There may be many ways to clean shrimp but learning how to clean raw shrimp the proper way can save you hours of working in your kitchen before you get to cooking it.

So, what is an easy way to learn how to clean raw shrimp? How many steps do you think are involved to learn how to clean raw shrimp like an expert? Lots? Not really. Just a few basic things that need to be kept in mind.

As many experts know, you may just have to remember three steps to learn how to clean raw shrimp.

Break Off the Heads

The first step to do while cleaning raw shrimp is to break off their heads. This makes it easier to prepare and eat them afterwards. This is the reason why many cooks prefer breaking off the heads of the shrimp while they clean it. To break off the heads, just use your thumb and your index finger, and pinch off the heads and discard. It is that easy!

If you do not want to get all messy, you can easily break off the heads by chopping them with a knife.

Remove the Shell

The next step after breaking off the shrimp’s head would be to remove the shell. Using a knife, preferably, a steak knife with a sharp edge, slowly cut through the shell at the back of the shrimp. Cut from the upper part towards the tail. The cut should be at least half an inch deep.

Now, place the shrimp under running water. Use the tip of the knife to devein the shrimp. There are times when you need to give a little tug in order to remove the vein.

Remove and discard the shell of the shrimp by taking hold of the legs. You will notice that the shell actually comes off quite easily.

Wash Thoroughly

Rinse your shrimp thoroughly and then, they are ready to be cooked! It is really as simple as that!

Some More Tips

There are some more tips that you need to bear in mind while cleaning raw shrimp.

Be careful while handling sharp knives. Sure, you may think that using a sharp knife and cleaning a shrimp is really simple. But, always be careful because even experts sometimes have accidents while using sharp knives to clean shrimp.

Another thing to remember is not to leave your raw shrimp out for a prolonged period of time. They may get spoilt and may not remain fit for cooking and eating. To help prevent this from happening, be sure that you have a container filled with ice or ice water while you clean your shrimp. You can place the shrimp in this, after cleaning and deveining them so that they do not go bad while you continue cleaning all the shrimp for cooking.

Keeping the  above mentioned steps and tips in mind can help you learn more about how to clean raw shrimps and prolong their freshness as you get ready to cook them.

The process of cleaning shrimp is as important as the way you cook it. Let us look at the steps involved in cleaning a whole shrimp.

Required Tools and Materials

Start by gathering the necessary equipment and utilities.

• plastic bag
• colander
• gloves (optional)
• shrimp
• plastic toothpick

Steps Involved in Cleaning the Shrimp

rinsing the shrimp: The first step is to thaw the shrimp. Use warm water. Do not use a microwave to thaw the shrimp because you might end up cooking it!

removing the unwanted parts: Hold the shrimp in the middle section. Hold the head and pull it. Take out any other parts that will not be required for cooking. You can also take out the feet. These are underneath the shrimp. They look similar to grass. Continue cleaning the shrimp by removing its tail. Discard the outer shell as well. Some people like to keep the shell on and so discarding or retaining the shell is up to you. The same holds good for the tail also. Put the discarded substances in the plastic bag, secure it tightly and dispose it.

removing the veins: The vein looks like a dark string in the back of the shrimp. You can use a toothpick to take the vein out. A knife will also do the job. If this is too difficult, get a deveiner to do it for you. If possible, have it removed while buying the shrimp.

wash thoroughly: Put the shrimp in the colander bowl. Rinse it with cool water. This step is necessary to eliminate any leftover feet or other undesirable pieces. After cleaning the shrimp, keep it in a separate bowl.

Other Methods to Clean Shrimp

Here is another method you could try to clean a whole shrimp.

• Take a couple of bowls of ice. The first bowl can be used to store the pre-peeled shrimps. The other bowl of ice can be used for the skinned shrimp. Grab the shrimp with both hands. Place your thumb beneath the point where the head terminates. Press your thumb deeper until the shell comes off.
• Continue this movement all the way around. Pull the shell off carefully. Take your time doing this in order to ensure that the meat does not disintegrate. You can take out the tail or leave it if you prefer it that way.  The presence of the tail does not affect the taste of the meat.
• Get a knife and make a small cut as you are cleaning the shrimp. Cut from the tail up to the vein of the shrimp. Use the knife to remove the vein. The vein has to be removed because leaving it on will make the shrimp taste very bitter. You can use the knife to pull it out or use your fingers.

