Introduction to the Processing Methods and Detailed Steps of Dried Shrimp

Dried shrimp is a famous seafood product, made from cooked and dried shrimp such as the spear shrimp, wool shrimp, ridgetail white prawn, and prawns.

There are mainly two processing methods for dried shrimp, namely the boiling method and the steam method. The boiling method is the traditional processing method and is currently widely used. Its processing method is as follows.

1. Raw material handling: Before boiling, the raw shrimp must first be sorted by quality and size. Shrimp mixed with sand and dirt must be thoroughly washed clean in clear water, and small shrimp, small fish, and debris must be removed. To avoid the shrimp developing a stuck-skin appearance, the raw shrimp should be soaked in cold water (preferably ice water) for about 20 minutes before boiling.

2. Boiling: Use clean drinking water for boiling, with a weight ratio of water to raw material of 4:1. Add 5%-6% salt based on the weight of the water. First bring the salt water to a boil, then put the raw shrimp into the pot. Boil each pot of shrimp for about 6 minutes. During boiling, use a strainer to constantly stir the shrimp in the same direction along the edge of the pot, and remove the foam from the surface of the water. Scoop the shrimp out of the water; if the shells quickly turn white, it indicates they are fully cooked and can be removed immediately. For each pot boiled, add an appropriate amount of salt to maintain the concentration of the salt water. After about 5 pots, the salt water has become cloudy and needs to be replaced in time.

3. Drying: There are two methods for drying shrimp: sun drying or oven drying. Scoop the cooked shrimp into a basket, drain the water, and then put them out to dry. If there is cloudy and rainy weather, they should be spread thinly indoors to air-dry, and must not be piled up, to avoid the inside of the shrimp overheating and spoiling. When sun drying, spread the shrimp on a straw mat or bamboo curtain and turn them appropriately so they dry quickly and evenly. If conditions permit, the cooked shrimp can be cooled slightly and then evenly spread on a bamboo drying curtain and pushed into a drying tunnel for drying. The temperature of the drying tunnel should be kept at 70-75°C, for 2-3 hours.

4. Shelling: A shrimp shelling machine can be used for shelling, or it can be peeled by hand. Hand-peeled dried shrimp have bright color, are intact, and have a high yield of finished product. For a small amount of dried shrimp shelling, you can also put the shrimp into a hemp sack, hold the sack with both hands, and beat it on a cement floor or stone slab to remove the shrimp shells.

5. Packaging: Sieve the shelled dried shrimp, grade them, and package them by grade according to size and appearance quality. Small plastic bags can be used for fixed-quantity packaging, generally 500 grams or 1000 grams per bag, and finally packed into large cardboard boxes.