Knife Skills

Devein

Remove the dark vein from shrimp for a cleaner bite

Deveining makes a shallow cut down a shrimp's back to lift out the dark digestive tract, giving a cleaner taste and tidier look. It's a quick prep step for any shrimp dish. A shallow slit with a paring knife exposes the vein, which pulls out in one easy motion.

Deveining removes the dark, gritty digestive tract that runs along a shrimp's back — the 'vein' — for a cleaner taste and tidier appearance. It's a quick, simple prep step: a shallow slit down the back with a paring knife exposes the dark line, which lifts out in one motion. While small shrimp are often fine to cook as-is, larger ones can hold noticeable grit, so deveining is worth the minute. Many cooks butterfly slightly deeper at the same time so the shrimp curls attractively when it cooks.

Difficulty: Easy

Types & varieties

Knife deveining

A shallow slit down the back to expose and lift out the vein.

Toothpick deveining

Hooking and pulling the vein through the shell without slitting, keeping the shrimp whole.

Devein and butterfly

Cutting a little deeper so the shrimp opens and curls when cooked.

How to do it

1
Peel if needed
Peel the shrimp (leaving the tail on if you like) so you can reach the back.
2
Make a shallow slit
Run a paring knife in a shallow cut down the curve of the back, just deep enough to expose the vein.
3
Lift out the vein
Use the knife tip or your fingers to catch the dark vein and pull it out in one piece.
4
Check the underside
Some shrimp have a fainter vein along the belly; remove it too if it's noticeable.
5
Rinse
Give the shrimp a quick rinse to wash away any remaining grit.
6
Pat dry
Blot the shrimp dry so they sear rather than steam.

Is deveining necessary

The 'vein' is the shrimp's intestinal tract; eating it isn't harmful, but in larger shrimp it can carry grit and a muddy, slightly bitter taste, so deveining improves both flavor and appearance. Small shrimp have a barely-there vein that most cooks skip. For a clean look and the best eating on big shrimp and prawns, the quick slit is worth it — and cutting a touch deeper doubles as a butterfly so the shrimp curls nicely.

Common uses

Shrimp for grilling and sautéingShrimp cocktailButterflied shrimp for stir-friesPrawns for curries and pastaGarlic shrimp and scampiSkewered grilled shrimp