How to Clean Shrimp

Shrimp is a great way to get some lean, satisfying protein into your family's diet. It cooks quickly, which is a bonus for those weeknights when you are short on time and energy. Once you know how to clean it, you can incorporate delicious shrimp dinners into your menu rotation. Read on to learn how to clean shrimp.

Things You'll Need

• Shrimp
• Small paring knife or deveining tool
• Toothpick or knife tip
• Bowl
• Water

Instructions

1. Pull the legs off of the shrimp, if they have not already been removed. Peel back the shell, and remove both the shell and the tail.

2. Run the shrimp under cool running water and slide off any remaining shell. Do not let pieces of the shell go down the drain. You may want to run the water into a colander or bowl to prevent this from happening.

3. Hold the shrimp in one hand with the tail end facing you and the curved side up over the sink or a bowl.

4. Make a shallow cut down the black "vein" of the shrimp on the curved back of the shrimp using a paring knife or deveining tool to expose the "vein."

5. Use a knife tip or toothpick to scrape out the black "vein." You can also run it under cool water and scrape it out using your finger.

Tips & Warnings

• The 'vein" is actually the shrimp's digestive tract. While it is edible, it certainly makes the shrimp much more appealing if it is removed.

• If you will be steaming or boiling the shrimp, you should leave the shells on until the shrimp are cooked.

• You should not eat shrimp if you are allergic to shellfish.

Resources

• eHow article "How to Buy Shrimp"