Where to get BIG prawns?

[sidekickdmr]

Im doing a big birthday BBQ next month and as well as the standard meat, I'd like to do some scallops and big butterflied prawns.

Tesco king prawns wont cut it, I'm looking for a bit of a wow factor.

Happy to buy online if need be, or do a Costco run, I’ve looked in a couple of local fishmongers but nothing special.

As always, Value for money is also important, no point recommending some that cost £5 each.

Thanks

[HarryFlatters]

Our local Morrison's occasionally have some monsters in, but you'd probably be best contacting your local fishmonger and ordering them.

[anonymous-user]

Costco or Chinese Supermarket I reckon.

[HarryFlatters]

Vandenberg said:

Chinese Supermarket I reckon.

Was just coming back to edit my post to say this.

Our local Matthew's does massive fresh prawns, and also dirty cheap frozen ones.

[warp9]

Another vote for you local Chinese supermarket. They are graded in size up to your massive gambas type ones and come in a frozen block. Great for parties and not too expensive.

[FurtiveFreddy]

Chinese supermarket should be able to sort you out, but if you're anywhere near Camberley I'd also recommend checking out this fishmonger:

http://passionateaboutfish.co.uk/

Their fish is top quality, so you may find them over your budget for the prawns but they also currently make up their own BBQ skewers using various fish/marinades.

Edited by FurtiveFreddy on Tuesday 9th August 10:07

[sidekickdmr]

Ill have a look for a chinese supermarket, thanks

FurtiveFreddy said:

Chinese supermarket should be able to sort you out, but if you're anywhere near Camberley I'd also recommend checking out this fishmonger:

http://passionateaboutfish.co.uk/

Funnily enough I just moved from Farnborough and used to go here a lot, a really good shop!

However I'm now Devon based, so a bit of a commute for some prawns.

[brrapp]

A decent fishmonger will get them for you as long as you give him notice. These are available at the commercial markets they buy from, but they won't buy something like this on spec as they might not sell and there is a big potential for them to be wasted. I've fished for these in the past in both the Irish and North sea, 10% of the catch went to the UK (mostly for restaurants) and the rest went to France or Spain, not much of a market for decent quality shellfish in the UK.

[brrapp]

sidekickdmr said:

Funnily enough I just moved from Farnborough and used to go here a lot, a really good shop!

However I'm now Devon based, so a bit of a commute for some prawns.

If you're in Devon, that makes it easier, how about Brixham fish market?

[FurtiveFreddy]

sidekickdmr said:

Funnily enough I just moved from Farnborough and used to go here a lot, a really good shop!

However I'm now Devon based, so a bit of a commute for some prawns.

Closer to the sea, but further from the (shell)fish.

[seyre1972]

Hi - not sure whereabouts in Devon you are - but if you;re near the coast/fishing town - maybe you can buy direct from the boat ...

Obvioulsy one of those if/when they have them and if they are iwlling to sell to you direct etc.

If you're near Brixham harbour ....

Fish Market

[sidekickdmr]

Yes I'm right near Ilfracombe, which is a fishing town, although they didnt have any on show I'll give the local fishmonger a call and see if they can get some (they actually have their own fishing boat too)

[mizx]

I'd recommend kingcrab.co.uk if you want vfm, some farmed but always had good stuff from them.

http://www.kingcrab.co.uk/acatalog/Whole-Tiger-Pra...

I've had the Argentinian pink ones before for seafood boil which were good, they have langoustine etc. too.

[Soov535]

sidekickdmr said:

Im doing a big birthday BBQ next month and as well as the standard meat, I'd like to do some scallops and big butterflied prawns.

Tesco king prawns wont cut it, I'm looking for a bit of a wow factor.

Happy to buy online if need be, or do a Costco run, I’ve looked in a couple of local fishmongers but nothing special.

As always, Value for money is also important, no point recommending some that cost £5 each.

Thanks

Find a good chinese supermarket. You'll get a sack full of what look like basically small lobsters (!) for £10


These are MASSIVE and it's a MASSIVE bag.

http://www.orientaltreasure.co.uk/wholesale/3262-s...

Edited by Soov535 on Tuesday 9th August 10:37

[FurtiveFreddy]

Soov535 said:

Find a good chinese supermarket. You'll get a sack full of what look like basically small lobsters (!) for £10


These are MASSIVE and it's a MASSIVE bag.

http://www.orientaltreasure.co.uk/wholesale/3262-s...

'Sing Kee' - I hope that's not what happened to the boat that caught them...

[21TonyK]

All fishmongers will have a box of frozen tiger prawns kicking around. They're normally about £9 a kilo.

However, they come in from Vietnam and are not brilliant. I have had several boxes that had partially defrosted then refrozen which means the meat turns to mushy paste when cooked.

Or most supermarkets have tiger prawns on their fish counter, again defrosted frozen prawns.

[Evoluzione]

Leeds market:





I'll pop some in a jiffy bag for you.

Edited by Evoluzione on Tuesday 9th August 10:52

[anonymous-user]

If your going to the chinese supermarket, and your wanting a bit of wow factor for your guests and they have a BBQ palate that goes beyond carbonised sausages and burgers.

I would recommend picking up a box of blue soft shelled crabs. Despite the initial skepticism of my guests they loved them.

[WCZ]

Vandenberg said:

If your going to the chinese supermarket, and your wanting a bit of wow factor for your guests and they have a BBQ palate that goes beyond carbonised sausages and burgers.

I would recommend picking up a box of blue soft shelled crabs. Despite the initial skepticism of my guests they loved them.

can you eat the crab straight up like that?

[FurtiveFreddy]

WCZ said:

can you eat the crab straight up like that?

It does mess with some people's minds, but even my girlfriend who is a bit fussy when it comes to shellfish really likes them now.

A less popular snack is popping a whole prawn in your mouth - head, shell, legs and all. Not a shrimp. A proper prawn. Got that from a Japanese colleague. Nice every now and then but I wouldn't eat a big bowl of them that way.