Americans and Shrimp Heads
I personally hate the texture, so I avoid shrimp heads. Given that I've only been to a handful of American restaurants that serve shrimp with the heads or shells attached, I'd bet I'm not alone.
But I'm curious if anyone knows of other nations, through their personal or professional travels, that show a similar preference? I imagined it was a Western preference but after time in Paris and London, I've decided this isn't so (unless they too are catering to a small proportion of tourists).
Anyone have any insight?
Best Answer
There is a tradition in southern cooking for boiling Crayfish (crawdads). Boil them in seasoned water, then tear them in half, suck out the head, and eat the tail. So this is possible for shrimp as well. I have done it and seen it done at some seafood restaurants. I don't know that the heads are ever eaten, but they do contribute to the flavor.
I have also seen people from SE Asia (Vietnam, Laos, etc.) that would eat whole shrimp, shells and all. So it is culture dependent. This is true of many foods. While we balk at shrimp heads in America, we love our cinnamon and cumin (sweets and tacos). A lot of asian people I've met, specifically Japanese, find these flavors too strong or 'dirty' tasting. Culture has a lot to do with what foods you find enjoyable, mostly through comfort and familiarity.
Here is an article on taste preferences. It points out the familiarity angle, which is pretty interesting. The more foods you're exposed to before two, the more foods you'll like. After that, you tend to dislike anything new until you 'train' yourself to like it. Except Lima Beans because they are always icky.
The Psychology of hating food and how we learn to love it
While there is a lot of flavor in the head and shell of shrimp, the texture is probably an aquired taste. I also get a bit grossed out when the vein (digestive tract) is still in the shrimp. Depending on how it's processed, this may or may not be an issue. Whether it bothers you or not, you can always process whole shrimp yourself and save the heads and shells. Boil it in a stock pot with some arromatics, and you have a quick, flavorful seafood stock in about 20-30 minutes. Add some seared scallops, clams, chunks of fish, etc.
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Quick Answer about "Americans and Shrimp Heads"
Most other cultures care about flavor -- and heads and shells are flavor. Many Americans care more about convenience than flavor, so most restaurants won't serve head-on shrimp. Maybe with the tail still attached, if it's steamed for dipping on cocktail sauce, but even 'peel-and-eat' generally comes without heads on.Why do people like shrimp heads?
Some might prefer shrimp with the head on as it can add more flavor into the dish when cooking. But even if you have headless shrimp, you can still get some flavor from the shrimp's shell. That is why a lot of people prefer to cook shrimp with the skin still on.What do they do with the shrimp heads?
Shrimp shells, tails, and even the heads are packed with delicious, briny flavor. Save them and make a quick stock to use in seafood sauces, soups, and stews. It just takes a few minutes of stove time to extract the yummy flavors.Are shrimp heads safe to eat?
Yes , they are safe. In fact there are many people who think it's the best part of the shrimp. Although the way it's normally done is by sucking the liquid out of the head rather than eating the whole thing shell and all.What does shrimp head on mean?
Head-on shrimp retain their natural moisture better, resulting in superior flavor and texture, making the task well worth it in the end. Be sure to buy only very fresh shrimp. Avoid shrimp with black dots, as these indicate bacterial growth. Choose shrimp that are firm to the touch, not mushy or waterlogged.Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Images: Anna Shvets, cottonbro, Nicola Barts, EKATERINA BOLOVTSOVA