This easy-to-follow guide will help you peel and devein shrimp at home with minimal fuss and mess – a simple way to make your seafood look as good as it tastes.
Using your fingers, pull the head of the shrimp away from the tail. Put the heads in a bowl and set aside.
Using a sharp knife, make a shallow opening in the back of the shrimp, then gently peel away the hard shell until you just have the soft shrimp tail. You can keep the bottom of the tail on for a nice presentation (best if you’re serving whole for dipping) or remove.
From the shallow opening you cut, use your fingers to gently pull out the dark vein from inside the shrimp. You can also use tip of a knife if you prefer. Discard the vein and repeat until all of the shrimp have been prepared.
Once they’ve all been de-shelled and deveined, clean shrimps thoroughly under water before using, and make sure to pat them dry. This will get rid of any extra dirt or debris.
How To Store
In The Fridge: Raw shrimp should be sealed in an airtight container or a Ziplock bag with a little water. Store in the coldest part of the fridge and it’ll keep for a day or two. I only recommend doing this if you plan to use the shrimp soon after you peel and devein.In The Freezer: If you used already defrosted shrimp, don't freeze it again. Otherwise, spread out the shrimp on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and flash freeze until they’re solid. This stops the shrimp from sticking. Add your frozen shrimp to a freezer-safe airtight container or Ziplock bag and place it in the freezer. Date and label the container – it’s best used within three months, but can technically last up to a year.
Notes
What to do with the leftover heads and skin? Whilst not edible, the shrimp heads and shells can be kept for making fish stock and broths as they have plenty of flavor in them. Once you’ve made this, then you can discard the excess.Do I have to devein and peel smaller shrimp? Not necessarily. With smaller varieties of shrimp or ready-to-cook shrimp, it’s not always necessary to peel and devein shrimp. It will depend on the size of the shrimp and how much prep has happened before you buy it.