~ Peeling and deveining

My recommendation is to always buy your uncooked shrimp with the shell on and peel them yourself. Pre- peeled shrimp are susceptible to freezer burn and are generally less flavorful. Peeling or removing the shell is pretty simple. The vein of the shrimp is actually its intestinal tract and should be removed because it sometimes contains grit and is not necessarily pleasant in taste. To remove the vein from shrimp that are already peeled, simply make a shallow cut down the length of the back with a small sharp knife and pull out the vein. Rinse the shrimp. With unpeeled shrimp, use kitchen shears or sharp scissors to cut the back of the shell down the middle, cutting down the back of the shrimp flesh at the same time. Pull out the vein and rinse. Now you can either peel off the shell or leave it on, as the recipe requires.