You can cook a lot of different things in an air fryer, from frozen foods to vegetable sides to main dishes. The air fryer is probably best known for cooking frozen foods that are already cooked, and for good reason. If you want a great crisp, air-frying is second only to deep-frying. But you don’t have to deal with the hot oil or clean up afterward.
We often make pizza rolls as a quick lunch or snack. Tempura-breaded shrimp is one of my favorite starters at Japanese restaurants. The box of them at Costco almost jumped into my cart. They’re great as an appetizer, snack, or lunch at home.
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Costco’s selection of frozen seafood makes it easy to enjoy great-tasting shrimp any night of the week. Their line-up includes peeled and deveined shrimp, shrimp scampi coconut shrimp and more. But to unlock the full flavor and texture potential of these convenient crustaceans, it’s key to know the best cooking methods.
Here, we’ll explore how to cook various types of Costco frozen shrimp to juicy, delicious perfection using simple techniques right in your home kitchen.
Selecting Your Frozen Shrimp
Costco offers an array of frozen shrimp products that are quick and easy weeknight dinner solutions:
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Raw peeled and deveined shrimp – available with tails on or off in petite, medium, jumbo, and colossal sizes.
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Value packs like raw Medley shrimp with three tailored sizes ideal for shrimp cocktails or scattering over dishes.
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Seasoned varieties including Kirkland Signature Garlic Butter Shrimp or Shrimp Scampi that have sauce and seasoning already added.
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Tempura-coated options like coconut shrimp for quick frying with no batter prep needed.
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Fully cooked shrimp that just need reheating, though texture may be less ideal.
For the best flavor and mouthfeel, go for raw, shell-on or peeled options. Cooked shrimp often gets rubbery when refrozen and reheated.
Thawing Your Shrimp
For raw frozen shrimp, safely thawing is the first step for proper cooking. Here are a few thawing options:
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Refrigerator: Place frozen shrimp in a bowl and thaw overnight in the fridge. Once thawed, use within 1-2 days.
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Cold Water: Submerge bag of shrimp in cold tap water, changing water every 30 minutes. Thaw time is about 1 hour.
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Microwave Microwave frozen shrimp on defrost setting based on package directions stopping to rearrange shrimp halfway.
Avoid leaving shrimp to thaw at room temperature, which enables bacteria growth.
Cooking Methods for Frozen Shrimp
Cooking raw frozen shrimp requires bringing it fully up to 145°F internal temperature. Options include:
Sauteeing
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Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.
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Add thawed shrimp in a single layer and cook undisturbed 1 minute per side until opaque.
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For extra flavor, sautee in browned butter, garlic butter, or cajun seasoning.
Pan-Frying
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Coat raw thawed shrimp with flour, panko, cornmeal or potato starch.
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Pan-fry in 1/4 inch oil over medium-high heat about 2 minutes per side.
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Fry in small batches to avoid overcrowding. Drain on paper towels.
Grilling
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Toss thawed raw shrimp in oil or marinade and thread onto skewers.
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Grill over direct high heat 2-3 minutes per side until charred and opaque.
Baking
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Toss thawed raw shrimp in oil or seasoning and spread out on a baking sheet.
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Bake at 400°F for 5 to 7 minutes until opaque and cooked through.
Air Frying
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Coat raw thawed shrimp in oil and desired spices or breadcrumbs.
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Air fry at 400°F for 4 to 5 minutes, shaking basket halfway.
Boiling
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Bring a pot of seasoned water to a boil.
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Add thawed raw shrimp and boil just until opaque, about 3 minutes.
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Drain and rinse under cold water to stop cooking.
Handling Pre-Seasoned and Breaded Shrimp
For convenience, opt for Costco’s pre-sauced, breaded, or stuffed varieties. Cooking method depends on the style:
Kirkland Garlic Butter Shrimp:
- Saute frozen shrimp in a skillet over medium heat about 6-8 minutes until opaque.
Coconut Shrimp:
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Deep fry frozen shrimp at 350°F for 2 to 3 minutes until golden brown.
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Can also bake at 425°F for 10 minutes, flipping halfway through.
