UTILIZATION OF SHItIMP WASTE 107 



Headed cooked slirinxf. — After removal of the heads, the stock is 

 cooked in a brine containing from 10 to 25 per cent salt for 15 to 20 

 minutes. The brine should be boiling when the stock is immersed; 

 at least 4 gallons of brine should be provided for each 10 pounds of 

 stock, and evaporation compensated by addition of hot water, the 

 percentage of salt being controlled by a salimeter. The stock must 

 be completely immersed. A minimum of salt will produce a mini- 

 mum of shrinkage in the stock and is satisfactory when shipping to 

 near-by markets in cool weather. For shipping long distances a 15 

 per cent salt solution should be used. After the cooking the stock is 

 thoroughly chilled to below 40° F. For shipping short distances in 

 cool weather, the stock may be packed without ice in lots of not 

 over 30 pounds. For shipping long distances the stock is packed in 

 1 to 5 gallon cans and shipped in ice. 



For shipment without ice headed cooked shrimp are sometimes 

 packed in kegs in a brine of 15 to 20 per cent strength. This " keg 

 stock " keeps well and is used in the restaurant trade where proper 

 time can be allowed for freshening the shrimp before use. 



Cooked shnmp meat. — Shrimp meats from the picking operation 

 are cooked in a moderately weak brine for several minutes : the 

 character of brining and cooking is determined by the market to 

 be served. The cooked meats are spread thinly upon wire racks 

 for cooling and partial drying. After being thoroughly chilled to 

 35° F. they are packed in parchment-lined cans holding about 1 

 gallon and shipped in ice. 



Canned shrimp meat. — The stock from the picking tables is boiled 

 for 4 to 5 minutes in a brine containing about 1 pound of salt in 1 

 gallon of water. The cooked meat is drained and cooled on wire 

 racks, and weighed amounts are packed by hand into glass jars or 

 parchment-lined cans, either in the natural condition or in a weak 

 brine. Complete filling of the container is avoided in order to fore- 

 stall crushing of the meats. The containers are exhausted, sealed, 

 and thoroughly processed. It is good practice to inspect the pack 

 after a few daj's' storage before sealing in shipping cases. 



Dried sh)H7np meat. — The whole shrimp are boiled in a weak 

 brine ; the character of the cooking is dependent upon weather condi- 

 tions. The cooked stock is spread in a layer not exceeding 3 inches 

 in depth upon wooden platforms where it is dried by solar heat. 

 Provision is made for protection against inclement weather. The 

 dried stock is threshed to separate the meats which are packed in 

 5-pound heavy paper bags, and then 20 of these are placed in a 

 burlap bag. 



The dried refuse is ground to shrimp meal and constitutes a large 

 projjortion of this material now on the market. 



Shrimp pastes. — These are made by rubbing the cooked shrimp 

 meat into a smooth paste to which is added condiments which tend 

 to preserve the paste as well as add to it a desirable flavor. The 

 paste is packed in metal tubes. It is used largely for sandwiches and 

 as a relish. 



TYPES OF SHRIMP HANELERS 



There are two main types of shrimp handlers: (1) The independ- 

 ent dealer who prepares a small amount of iced fresh heads for the 

 market; and (2) the canneries, which not only sell iced headed 

 102539—30 2 



