RECIPES

Mountain shrimp are packaged in a protective atmosphere and will keep unopened for several days without any loss of quality if stored in the refrigerator at 2 °C. For frozen mountain shrimp, we recommend consuming them within 6 months!

In general, mountain shrimp taste best when cooked in their shells, since the shells contain a great deal of flavor that is released into the meat during cooking. When preparing them in the shell, remove the intestinal tract, wash them thoroughly under cold running water, let them drain on a dish towel or paper towel, and continue processing them once they are dry. However, depending on the preparation method or dish, this isn’t always possible or desirable.

To peel them, lift the head end of the mountain shrimp along the back and pull the head section downward and away. Now carefully pull away the lower section, including the legs, without breaking off the tail meat, which is attached to the head. Finally, cut the mountain shrimp open on both sides from the head to the tip of the tail and break off the shell with your fingers. The tail section can be left intact or peeled as well. As a general rule, peel the shrimp only immediately before cooking.

Tip: We recommend not throwing away the shells (also called carcasses). They’re excellent—whether raw or cooked—for making stocks, soups, or Styrian mountain shrimp butter.
The carcasses can also be frozen until you’re ready to use them.

If preparing the mountain shrimp whole, with the shell on, cut open the shell along the back using Styrian mountain shrimp scissors—from the head to the tail. Then carefully make a small cut in the flesh with a knife and remove the intestine using the tip of the knife or a toothpick.

Grasp the mountain shrimp with one hand and bend it in the middle. With your free hand, insert a toothpick between the shell plates that become visible when you bend it. Now use the toothpick to pull out the intestine.

For peeled mountain shrimp, carefully make a slit along the back and remove the vein with the tip of a knife or a toothpick.

No matter how you prepare them, never cook, sauté, deep-fry, grill, or steam mountain shrimp for too long, as the meat becomes tough very quickly and loses its wonderful flavor as a result. The meat is most flavorful when marinated raw or cooked to a core temperature of about 55 °C.

For purists who want to enjoy the pure, nutty, slightly sweet, full-bodied flavor “unadulterated”: salt, pepper, and perhaps a little garlic and lemon juice. Otherwise, the full range of herbs and spices harmonizes beautifully with the distinctive flavor of mountain shrimp meat. Those who like to experiment can try everything from cumin to cinnamon to ginger and mustard. There are virtually no limits to your culinary creativity!

When marinated overnight or for a few hours and then prepared for the grill or skillet, the delicious mountain shrimp meat reveals its rich, flavorful notes. Oily marinades work exceptionally well here. You should definitely try Styrian mountain shrimp marinated raw at least once. However, freshness is especially important for this.