How To Peel And Devein Shrimp (the Easy, Beginner

Peeling and deveining shrimp is one of those kitchen skills that looks tricky but is actually quick and easy once you know how. I’ll teach you how to easily prep shrimp with only a sharp pair of scissors and a few simple steps.

A tray of shrimp before being peeled and deveined - 1

Peeling and deveining shrimp might seem intimidating if you’ve never done it before, but it’s actually quick, simple, and so worth learning. Once you get the hang of it, you’ll save money, get better texture and flavor, and never be stuck buying pre-prepped shrimp again.

I’ve peeled a lot of shrimp over the years — every summer we pull shrimp traps from our boat, and I process them myself, one batch at a time. In this post, I break down the whole process step by step so you can do it with confidence, even if it’s your very first time. Keep reading, and you’ll be peeling and deveining shrimp like a pro in no time.

Step-by-step instructions

Step 1: Remove the head

Most store-bought shrimp already have the heads removed. If yours don’t, start here.

Rinse the shrimp, then hold the head in one hand and the body in the other. Twist the body gently and pull—the head should come off easily.

Step 2: Cut the shrimp shell

Grab a pair of kitchen scissors. Hold the shrimp with the legs facing down, and insert the tip of the scissors into the shell where the head was.

Make a shallow cut along the back of the shrimp, stopping at the tail.

Steps 3 and 4: Peel and devein the shrimp

Peel away the shell—the legs will come off with it in one easy motion.

Look for the thin, dark vein running along the back of the shrimp and gently pull it out. Rinse the shrimp quickly under cold water to clean them up.

The toothpick method

The toothpick method is really simple: grab a toothpick or skewer, and use it to hook and lift the vein out of the shrimp. This step is totally optional. Personally, I find it easy and a bit faster to just use my hands, but this may come in handy if the vein is particularly stubborn.

About the vein: The ‘vein’ in a shrimp isn’t actually a vein; it’s the shrimp’s digestive tract. It usually contains whatever the shrimp may have eaten, such as sand, so it can have a gritty texture. Sometimes, it’s more prominent and obvious than other times—it depends on what the shrimp ate before it was caught. Even if it’s less visible, it can still contain grit, so it’s best to remove it.

Step 5: Remove the tail

Leaving the tail on is totally fine for presentation or extra flavor, but you can remove it if you prefer. Hold the shrimp, pinch the tail where it meets the body, and gently pull it off without losing any meat.

Final tip:Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels before cooking. This removes excess moisture, helping them cook evenly with a nice sear, which is important when you’re makinggrilled shrimp.

Shrimp cleaner tool

If you’re going to be eating shrimp often, you might be looking for how to peel shrimp in the easiest way possible. While I find the kitchen scissors work a treat, if you like your gadgets, you may wish to get a specific shrimp cleaner tool .

Can I use this method with frozen shrimp?

This is a good method to peel and devein frozen shrimp, too – you just have to thaw them out first.

Can I devein shrimp without peeling it?

You can – this is useful if you’re making a recipe that requires shell-on shrimp. To devein shrimp without removing the shell, follow the steps above, using scissors to cut along the back of the shrimp, then use a toothpick to fetch out the vein without peeling it.