Shrimp have a dark vein that runs through their tails. It’s actually their digestive tract and can impart unpleasant flavors if you leave it in. Removing it from peeled shrimp is a pretty easy job if you follow these steps. What’s the easiest way to devein a shrimp?
- Thaw frozen shrimp
- Devein in the shell-Snip down back with shears from the shrimp’s head to tail exposing flesh or
- Remove the shell then
- Make a cut 1/4″ deep down back to reveal the vein
- Pull the vein out of the shrimp through the cut with a knife, fingers, or toothpick
- Rinse out shrimp
- Place back on Ice
When you buy shrimp in the market, the heads are usually already removed for you, and sometimes the legs, deveining the shrimp should be part of de-shelling and prepping them to eat but you can devein the shrimp with the shell left on too.
How to Tell if Shrimp is Deveined
In general, shrimp have been deveined already when you purchase them. Some establishments and supermarkets do not devein the tiniest shrimp, even though chefs and seafood markets believe that it should always be done regardless of size. It’s a judgment call.
Using a paring knife, score the shrimp down its back. Gently run your paring knife around the back of the shrimp to ensure it is not damaged. It is not necessary to make a deep cut a little one will suffice. Locate the vein by following these steps. The vein will appear black-colored lengthy, gritty thread.
Shrimp cook nicely in or out of their shells, although they are much easier to prepare if they are deveined beforehand. You may either remove the shell after locating it or boil it with the shell on and remove it after cooking.
How to Clean Shrimp
If you’re using jumbo or large shrimp, the veins are pretty easy to remove. However, many cooks will skip deveining for small or medium shrimp unless they look very gritty since some find it time-consuming to pull out every vein. Shrimp need to be kept cold while you are working with them. If you’re using frozen shrimp, place them in a bowl of cold water, cover them, and let them sit for 30 mins until they are thawed.
Keep them on the ice or in ice water as you work. If the vein is really pronounced that is dark or thick you may want to devein the shrimp for a cleaner, tidier look. Normally the bigger the shrimp the bigger darker and grittier the veins, which can have an unappealing texture. So it’s best to devein those bigger guys. But if the veins are not very apparent, or if the shrimp are tiny, there’s no need to tediously remove each vein.
- Thaw frozen shrimp
- Keep shrimp in an ice bowl
- Remove shell
- Make a cut 1/4″ just deep enough into the meat down its back to reveal the vein.
- Pull the vein out of the shrimp through the cut in the shell-use a paring knife or your fingers(the vein is fairly elastic, and it rarely breaks)
- Rinse out the shrimp where the vein used to be.
- Place back Ice bowl
Can You Devein Shrimp Without Removing the Shell
- Thaw shrimp
- Snip down the back of the shrimp’s shell with cooking shears from the head to tail exposing flesh
- Make a cut 1/4″ just deep enough into the meat down its back to reveal the vein.
- Pull the vein out of the shrimp through the cut in the shell-use a paring knife or your fingers(the vein is fairly elastic, and it rarely breaks)
- Rinse out the shrimp where the vein used to be.
- Place back Ice water pan or bowl
Shrimp Poop Safe to Eat
That noticeable black vein running down the back of the shrimp is commonly referred to as shrimp poop, but it is in fact that is the shrimp’s digestive tract that contains the poop, as well as partially digested food, that the shrimp has eaten before it was caught. But generally, the black vein is called “shrimp poop”.
A lot of seafood lovers wonder if that part of the shrimp, the black vein, or the “shrimp poop” is safe to eat. Eating shrimps with their digestive tract does no harm. However, when eaten raw, it could eventually harm you.
Do Restaurants Devein Shrimp
Generally speaking, yes, most restaurants devein shrimp or purchase shrimp that have already been deveined. This practice saves time and money and gives the customer who is dining the best-tasting and textured shrimp. Some establishments do not believe in deveining the tiniest shrimp in order to save time and money that is the difference between a fine restaurant and one that is middle of the road.
How to Keep Fish Fresh While Fishing
For great informative articles like this stay with MyWaterEarth&Sky-All freshwater and saltwater fish that are freshly caught within minutes will start to spoil. They will ruin rapidly, especially if it is roughly handled at the Gill Plate and ……………. Continue reading
JimGalloway Author/Editor
References:
Simply Recipies-How to Peel and Devein Shrimp
