Prawns can be cooked in their shells, but it more often especially in home cooking and high quality restaurants they are first peeled and the veins that runs down the back is removed from large prawns because of its appearance and because the vein may contain grit which makes unpleasant to eat. The shells can be used to make an aromatic stock.

Prawns in shell are sold with their heads. These are easily pulled off and will enhance the flavor of stock made with the shells.

How to peel and devein prawns:

1. Holding the prawn firmly in one hand, pull off the legs with the fingers of other hand. Pull of the head above legs. reserve the head for stock.
2. Peel the shell away from the body. When you reach the tail, hold the body and pull away the tail. The shell will come off with it. Or you can leave the tail on the prawn and just remove the body shell.
3. Make a shallow cut down the center of the curved back of the prawn. Pull out the black vain with a cocktail stick or the sharp part of the knife.
4. Repeat with the opposite site to remove the other veil.
5. To devein prawns in the shell: Insert a cocktail stick crossways in several places along the back where the shell overlaps to lift out vein.

Peeling and deveining prawns

Storage

Once cleaned the prawns can be freezed. Store in a zip-locks and they are ready for use once you need them. Store up to 10 in a zip-lock. Freeze also the heads and shells for delicious stocks.

prawns