Buying pre-peeled and deveined shrimp when you go grocery shopping is really tempting. After all, you just want to enjoy your meal, not deal with the messy process of making it edible. However, you pay extra for these prepackaged versions when doing it yourself is actually very easy! Here’s how you can do it all by yourself with just a paring knife.
Why Deveining Matters
You may be surprised to learn that what’s referred to as “the vein” isn’t part of the shrimp’s circulatory system at all, but rather its digestive tract. It’s not harmful to eat it, but its texture is often offputting, which is why it’s recommended to remove it.
It’s easier to devein shrimp after taking the shell off and once the head is removed. While you hold it flat against a cutting board, use your knife to cut along its back. Make sure you follow the curve of the shrimp, starting down at the tail and moving up to the head.
Thaw Frozen Shrimp First
Be sure not to cut too deep, only going about a 1/4 inch in. Once you see the dark line, AKA the “vein,” you can use the tip of the knife to separate it and pull it out. Simply repeat this process for each shrimp, ensuring you clean the knife each time.
If you’re dealing with frozen shrimp, thaw them thoroughly first so that you don’t risk the knife slipping and injuring yourself. While this process may seem tedious, with these simple tips and tricks, you’ll be enjoying your delicious shrimp in no time without worrying about muddy tastes or gritty textures from the vein. You’ll also have saved yourself the money on a process you can easily do on your own!