Shrimp is the most popular seafood in the United States and accounts for 25 percent of all seafood consumed, according to Coastal Living. If you need any more proof of this, just look no further than Red Lobsters annual Endless Shrimp fest. Those tender and tasty crustaceans can be prepared in a variety of delicious ways, and if youve ever bought them raw, you probably know some prep can be needed before cooking.
In addition to removing the shell — which isnt always necessary — you may have heard of “deveining” shrimp. This entails using a knife to remove that little black line down the back of the shrimp. First off, this isnt actually a vein, but is the shrimps digestive tract — as if that makes it any less gross. And that blackness is… you guessed it, shrimp waste (via The Spruce Eats).
If you choose to leave the digestive tract in place, or can’t completely devein it, there’s no need to worry – there’s no food safety reason to remove it.
Deveining shrimp is more preference than safety protocol
Before you yell, “Of course, you remove that gross black gunk!” lets examine what would happen if you didnt. Obviously, its gross, but if it seems like too much trouble — and it is time-consuming — you can actually skip this step.
“Its not gonna kill you, but its going to be a little grainy, maybe,” Chris Bray, manager of Dirks Fish in Chicago told The Takeout. “Its an aesthetic thing. And its not gonna taste great.” Not deveining the shrimp cooks that sea grit into the shrimp, and lets just say it doesnt add to the flavor.
Some shrimp might not even have that black vein in the back, so skipping it probably wont make much difference at all. This is particularly true in smaller shrimp, so if theres no visible vein, going to the extra trouble isnt worth it because it wont affect the taste.
When it comes down to it, choosing to devein the shrimp is more about aesthetics and taste — not seafood safety.
If, however, you dont want to take any chances with even the smallest trace of digested waste in your food, you might want to invest in a shrimp deveining tool. 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. Its not necessary to use a special tool to do so, but deveining your shrimp is definitely an important step in the cooking process.
Peeling and deveining shrimp can be a tedious process, but its not as bad as accidentally crunching into a shrimp shell while youre trying to enjoy your seafood pasta. While its convenient to grab a bag of already deshelled, deveined shrimp at the supermarket, its the significantly pricier way to go. Thats because as much as its a hassle to remove, that vein is not something you want to be eating. According to The Takeout, shrimp are bottom feeders, which means they eat off the ocean floor.
Deveining shrimp first starts with deshelling it. Simply Recipes explains that the vein is located on the outer crevice of the shrimps back, underneath the shell. To access the vein, youll need to fully remove the shell, then make a shallow incision with the tip of a paring knife. This will expose the vein so you can then push it out with the tip of the knife and discard it. According to Cockles and Muscles, smaller shrimp doesnt always need deveining, as the digestive tract is just too tiny and inconvenient to remove, and if this is the case, you probably wont taste a difference.
You may assume this has nothing to do with a vein running along their back, but that vein isnt actually a vein at all. Its the shrimps digestive tract, meaning it contains all the undigested food matter and digested waste. Cooking and eating shrimp with the vein intact isnt harmful in any way, but it will contribute a gritty texture to your dish. And unless youre cooking a shrimp dish thats flavorful or saucy enough to mask it, youll likely be able to taste some muddiness too.
Is it really necessary to devein shrimp?
FAQ
Is it OK to eat shrimp that is not deveined?
Is it really necessary to devein shrimp?
What happens if you don’t peel shrimp?
Do I have to remove shrimp poop?
What happens if you don’t devein shrimp?
Some are surprised to learn that not deveining your shrimp can change the way your shrimp turns out. The major change is its taste. Compared to a shrimp that has been deveined, you will find that both the taste and texture will be different. Whilst the taste can only be described as unusual and almost mud-like, its texture will be gritty.
What are the side effects of eating shrimp?
Shrimp allergy can be identified from signs and symptoms that appear after consuming shrimp or smelling it, such as itching, the appearance of red plaques on the skin, swelling in the face, especially in the eyes and mouth, and in the throat creating the feeling of a lump in the throat.
Can you get sick from deveined shrimp?
Chances are you won’t get sick from shrimp (whether or not it’s deveined) unless it’s undercooked. Only buy shrimp that’s been refrigerated, hasn’t passed expiration, doesn’t have an odor, and looks shiny and translucent.
Should you devein shrimp?
It is the shrimp’s digestive tract, and its dark color means it is filled with grit. Should you devein the shrimp, and if there is no dark thread visible, is it necessary to do so? The decision to devein shrimp is basically a matter of personal preference and aesthetics, not hygiene, and the vein is not harmful to the human body if eaten.