How to clean prawns properly is one of the first kitchen skills every seafood lover should know. I learned the easy way to clean, peel and devein prawns at home only after I got married, when cooking became part of everyday life. Here's how to do it with step-by-step photos and a quick video tutorial.
In our home, peeling and deveining prawns is a little teamwork. My husband handles peeling the shell-on prawns, and I take care of deveining them properly. That way, the task never feels boring, and we always end up chatting while working together.
If you've been avoiding buying shell-on prawns (or shrimp) or don't know how to clean prawns, don't worry, it's much easier than you think. I'll show you simple steps to clean and devein the prawns so that you can use them to make prawn ghee roast, prawn sukka, or this prawn masala.
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What you will learn about cleaning prawns
This post covers everything you need to know before cooking prawns. You will learn how to:
- Clean prawns step-by-step
- Devein prawns neatly
- Handle fresh and frozen prawns
- Store cleaned prawns the right way
What will you need?
Before you start cleaning the prawns, you will need a few things. It will make the work faster and easier.
- A large bowl for prawns.
- A small bowl for shells and waste.
- Clean water to rinse the prawns.
- A small, sharp knife or a toothpick.
- Kitchen tissue to pat it dry.
Before you start
- If you are using frozen prawns, thaw them first. Place the frozen prawns in a bowl of cold water (room temperature) for 30 minutes. Rinse and drain.
- Work near the sink. It saves a lot of time.
- Clear the counter and keep the waste bowl nearby.
If you like to clean seafood at home, you might also like how to clean squid.
How to clean and devein prawns at home
Step 1: Rinse the Prawns. I am using fresh prawns. Before you start peeling and deveining your prawns, rinse them in cold water. It will remove any sand sticking to it.
Make sure the water is cold or at room temperature. Never use warm or hot water to clean the prawn. Warm water can make prawns cook too quickly and turn soggy or rubbery while you’re cleaning them.
Step 2: Remove the head. Start by removing the prawn's head. Hold the prawn’s head with your thumb and index finger. Use the thumb and index finger of your other hand to hold the body (image 1). Twist the head gently to remove it (Image 2). The head will come off easily (Images 3 & 4).
Step 3: Peel off the prawn's shell. Start peeling from the side where the legs are. First, pull off the legs. Then use both thumbs to crack the shell open from the softer underside (image 5). Peel only halfway and stop (image 6).
Step 4: Remove the tail (Optional). Hold the meaty part with your thumb and index finger, and pinch the tail. Pinch the prawn gently at the spot where the tail shell joins the soft flesh, then pull to remove the shell (Image 7). The shell will slide off easily (Image 8). You can leave the tail tip on if you like.
Step 5: Devein the prawns. Hold the prawn as shown in the picture (Image 9). Use a sharp knife and make a shallow cut on the back. Run the knife gently along the back from the head end to the tail (Images 10, 11 & 12). Do not cut too deep.
You will see a thin black line in that cut (Image 13). That is the intestinal tract. Take out this vein. Pull this out with the tip of the knife or a toothpick, and pull it out in one piece (Images 14, 15, and 16). Discard it.
Step 6: Rinse again quickly. Put the prawn under cold water for a second to wash away any leftover (Image 17). Drain (Image 18). Pat them dry. Put the cleaned and deveined prawns in the fridge if not cooking right away.
Cleaned and deveined prawns are ready. Use them immediately or store them in the freezer in an airtight container or zip-lock bag. Stays good for a month. Try making prawn ambotik, prawn curry, or prawn biryani.
Expert Tips
- Use fresh or properly thawed prawns for cleaning.
- Don't soak prawns in water for too long, it will make them soft.
- The dark vein at the back is the digestive tract. Removing it makes the prawns taste cleaner.
- You can leave the tail on if you like it, like we did in our Cajun shrimp recipe.
Prawns Cleaning FAQs
1) Buy fresh, shelled prawns, because removing the shells takes away some of the natural flavour and oils. Prawns stored on ice are better than the deshelled prawns that come packaged.
2) Check the colour of prawns. Prawns should be white, greyish, or naturally brown without any dark spots or discolouration.
3) Smell prawns. Fresh prawns or shrimp have a mild seafood scent. Avoid any that smell strongly fishy, which indicates that they may be going bad.
It's not necessary and also a matter of personal preference, but I always remove it. The dark line on a prawn or shrimp's back is its digestive tract, often called the "vein." According to WebMD, eating it won't harm you, but it can taste gritty or unpleasant. To remove it, cut the back with a sharp kitchen knife and pull out the vein.
Peel the prawn. Make a shallow cut along the back. Use a toothpick or the tip of a sharp knife to lift out the vein. Discard it. Rinse the prawn under cold water.
In cold water (quick way): Put the prawns in a bowl or colander and place them under cold running water. In about 5 minutes, the prawns will thaw and will be ready to use.
If you have time, take the prawns out of the freezer and keep them in the fridge overnight. By morning, they will be ready to cook.
Never use hot water because it can spoil the texture.
How to Clean Prawns
Equipment
- 1 sharp knife
Instructions
How to Clean Prawns
- Rinse the prawns. Place prawns in a bowl and rinse under cold or room-temperature water. Avoid warm or hot water, as it can start cooking the prawns and make them rubbery.
- Hold the prawn by the head with one hand and the body with the other. Twist gently to remove the head.
- Peel starting from the side with the legs. Remove legs first, then crack the shell from the softer underside using your thumbs. Peel only halfway. Hold the meaty part and pinch the tail to slide the shell off. You can leave the tail tip on if you like.
How to Devein Prawns
- Make a shallow cut along the back from head to tail. Do not cut too deep.
- You'll see a thin black line (intestinal tract). Remove it using the tip of a knife or a toothpick. Pull it out in one piece and discard.
- Rinse the prawn quickly under cold water to wash away any leftover residue. Pat prawns dry with a paper towel. Store in the fridge if not cooking immediately. You can freeze it for storing it for long time.
Video
Notes
- While cleaning and deveining a large batch of prawns, I always keep them in cold water or ice water. Cold water prevents the flesh from becoming soft and mushy.
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