Prawns can be cooked with or without their shell but most recipes call for the shells to be removed at some stage. Learn how to do it the easiest way with our top tips, then use your freshly prepped prawns ready for your next prawn cocktail or curry.
Do you peel prawns before they are cooked?
You can peel prawns while they are raw or after cooking. Although leaving the shells on as they cook will give your dish more flavour. The method is the same for both approaches but, of course, you must wait for the prawns to cool down enough for you to be able to handle them if they have been cooked, so this can add time onto your meal prep.
How to prepare and peel prawns?
Follow these simple steps for peeling raw or cooked prawns. You can use the heads and tails to flavour broths and sauces:
1. Grip the body of the prawn in one hand and twist off the head with the other
2. Turn the prawn over and, using your thumb, pull the shell open along the length of the belly, working from the head along to the tail. removing the segments of shell as you go
3. You can keep the tail on or pull it off by gently pinching the tail shell and easing the rest of the prawn away.
Do I need to remove the black intestinal tract?
It is safe to eat this however, depending on how full it is, it can e gritty and bitter. To remove this black vein, using a small sharp knife, cut along the back of the prawn alongside the intestinal tract then gently lift it out using the tip of the knife.
How do I butterfly peeled prawns?
Butterflying your prawns gives them a flatter, more even surface which means they can cook through more easily. To do this it’s best to leave the tail on after peeling, then cut along the belly of the prawn in a line from the head end and finish as you approach the tail, then press to flatten out. This allows flavours to get into the prawns and is a great way to get prawns ready for deep frying or barbecuing, try our easy recipe:
Metric
Imperial
- 1 lemon
- 2 garlic cloves
- 2 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil
- 1 pinch of salt
- 1 pinch of freshly ground black pepper
- 300g of large king prawns, peeled and butterflied
Zest and juice your lemon. Crush the garlic and mix together along with the olive oil and salt and black pepper
- 1 lemon
- 2 garlic cloves
- 2 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil
- 1 pinch of salt
Stir the butterflied prawns into the lemon and garlic marinade and put in the fridge for 30 minutes to marinate
- 300g of large king prawns, peeled and butterflied
Heat your BBQ then thread the prawns on to skewers. Cook for 3-4 minutes on each side until cooked through
What dishes can I make with peeled prawns?
With their sweet taste and brilliant ability to absorb flavours, prawns are the perfect protein for curries, stir fries and laksa bowls, as chef Mandy Yin shows us. Atul Kochar recipe is an epic mixed seafood curry where prawns are heroed along with other fresh shellfish, or try a twist on a classic with our spiced prawn cocktail.
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