Shrimp Scampi:
- Saute frozen shrimp in a skillet over medium-high heat for 6 to 8 minutes until cooked through.
Tempura Shrimp:
- Deep fry frozen shrimp at 375°F for 2 to 3 minutes until crispy.
Serving Your Succulent Shrimp
Costco’s frozen shrimp cook up conveniently fast. In 10 minutes or less, you can be enjoying restaurant-worthy shrimp entrées.
Here are some easy and delicious ways to serve your cooked frozen shrimp:
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Shrimp tacos – Top warmed tortillas with shrimp, pico de gallo, avocado, cotija cheese.
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Shrimp pasta – Toss cooked shrimp with linguine, garlic, lemon, parsley.
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Shrimp salad – Mix shrimp with greens, tomatoes, avocado, lemon vinaigrette.
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Shrimp skewers – Alternate shrimp and veggies on skewers for easy grilling.
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Shrimp rolls – Pile shrimp salad onto toasted brioche buns.
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Coconut shrimp – Serve with dipping sauce for appetizers or over salad.
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Shrimp and grits – Simmer shrimp in spicy sauce and serve over creamy cheese grits.
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Bang bang shrimp – Toss breaded shrimp in spicy mayo.
With a freezer stocked with Costco shrimp, you’re never more than minutes away from amazing home cooked shrimp dishes! Follow these simple tips for thawing, cooking, and serving shrimp and enjoy convenience without sacrificing flavor and texture.
Storing and Reheating Leftover Shrimp
Have extra cooked shrimp? Here are some storage and reheating guidelines:
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Store cooked shrimp up to 3 days refrigerated in an airtight container.
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Freeze cooked shrimp up to 3 months for longer storage.
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Thaw frozen pre-cooked shrimp in the refrigerator before reheating.
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Reheat leftover shrimp gently in a skillet, oven, or microwave to avoid rubberiness.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
It’s easy to go from succulent shrimp to overcooked rubber with just a minute too long on the heat. Avoid these pitfalls:
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Overcrowding the pan leading to steaming versus searing.
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Overcooking and becoming tough and chewy.
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Thawing improperly causing bacteria growth.
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Reheating precooked shrimp at high temperatures toughening the texture.
Follow the techniques here for tender, juicy shrimp using Costco frozen varieties every time.
The Takeaway on Cooking Frozen Shrimp
With an endless array of shrimp offerings, Costco makes enjoying the fruits of the sea affordable and accessible year-round. Their raw, peeled, pre-sauced and breaded options offer convenience without forsaking fantastic flavor.
By mastering proper thawing and utilizing quick cooking methods like sautéing, grilling, or air frying, you can transform frozen shrimp into restaurant-worthy meals in minutes. Understanding how to handle and prepare the different varieties ensures tender, juicy texture and shrimp as amazing as if just plucked fresh from the ocean.
So take advantage of the ease and variety of Costco’s frozen shrimp. Just follow these tips for thawing, cooking, and serving the frozen crustaceans perfectly. Soon you’ll be enjoying shrimp anytime with far less effort than a trip to the coast!
how to make costco tempura shrimp
Preheat your air fryer to 375 before grabbing your box of tempura shrimp from the freezer.
There are six sauce packets in the box, which is enough for 30 shrimp. Take out one packet for every five shrimp you want to cook. Submerge them in water to thaw out while your shrimp cook.
Place the shrimp in the air fryer basket or air fryer grill paddle in a single layer after the machine is hot. I like to use the grill pan for shorter foods, mostly because I find it easier to clean. Cook at 375 degrees F (190 C) for 8 minutes, flipping halfway through. When finished the tempura batter should be a golden brown.
Serve alongside the dipping sauce for an appetizer or quick meal. You can also use them as the main ingredient in something else, like shrimp tacos, tempura rolls, or tempura udon soup.
Store any leftover shrimp in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
are the kirkland brand raw shrimp? can I use another brand?
No, Costco does not sell raw shrimp that can be used in any recipe. These shrimp were already cooked before they were frozen. You can use any brand tempura shrimp like trader joe, or a different shrimp like costco panko shrimp. However, if theyre substantially different in size (ie popcorn shrimp) the cook time will be different.