How To Peel and Devein Shrimp

Learn how to peel and devein shrimp with this easy step-by-step instructional photo and video guide. Once you learn how to clean shrimp yourself, you won’t have buy already peeled shrimp anymore.

If you’re constantly spending extra money at the seafood counter having to buy already peeled and deveined shrimp, I’m here to help. Before we start, I would like to reassure you that it’s really easy to do and once you try it a few times, you’ll be a pro.

Unless you grew up with professional chefs or lucky enough to live on the coast, you may feel intimidated. I don’t blame you, shrimp have a hard outer shell that looks like armor and a lot of tiny hairy legs. Whole shrimp with heads still attached may seem even scarier. 

Not to worry, the shell comes off very easy and so does the head. Cleaning out the veins does take a few extra minutes but it’s also easy. (And, it’s a very important step.)

WHY DO IT HAVE REMOVE THE VEIN?

You may be tempted to leave the vein in because it’s tedious work, especially when you have to clean a couple of pounds of shrimp. But I assure you, it is a necessary step. 

The dark “vein” running along the back of the shrimp is actually its digestive tract. The tract runs along the entire shrimp and it can be packed or barely have anything there. Either way, you must remove it. Everything that shrimp ate, including dirt and sand will be in its digestive tract. 

Nothing is worse than biting into the shrimp and seeing that dark line or tasting sand. It’s very unpleasant and the exact reason why we clean the shrimp.

HOW TO PEEL AND DEVEIN SHRIMP

If the head is still attached, pull it off.

Step 1:

Start pulling off the shell by the legs, cracking the underside. When you feel a small crack, pull on the legs to the side and pull the shell off the meat. Be assertive, larger shrimp have a tougher shell. You can choose to pull off the tails or leave them on. Keeping the tails on makes a nice presentation but it’s much easier to eat shrimp without tails. 

If you do decide to take off the tail, pinch it with your fingers and slide it off. 

Step 2:

Use a paring knife or another small knife to slice the top of the skin all along the back. Cut very gently to only cut through the top thin layer of skin to expose the “vein.”

When you see the dark, long string, use the tip of the knife to gentle pull it out. Use your hands to gently pull on it to take it out of the shrimp. (Note: some shrimp may not have a large vein or visible one at all. That’s okay, just rinse out the cut with cold water.)

Rinse the shrimp under a gentle steam of cold water and it’s ready to cook or marinate. 

WAYS TO COOK SHRIMP

Now that you have that beautiful, clean shrimp, it’s time to cook. Shrimp is one of those proteins that is great to cook with any method and it’s done in just a few minutes. 

You can cook shrimp on stove-top, in a hot skillet, grill it, fry it, or bake it in the oven. No matter what method you choose, shrimp takes up to 5 minutes to cook. Large shrimp may take a minute or so longer and small shrimp would take less than 5 minutes. 

Some of my absolute favorite stove-top shrimp recipes are Shrimp Alfredo and Shrimp and Grits.

When it comes to grilled shrimp, try my Cajun Grilled Shrimp, Cedar Plank Shrimp, or Spicy Grilled Shrimp. 

Shrimp is also great in appetizers like my Cajun Shrimp Dip and in cold salads like Avocado Shrimp Salad. 

If you made any of my recipes and shared them on Instagram, make sure to tag me @willcookforsmiles and #willcookforsmiles so I can see all the things you tried!

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