As with other shellfish, shrimp provides a solid source of protein and little fat. A 100 g or 3-1/2 oz. serving contains 20 g of protein, just 1 g of fat and 222 mg of sodium, along with niacin, vitamin B6 and folate. Shrimp tails and shells contain chitosan, a natural carbohydrate polymer used in dietary supplements and food preservation. Despite the benefits of chitosan, if you don't like the texture of the sharpish tails -- and few folks do -- you can remove them.
Step 1
Rinse and dry the shrimp with the tails still on.
Step 2
Cut the shell of a large shrimp along its outer edge using kitchen shears or a shrimp shelling tool, nicking the flesh deeply enough to expose the black stringy vein. Peel back the shell under running water, rinsing off the vein -- the intestine of the shrimp -- at the same time. Pinch and wiggle the tail slowly so that it separates from the shrimp without tearing off the pointed bottom of the shrimp meat.
Step 3
Pull off the legs of small shrimp first by wedging a finger up under the shell and pushing toward the tail to remove the shell in one piece. Remove the tail of a small shrimp by pinching it in one hand and pulling the body of the shrimp away with the other.
Tips and Warnings
- Buy unpeeled shrimp as the peels keep the shrimp moist and flavorful, advises cookbook editor David Joachim in "Brilliant Food Tips and Cooking Tricks." Leave the tail on if your completed dish calls for picking the shrimp up by hand, and remove the tail for shrimp you'll use in stews or soups.
Things You'll Need
- Kitchen shears
- Shrimp shelling tool
References
- "Foods That Harm, Foods That Heal"; Reader's Digest; 2004
- "International Journal of Basic & Applied Sciences"; Preparation of Chitosan from Shrimp Shell and Investigation of Its Properties; Monarul Islama; February 2011
- Brilliant Food Tips and Cooking Tricks: 5,000 Ingenious Kitchen Hints ... By David Joachim, Andrew Schloss
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