How To Clean Raw Shrimp
There may be many ways to clean shrimp but learning how to clean raw shrimp the proper way can actually save you hours of working in your kitchen before you cook.
So, what’s 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 should 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.
First thing to take note of in learning how to clean raw shrimp is to break off the heads. This makes it easier to prepare and eat afterwards that’s why there are many cooks who 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’s that easy!
If you don’t want to get all messy, you can easily break off the heads by chopping them with a knife.
Remove the Shell.
With that same knife – preferably, you are using a steak knife with a sharp edge – slowly cut through the shell at the back. Cut from the upper part towards the tail. That should take at least a half 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.
Don’t Forget to Wash Everything.
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.
Rinse everything and your shrimp is ready to be cooked. And that’s it!
There are also other tips that you need to bear in mind.
One is to be careful in handling sharp knives. Sure, you may think that using a sharp knife in cleaning a shrimp is really simple. But, always be careful because even some of the experts sometimes have accidents in using knives while cleaning shrimp.
Another thing to remember is not to leave your raw shrimp out for a prolonged period of time. They may go bad easily, and won’t be fit for cooking and eating.
To help prevent that, be sure that you have a container filled with ice or ice water while you clean your shrimps. You can place the shrimps there after cleaning and deveining them so they won’t go bad while you’re still cleaning some of the shrimps.
Keeping these steps and tips in mind can help you learn more about how to clean raw shrimps and prolonging their freshness as you get ready to cook them.