Tips and Warnings

Keep the following tips and warning in mind while cleaning your shrimp.

• Be very careful while using the knife.
• When prying off the parts, try to be firm but gentle. Too much force might damage the meat.
• There are stores that sell cleaned and peeled shrimp.
• When cleaning shrimp, always take note of the recipe you are making. This way, you will know exactly what to take out and what to leave on. For instance, some recipes call for the head to be present. Some Asian cuisines leave the head on. There are also African and European meals that call for the head to remain with the body. Those who have tasted the head say it is one of the most sumptuous parts of the shrimp. So, understand the requirements of the recipe and then, clean the shrimp accordingly.

When it comes to cleaning wax off apples, you have several options. Listed below, are some of the most effective ways to clean the wax off apples.

Vinegar, Water and Other Solutions

The following are some of the steps you can take to get rid of the wax on apples.

using apple cider vinegar:  Take a small amount of apple cider vinegar. Use a paper towel or clean cloth and wipe the apple with the apple cider vinegar. Wash the apple afterwards. You can also use white vinegar to get rid of the wax.

using warm water: You can also place the apples in a bowl. Add some hot water to the apples. If this method does work in cleaning the wax off the apples, you will be able to see the wax, floating in the water.

using detergent: You can also use a very mild detergent. Mix the detergent with water. Get a brush and using it, gently clean the wax off apples by moving the brush in  a circular motion. Mix equal parts of both water and the detergent. If you are going to use white vinegar and water, the amount must again be equally proportionate. After using the detergent or vinegar, ensure that you wash your apples thoroughly. You do not want the acidic vinegar’s taste to linger and you certainly would not want to taste detergent!

Other Methods to Clean Wax Off Apples

spraying the apples: You can spray the apples if you prefer. Put the apples in a bowl. Put the water or vinegar (or both) in a spray bottle. Spray the apples. Leave them for five minutes. Rinse each apple separately or  pour water in a bowl and put the apples inside the bowl. Make sure you wash the apples thoroughly.

using baking soda: You can also try this recipe for cleaning wax off apples. The materials required include:

• a couple of tablespoons of baking soda
• 300ml of water
• a tablespoon of lemon juice

Mix the above ingredients and wipe the apple with the mixture. Wash the apples properly and check if you have managed to get rid of all the wax.  If it does not work, add another tablespoon of lemon juice to the mixture and repeat the process.

vodka: You can also use vodka to wipe off the wax. You need to wash the apples thoroughly after you wipe it using vodka. Vodka can leave a distinct taste and so, it is very essential to wash it well.

microwave: You can also put the apples in a microwave. Turn it to defrost and leave the apples there for half a minute. Use a paper towel to clean it.

peeling the apples: Although many people do not recommend peeling the apple as you would be removing the vitamin-rich skins, this is yet another option for removing the wax off the apples. You could do this by using a potato peeler. You can also use a hard brush for cleaning wax off apples.

Should the Wax be Removed?

Wax is put on apples so they can be harvested earlier. In addition, it promotes longer storage life. But some believe that the wax contains chemicals that could be dangerous, so it is best to remove them. In particular, it is claimed that pesticides could linger in the wax. This might have some ill effects. Others say that there is no evidence that waxing makes the apple susceptible to microorganisms. For most people, the matter of cleaning the wax off apples boils down to taste. Apples just do not taste as good when the wax remains on them. If you are one of those, consider trying any of the above mentioned methods to get rid of the wax, coating the apples.

If you like to eat fish, you must realize how essential it is to learn to clean fish properly. If you camp out alone and catch a good supply of fish, who would you rely on to clean your catch but you? That is why it is very important to learn how to clean fish.

The following simple steps will take you through the the entire process of cleaning a fish.

