Should I peel and devein whole shrimps?
I bought some precooked whole shrimp. Do I need to peel and devein them before eating or is it possible to leave this step out? I intend to saute them in garlic butter.
Best Answer
I disagree with Daniel, you can absolutely eat the "vein" in a shrimp. Whole un-peeled shrimp are called peel-and-eat and that's exactly what you can do. Basically, when you are first cooking the shrimp you get the make the shells on/shells off decision and if you go with shells off, you should de-vein, otherwise you just serve as is.
As for preparing already cooked shrimp, you can heat the butter then toss the shrimp in that off the heat. You won't get them hot, but you can knock the chill off while at the same time adding the flavors you want to the party.
I agree that already cooked shrimp is inferior to raw, but you can still make it taste amazing.
The fact that the intestine contains waste matter is a non-issue to your digestive tract, de-veining is mainly a presentation decision and not a health one.
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Quick Answer about "Should I peel and devein whole shrimps?"
Removing the vein is a matter of personal preference and taste, not hygiene. It's not harmful to eat. If the vein is really pronounced—dark or thick—you may want to devein the shrimp for a tidier look. Larger shrimp can also have grittier veins, which can have an unappealing texture.Should you devein whole shrimp?
The tract in extra-large (26/30 per pound) shrimp is typically more visible and can contain more sand particles than smaller shrimp. Therefore, it's a good idea to devein large shrimp. Also, if you are pan-searing or sauteing the shrimp, most would agree that it's more visually pleasing if you remove it.Do you have to devein peel and eat shrimp?
These are especially handy if you tend to cook with a lot of shrimp, as they are an all-in-one tool that can peel, devein, and butterfly the shrimp. It's not necessary to use a special tool to do so, but deveining your shrimp is definitely an important step in the cooking process.Can you devein shrimp with the shell on?
For the shrimp cocktail, the shrimp get poached with their shells on, which makes them more flavorful. you'll want to remove the vein before poaching, though. Here's how: Use a paring knife or small scissors to open the shell along the back of the shrimp, slicing into the flesh at the same time to expose the vein.Do you peel and devein shrimp before cooking?
Unless you're serving a shrimp boil or grilling shrimp for a laid-back get-together, peeling and cleaning shrimp before cooking them makes for a more tasty and attractive presentation. 1. To peel raw shrimp, start underneath, where their legs are attached. If you like, leave the last tail segment on for looks.How to Peel and Devein Shrimp Like a Pro | Food Network
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Answer 2
Yes you need to devein them. The 'vein' is in fact no such thing; it is the intestine, and is thus filled with waste matter.
Yes, you need to peel them. Shrimp shells are indigestible, and serving shrimp (unless meant to be eaten with the fingers) with the shells on is, to my mind, indefensible. There is simply no good way to eat unpeeled shrimp with cutlery.
I would personally eat them cold, as I see no point in re-cooking something that has already been cooked. This will make the flesh tougher.
Answer 3
You can leave both steps out if you wish, although personally I would always devein my shrimp before using. While consuming the 'vein' is harmless, I don't like the idea of eating it.
It is fairly easy to deshell the shrimp before or after cooking, so that is up to preference and cooking application may have a factor. If your shrimp are going to be fairly dry after cooking (which is not true in this case) then its easy to peel them after the fact. Because the shrimp are going to be cooked in a sauce it will be messier to peel after cooking; but if you don't want to touch raw shrimp/don't care then peel after. As Sarge said, cooking in the shell is more flavorful.
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