- How To Reheat Crab Legs
- How To Reheat Lobster
- How To Reheat Salmon
- How To Reheat Crab Cakes
- How To Reheat Crawfish
I have been smoking and grilling meat from an early age and enjoy sharing my knowledge and expertise through the hundreds of articles I have written about BBQ. I hope to make everyone’s BBQ journey that little bit easier.