by Chanell Gautreaux

Created on: July 30, 2009

Shrimp are a versatile and tasty ingredient to use when preparing, appetizers, salads, soups and entrees. Fresh shrimp can be purchased a number of ways: in the shells with or without heads, without the shells and deveined, or as is often the case with small shrimp, without shells and not having been deveined.

The reason for deveining shrimp is to remove the intestinal "vein" of waste matter from the shrimp's back before cooking and is the final step when cleaning shrimp that have been purchased still in their shells. If you are into gadgets, there are special tools that claim to make the job of deveining shrimp easier, but many cooks prefer to do it the old fashioned way with a knife.

If you have purchased shrimp without the shells and are not sure if they have been deveined take a look at the arch of the back and see if they are split. If not, chances are the shrimp have not been deveined. If your shrimp are still in the shells you will first need to clean them.

Many people clean shrimp over several layers of newspaper in which they then wrap up the discarded shells when they are done. If you choose this option you may want to freeze the paper parcel of shells in a plastic bag until trash day or your garbage will reek of a very unpleasant odor.

Before you begin you will need a fingerbowl of water to occasionally refresh your fingers while cleaning, paper toweling, newspaper to protect the surface of your table or kitchen counter top, two large plates or bowls for holding clean and then deveined shrimp, a small sharp knife such as a paring knife, a fresh lemon cut in half and another large bowl for the discarded shells (optional). You may also wish to wear disposable gloves while cleaning the shrimp.

The first step in shrimp cleaning is to remove the upper portion of the body which contains the head. Hold the shrimp in your right hand (lefties do the opposite) and with your left hand simply pinch between the two body sections and squeeze to separate the head section from the tail section. Sit the head aside on the newspaper or if you would like to make a stock later for soup place it in a large bowl or freezer quality zip bag.

Next, still holding the shrimp in your right hand remove the legs below the body and working left to right pull up the shell sections. When you get to the very end at the tail give the shell a little squeeze so it slides off without taking any of the shrimp with it. Set the de-shelled shrimp on a plate.

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