Test Kitchen video tip: Fresh or frozen shrimp -- which is better?

When it comes to buying shrimp, “fresh” is not always better. Because they have such a short shelf life, most of the commercial shrimp we buy are caught, cleaned and quickly frozen (labeled IQF, or “individually quick frozen) before shipping to their final destination.

When you buy non-frozen shrimp at the market, you’re almost always paying for the fish counter or market to thaw the shrimp for you, and you have no idea how long ago it was thawed. Buying the shrimp still frozen is often cheaper and more convenient (you can buy in bulk, thawing as you need them) than buying non-frozen, even safer.

Cooking is fun — at least it should be! No matter how long you’ve been in the kitchen, there is always something new to learn, whether it’s a simple twist on an old technique, or a handy tip to save time and energy. In this series of short videos, I demonstrate a variety of kitchen tips, ranging from how to hold a chef’s knife for maximum control to using a spoon to peel fresh ginger. If you have any gadgets, kitchen tips or questions you’d like me to explore, leave a comment or shoot me an email at noelle.carter@latimes.com.