Fresh Shrimp in Indianapolis: How to Buy Gulf and Jumbo Shrimp at the Counter

Shrimp is one of the most versatile things in our seafood case. It goes into a weeknight saute, a backyard boil, a shrimp cocktail for a party or a basket of fried shrimp at the kitchen. If you are looking for fresh shrimp in Indianapolis, this guide covers what we carry, how to judge shrimp at the counter, how much to buy, and how to keep it cold until it hits the pan.

Where to buy fresh shrimp in Indianapolis

Caplinger's Fresh Catch has two full retail seafood markets, and both carry shrimp by the pound:

• Shadeland Ave, 7460 Shadeland Ave, Indianapolis, IN 46250, serving Lawrence, Castleton, Geist, Fishers, McCordsville and the east side. Phone (317) 288-7263.
• Southside, 7620 S Meridian St, Indianapolis, IN 46217, serving Greenwood, Southport, Perry Township, Center Grove, Bargersville and the south side. Phone (317) 559-2454.

Both markets are open Monday through Thursday from 10am to 8pm, Friday and Saturday from 10am to 9pm, and closed Sunday. Hours can change on holidays, so check Google or call before a holiday trip. Our Pendleton Pike and AMP downtown locations are Seafood Kitchens focused on prepared food, so head there when you want your shrimp fried and ready to eat rather than raw to cook at home.

What shrimp we carry at the counter

The shellfish case at our seafood market carries Gulf shrimp, head-on when available and peeled, along with jumbo shrimp by the pound for peel-and-eat or frying. Our Gulf shrimp are wild white and brown shrimp, caught in the Gulf, with a sweet, briny flavor and a firm, snappy texture. Every item in the case is clearly labeled for exactly what it is, and if you want to know more about any shrimp in front of you, ask the counter. We will tell you what it is and where it is from.

White shrimp and brown shrimp

Both show up under the Gulf shrimp label, and both cook the same way. NOAA Fisheries describes brown shrimp as flavorful and sweet, sometimes with a slight iodine taste, and it lists U.S. wild-caught white shrimp as a smart seafood choice because it is sustainably managed and responsibly harvested under U.S. regulations. If you have a preference, tell us when you order.

Head-on or peeled

Head-on shrimp are a popular pick for a boil. Peeled shrimp save you the work for a stir fry, pasta or shrimp skewers. Head-on shrimp are not always in the case, so call your market ahead if you are counting on them.

Jumbo shrimp

Our jumbo shrimp are sold by the pound and are the ones to buy for shrimp cocktail, grilling or a peel-and-eat platter. Size labels vary from store to store, so the easiest way to compare is to ask how many shrimp make a pound. Fewer shrimp per pound means bigger shrimp.

How to tell shrimp is fresh

You do not need to be a fishmonger to judge shrimp. A few checks cover most of it.

• Look at the case. The FDA advises buying seafood only when it is refrigerated or displayed on a thick bed of fresh ice. At our counter everything is iced and turned daily.
• Look at the flesh. According to the FDA's guide to selecting seafood, raw shrimp flesh should be clear with a pearl-like color.
• Smell it. Shrimp should have little or no odor. A clean, briny smell is good. A fishy, sour or ammonia smell is not.
• Ask to see it. We will show you the catch before we wrap it.

How much shrimp to buy

It depends on how you are serving it.

• For a seafood boil, we suggest planning on about 1 to 1.5 pounds of seafood per person for a hearty boil, with shrimp as one part of the mix alongside crab, crawfish, corn, potatoes and sausage.
• For a main course or an appetizer, tell the counter how many people you are feeding and how you plan to cook the shrimp. We will weigh it out on the spot.
• For a party, head-on shrimp weigh more per serving than peeled, because part of what you pay for is shell and head. Keep that in mind when you compare prices.

Shrimp prices move with the catch, so call your market or check your location's online menu for today's pricing.

Keeping shrimp cold on the way home

Shrimp is perishable, so treat it that way from the counter to the kitchen.

• Put it on ice or in the refrigerator soon after buying it. A cooler with ice in the car helps on a warm day.
• The FDA says that if you will use seafood within 2 days of buying it, store it in a clean refrigerator at 40 degrees F or below. Otherwise, wrap it tightly and freeze it.
• To thaw frozen shrimp, the FDA recommends the refrigerator overnight. If you need it faster, seal it in a plastic bag and set it in cold water.
• Never leave shrimp out of the refrigerator for more than 2 hours, or more than 1 hour when it is above 90 degrees F.

Simple ways to cook Gulf shrimp

Gulf shrimp is best boiled, sauteed, grilled or fried. Whatever method you pick, shrimp is done when the flesh turns firm, pearly and opaque, which is how the FDA describes properly cooked shrimp. A few ideas:

• Boil it. Shrimp, crab, sausage, corn and potatoes simmered in seasoned broth is the classic low-country boil. Pick up corn, andouille sausage and our boil seasoning at the counter, or read our guide on how to throw a seafood boil.
• Saute it. Peeled shrimp in a hot pan with butter and garlic is a fast weeknight dinner.
• Grill it. Jumbo shrimp hold up well on skewers.
• Chill it. Cooked and chilled, jumbo shrimp make a shrimp cocktail. For a party, serve cold shrimp on ice if it will sit out longer than 2 hours.

Rather we cook it?

If you would rather skip the stove, our kitchens fry shrimp to order. The menu has hand-breaded fried shrimp, a 12-piece jumbo shrimp dinner, coconut shrimp, a shrimp trio, a shrimp po'boy and the fried seafood platter. Most shrimp can be grilled or blackened instead of fried, just ask when you order. Every location has online ordering for pickup and delivery.

Feeding a crowd? Our catering team does seafood boils with shrimp, crawfish, crab, sausage, corn and potatoes, plus jumbo fried shrimp, peel-and-eat shrimp and build-your-own po'boy stations. See our seafood boils page to plan one.

A family seafood business since 2013

Caplinger's Fresh Catch opened in Indianapolis on December 26, 2013, and the family's seafood roots go back to 1975. We put intentionality behind every product we carry, and if we would not serve it to our own family, it does not go in the case. For more on where to find every kind of fish in town, see our guide to where to buy fresh fish in Indianapolis.

Shrimp questions we hear at the counter

Are your Gulf shrimp wild-caught?

Yes. Our Gulf shrimp are wild-caught. Ask the counter about any item and we will tell you exactly what it is and where it is from.

Which locations sell raw shrimp by the pound?

Shadeland Ave and Southside. Pendleton Pike and The AMP are Seafood Kitchens for prepared food.

How do I find the nearest market?

Every address, phone number and set of hours is on our locations page.