How to Devein Boiled Shrimp

Deveining shrimp will enhance its flavor and appearance.

Knowing how to clean and prepare shrimp is an important step in creating a seafood dish, but unfortunately it's includes one of the more unpleasant steps: removing a shrimp's digestive tract. This process, known as deveining, is mostly a cosmetic one and may not even be necessary if the vein is small enough. Regardless, most people prefer to have shrimp deveined, so it's a useful step to learn. Removing the vein can enhance the appearance of your dish and also remove the possibility of any unwanted flavors caused by digested material left inside the shrimp.

Things You'll Need

• Boiled shrimp
• Sharp knife
• Deveining tool

Instructions

1. Hold the shrimp upside down and firmly pull off the legs. Peel off the rest of the shell and be careful not to damage the shrimp. The tail may be removed or left on according to preference.

2. Make a shallow cut down the back of the shrimp with the knife until the vein is exposed. Look for a long black stringy substance that extends the length of the shrimp's back.

3. Slide the point of the deveining tool under the vein and run it down the length of the back, removing the vein.

4. Discard the vein and rinse the shrimp with cold water to remove any remains of the vein or leftover pieces of shell.

References

• Gourmet Fusion Store Blog: How to Devein Shrimps or Prawns
• FineCooking.com: How to Peel and Devein Shrimp
• RecipeTips.com: How to Prepare and Devein Shrimp