How to Peel and Devein Shrimp

5 from 1 vote

How to peel and devein shrimp is an easy kitchen skill to master. Enjoy using freshly cleaned shrimp for all your favorite shrimp recipes. Impress your dinner guests with fresh shrimp that looks and tastes amazing.

Prep Time30

Total Time30

Servings: large shrimp

Calories: 12kcal

Author: Brooke & Emma

Ingredients

▢ 1 pound fresh shrimp roughly 33 large shrimp
▢ Ice for keeping the shrimp cold

Instructions

Peeling

Using your fingers, pull off the legs.
Slide your thumb under the edge of the shell on the head end of the shrimp, then peel off the shell.
If you want to remove the tail for ease of eating, pinch the tail where it's attached to the shrimp and pull it off. Skip this step if you want to keep the tails on for presentation.
Rinse and drain the shells, seal in a freezer bag, and freeze for up to 3 months. Use them for homemade seafood stock, which will make gumbo or jambalaya taste amazing.

Cleaning & Deveining

Look for the vein running along the back (top) of the shrimp. It can appear gray, brown, or even yellowish. Run the tip of a sharp pairing knife along the vein.
Use the tip of the knife to pull the string-like vein out, then scrape out any remaining particles with the knife blade. Repeat steps 1 and 2 with the remaining shrimp, keeping the cleaned shrimp in a pan of ice or in ice water until you're ready to use them.
Rinse the peeled and deveined shrimp under cold running water.
Keep the cleaned shrimp on ice and/or refrigerate until ready to cook.

Notes

Keep shrimp on ice or in ice water when peeling and deveining.
Use a sharp paring knife and make a shallow cut along the vein. Work on a cutting board to keep your counter clean, and use paper towels for cleanup.
Want to keep your hands a bit cleaner? Use kitchen shears to remove the shell.
Insert the wooden toothpick closer to the tail section to make a small slit and pull out the vein.
Sprinkle on potato starch, rub it in then rinse it off to make shrimp extra clean after peeling and deveining.

Nutrition