What do you think of when you hear the word crustacean? Do you think of crabs or lobsters? How about shrimp? Shrimp are one of the most popular crustaceans to make dishes out of. It is much easier to purchase shrimp compared to crab or lobster. The other two are much more expensive. When you have shrimp, what do you do with the leftovers? Do you put them in the fridge? How long can they last before you have to throw them out?
You can keep your cooked shrimp in the refrigerator for around three or four days. Shrimp needs to be stored in the refrigerator, so it doesn’t develop bacteria. You only want to keep the shrimp out at room temperature for a max time of two hours.
You can also keep your cooked shrimp in the freezer if you want it to last longer. Cooked shrimp can stay good in the freezer for over six months. You have to properly store your cooked shrimp no matter where you store it.
Do not keep your cooked shrimp out at room temperature. Bacteria can develop when the temperature is warm enough. So you want to keep it somewhere cool, like the refrigerator. Do not keep your cooked shrimp out at room temperature for more than two hours.
How to Properly Store Cooked Shrimp in the Fridge?
You do not want to put your cooked shrimp directly in the refrigerator. This is not the way to properly store the shrimp. There are some things you want to do in order to make sure the shrimp stays fresh.
You want to keep your cooked shrimp in an airtight container when storing it in the refrigerator. Your refrigerator should be kept at a temperature of 40°F or lower. This ensures that bacteria does not immediately start growing on the shrimp.
You can also use a resealable bag to store your cooked shrimp. Make sure you squeeze out all of the excess air in the bag in order to keep the shrimp fresh. You want to use a resealable bag so you can take shrimp out while keeping others in the refrigerator.
What Does Spoiled Cooked Shrimp Look Like?
There are a few ways that you can tell when cooked shrimp has spoiled. One of the big ones is by looking at the shrimp. Cooked shrimp has a pink color. Once the shrimp has spoiled, it will develop discolored spots that can be dark and black.
You can also use smell to tell if your cooked shrimp has spoiled. Spoiled cooked shrimp will have an unpleasant smell that is like ammonia. This smell is strong.
Finally, you can use touch to tell if the shrimp is spoiled. Spoiled cooked shrimp will have a slimy texture. It will also be much softer compared to fresh cooked shrimp.
Is Reheating Cooked Shrimp Safe?
It is safe to reheat cooked shrimp. Just like all other leftovers, shrimp can be reheated to eat later. Do not reheat the shrimp after it has spoiled. It should still be thrown away.
Reheating cooked shrimp brings it to a temperature that is okay to eat shrimp at. No one likes cold leftovers, so you may want to throw your cooked shrimp in the microwave for around a minute to heat it up.
Final Thoughts
Shrimp is a popular shellfish that is part of many dishes. Sometimes, you order too much shrimp, so you save some for later. You can keep this cooked shrimp in the refrigerator for around three to four days.
After four days, the shrimp will start to spoil and should be thrown out. You want to put the cooked shrimp in an airtight container to store it in either the refrigerator or the freezer.
You can keep your cooked shrimp in the freezer for a little over six months. After these time periods, you should throw the shrimp away.
