How to Peel, Clean & Devein Prawns

From fresh seafood platters to pasta dishes and stir fries, there’s no question that cooked prawns are an Aussie favourite. Versatile and delicious, this culinary delight is suited to just about any occasion, at any time of the year, whether it’s a casual family dinner or an extravagant Christmas luncheon. 

In this ‘Manettas How to’, we run through the basics of prawn preparation, giving you an easy step-by-step breakdown on how to make the best of this succulent shellfish.

How to peel prawns? 

Before getting stuck into the nitty gritty, it’s best to thoroughly rinse your fresh prawns in cold water and leave them sitting in a bowl of ice water as you start the peeling process. 

Step 1

Firmly grip the body of the prawn in one hand, using your other hand to grasp the head.

Step 2

Twist the prawn head and pull away from the body to remove it. You may also choose to cut the head off with a knife for a clean cut.

Step 3

Hold the prawn belly-up and starting with the legs nearest the top of the body, begin by pinching the legs between your thumb and index finger, proceeding to pull them away from the shell.

Step 4

Continue pinching and pulling the legs from the body in segments until all have been removed. 

Step 5

Next, starting from the top end, peel the shell from the fleshy body until you reach the tail. 

Step 6

Pinch the tail with one hand while firmly grasping the body with the other.

Step 7

Gently pull the two away from each other. You may also choose to skip this step if you prefer to keep the tail attached.

Step 8

Ensure to remove any remaining excess that may still be adhering to the flesh such as small shell fragments.

Alternate methods:

Method 2

Alternatively, you may like to replace steps 3-5 by simply using your thumb to dig underneath the shell (near the headless end) around the side of the body, proceeding to peel the shell and legs away from the body in one fluid motion. The legs should naturally fall away with the shell. Continue this process down the prawn in segments until only the tail remains. 

Method 3

Again, replacing steps 3-5, you may choose to use a pair of kitchen shears or scissors to make a shallow cut starting at the top part of the back of the prawn. Continue cutting down the spine of the prawn to make a long slit along the shell, stopping just short of the tail. You may then peel away the shell and legs with ease, priming the prawn for deveining.

Handy Tip

It’s worth noting that larger prawns may be an easier option to practice on if you’re not too familiar with the process of peeling prawn shells.

How to Devein Prawns?

If you’ve ever taken a bite out of a freshly cooked and peeled prawn, you may have noticed that it had a thin black lining that ran down the length of its back. This is actually the prawn’s digestive tract, also known as the sand vein. 

While it’s not harmful to eat, it does tend to carry a gritty texture and even a slightly muddy taste. For this reason, it’s common practice to remove the intestinal lining through a process known as ‘deveining’. 

Deveining prawns begins with:

Step 1

Holding the peeled prawn in one hand while making a shallow incision with a small sharp knife in the back of the prawn, nearest the headless end.

Step 2

Cut a small slit along the middle of the prawn’s back to expose the dark vein. You may also choose to use kitchen shears instead of a cutting knife.

Step 3

Pinch the end of the vein at the top of the body and gently pull it back from the exposed flesh. You may also choose to remove the vein by wedging the tip of your knife under the lining around halfway down the back of the prawn and gently lifting the vein out.

Alternatively, you may like to devein your prawns without exposing all the flesh along the back. In this case you should:

Step 1

Use a toothpick or a skewer to peirce the flesh around midway along the back.

Step 2

Gently try and scoop out the vein with end of your toothpick/skewer.

Step 3

Once the vein is exposed, pinch it and gently pull it from the back of the prawn.

How to Clean Prawns?

The easiest way to clean your freshly peeled and deveined prawns is with a bowl of cold water. 

As you finish deveining each prawn, simply dunk them in the water, using your fingers to remove any unwanted excess.

Then to remove excess moisture, pat dry with a paper towel and place your cleaned prawns in an empty bowl or on a plate. Voilà, you’re one step closer to a delicious seafood platter.

Handy Tip

If you’re looking to give a little extra edge and tastiness to your prawn dish we recommend brining your prawns. An incredibly versatile preparation technique, brining allows your prawns to remain juicy during the cooking process while also promoting a firm texture.

Here’s how you can take your uncooked prawns to the next level:

Step 1

For every 500g of green prawns, mix 2 litres of water,  ¼ cup of kosher salt and ¼ cup of sugar together in a bowl until dissolved.

Step 2

Add the prawns and let sit for 30 minutes.

Step 3

Drain the prawns in a colander and rinse with cold water.

Step 4 

Pat dry with a paper towel.