Q. I sometimes make a sautéed shrimp dish with tomatoes, garlic, onions, and herbs. Since I’m the only one at home that likes shrimp, I typically end up with leftovers. I usually heat the leftovers up on the stove or bake them in the oven, but it’s so time consuming that I often just end up throwing the leftovers away. It’s such a waste of good food, and shrimp isn’t exactly cheap! I would like to bring some leftovers with me to work and heat them up in the microwave, but I don’t know if the shrimp will get all rubbery if reheated that way. I don’t want to waste good food. Can you microwave shrimp?
Can you microwave shrimp?
A. Your shrimp dish sounds absolutely delicious! The best part is, yes, you can microwave shrimp! Shrimp can get rubbery if it is overcooked or microwaved at too high a temperature for too long, but if you reheat it gently that shouldn’t be a problem. Having a dish with liquid in it will also help keep the shrimp from drying out too much. Start with shrimp that has been refrigerated for no more than 24 hours. Shrimp does not last long in the fridge once cooked, and it is always safer to eat fresh seafood than seafood that has been left out or lying around for too long.
First start by transferring the leftover shrimp dish into a microwaveable container. Give the entire dish a stir so that the shrimp has been coated in some of the vegetables and liquid. This will also protect against it drying out or getting too rubbery when reheated in the microwave. Cover the top with paper towels or a microwave cover so that there aren’t any splatters. Then, microwave it on medium high heat in one minute intervals, stirring the dish in between. Stirring helps to distribute the heat, and checking after each minute helps prevent from overcooking the shrimp. When the shrimp is at the desired temperature, remove from the microwave and let it stand for a few minutes before eating. Slice one shrimp in half and take a taste to make sure that it has been heated all the way through.
Refrigerate any uneaten shrimp promptly, and consume it within the next 24 hours. I don’t recommend continuously reheating shrimp that has been reheated previously. Discard any leftovers after that to be on the safe side.