Procedure to Clean Fish

The following includes the list of simple steps, involved in cleaning a fish.

washing the fish: The first step in our cleaning process includes washing the fish thoroughly. Preferably, use fresh tap water to clean your fish. Using stream water or lake water may result in adding unwanted contaminants to your fish.

gutting the fish: Next thing to bear in mind is to remove the scales. You can do this by simply scraping the fish with  the blunt side of your knife. You can use a fish scaler to remove the scales, if you have one. Start from the tail end and work your way to the head of the fish. Use short , clean strokes to do this. You will not need to remove the scales of the fish if you plan to skin it before cooking.

making the cut: Next, it is time to make a small cut on our fish. Cut from the gills of the fish to the vent.

gutting the fish: Now, this is where it gets a bit messy. But there is no cause for worry. Just remember that you are almost done. You need to get the entrails from the fish’s cavity. Use your fingers to do this. Be sure that you have everything out of the fish before you proceed to the next step.

cleaning the inner part of the fish: After removing everything from within the cavity of the fish, it is now time to rinse the inner part of the fish. Wash the fish thoroughly. Use fresh cold water to wash the inner and outer parts of the fish.

removing the dorsal fin: If you plan to cook the fish whole, in order to remove the dorsal fin, make clean cuts on each side of the dorsal fin and then, using pliers, carefully remove the fin.

storing the fish: While storing the fish, cover it with clean ice and place it in a container from which water can drain freely, once the ice begins to melt.

Tips and Warnings

While cleaning your fish, keep the following pointers in mind.

• While storing the fish, ensure that the cavity is not facing up, because you do not want the cavity to be filled with water.
• Remove the fins and avoid trimming them because the base of the fins could have bones and these will continue to remain within the fish.
• Avoid keeping the fish in a container where the water from the melted ice does not drain properly. You do not want the water to touch the fish and so, ensure this water drains properly.
• While removing the scales of the fish, use the dull side of the knife, a butter knife, the edge of a spoon or better, a fish scaler because you do not want to gash or cut the flesh of the fish while cleaning it.

As you can see, cleaning a fish is quite simple. The next time you go fishing, you can yourself do a fine job of cleaning your priced catch!

Cleaning asparagus requires a slightly different approach from other vegetables. Here are the things you need to do before you begin cooking asparagus.

The Cleaning Process

Firstly, you do not need to immerse asparagus in water. A lot of vegetables require you to wash them first. That is not the case with our asparagus. Hold the stalks beneath running water. Rub them together, but do not do this too roughly. To clean the tips, you should turn the spears upside down.

Cutting the Spears

The thin spears can be eaten. However, it is necessary to cut a small portion of the ends. Thicker spears are a little different. While cleaning asparagus of this type, the spears need to be sliced at the hard sections.

Find the section by grabbing one cut end. Hold the middle spear with your other hand. Snap it until it breaks. Throw the cut end away. While the spears are edible, some people like to take them out entirely.

It is totally up to the recipe you are making. Some require the spears to be there, while others do not need them. Peeling is not done usually.

Selecting Asparagus

Knowing which types of asparagus to buy is important. If possible, go for the medium sized ones and below. Asparagus comes in green and sometimes purple. Before cleaning asparagus, get the ones that are a bright green.

For freshness and juiciness, check the bottom part. Avoid those that have ridges at the stem area. Steer clear of wet and soft asparagus. The spears should also be straight up. Size wise the spears ought to be roughly the same.

Storage

Put the asparagus in a glass. It needs to be standing up with a tiny amount of water. Better yet, wrap the asparagus in paper towels. Put it in a plastic bag and seal it. This will allow you to keep the asparagus for a couple of days.

Tips and Warnings

If you do not want to break the spears when cleaning asparagus, you can use a knife. Make the cut at the point where the white and green colors meet. Make sure to cut out the fibrous parts. To remove the skin, you can use a vegetable peeler.

Slice about ¾ of the way down. Leave the tip intact. Just press your fingers a little into it and you will feel it has softened.

If the spears are thin, peeling probably won’t be necessary. The woodiness by the way, is caused by age. The vegetable has reached the point when the sugars have turned into starch.

Try to avoid overcooking asparagus. This will cause the vegetable to become too mushy and very unpalatable. If you have fresh asparagus, wash with cold water.

Make sure all bugs are removed. Next, boil it in water with salt and butter for a few minutes. The water can be used as tea. You can also use the microwave to prepare the vegetable.

Cleaning asparagus properly is part of the secret to cooking it right. By using the techniques suggested, you will have it cleaned properly and it will be  prepared the right way for your cooking.