How to Peel and Devein Shrimp (the easy, beginner-friendly way)
Detailed video below. Learn how to peel and devein shrimp in just a few easy steps. This simple method makes prep fast, mess-free, and beginner-friendly.
Ingredients
- 2 lb full shrimp
Instructions
- To remove the head, hold the head with one hand and the body with the other and twist the two apart. See notes.2 lb full shrimp
- With a pair of scissors, cut the shell from the opening (where you removed the head) along the top of the shrimp, stopping at the tail.
- Now, peel off the shell.
- The vein is a thin black line located on the top of the shrimp. Once you've removed the shell, simply pull it out.
- If you'd like to remove the tail, hold the peeled shrimp in one hand, squeeze the tail just below where it attaches to the body, and gently pull. This will ensure that you get the bit of meat that is in the tail.
Notes
Step 1: Most store-bought shrimp already have their heads removed. If you buy shrimp from the fisher or catch your own, you'll need to do this step.
Protect your hands: If you've caught your own shrimp or they are alive when you buy them, I highly recommend wearing gardening gloves (or similar) when twisting off the heads. They have extremely sharp antennas, and it's easy to get poked or cut by them.
Shrimp heads, shells, and tails make excellent shrimp stock - don't throw them away! If you don't want to make it today, put them in a bag in your freezer and make the broth when you're ready.
Shrimp tails make handy little holders, but aren't suitable for all recipes.