Do You Always Need To Wash Your Shrimp? We Asked An Expert

You've picked up shrimp from your local market to make sweet and spicy grilled shrimp for tonight's dinner. Before you start seasoning the raw shellfish to cook, is it necessary to clean the critters? We spoke to chef and cookbook author Bart van Olphen, co-founder of sustainable fish company Sea Tales, to get the low-down on the right way to deal with raw shrimp. 

The kind of shrimp you intend to prepare for a garlic shrimp recipe will largely depend on how you handle the pieces before firing up any grill or pouring oil into a warm pan on the stove. "I would suggest you always wash fresh shrimp as they can have a slimy layer," van Olphen explains. "For frozen shrimp it is not necessary, but you can." When you give the shrimp a quick rinse, be sure to use cold water. It's best to stay clear of using warm water for the cleaning step, as hotter temperatures can lead to bacteria growth and impact the texture of the shrimp. 

Similarly, de-veining shrimp is a matter of preference — you can pull out the black veins (actually the creature's digestive tract) in the back of the shrimp either before or after cooking. Not a fan of that fishy smell? Soaking the seafood in cold, salted water to brine the shrimp before adding seasonings and cooking can tone down stronger aromas while bringing more flavor. Should you want to add extra alkalinity to keep pieces tender during the cooking process, consider tossing in baking soda into the briny bath for increased plumpness and a snappier texture. 

You may want to leave the shells and heads of the shrimp intact, however, as the aromatic shells can bring out some of the umami flavors of the shrimp due to the presence of water-soluble compounds known as ribonucleotides. These prep options really come down to personal preference, and you may wish to try cooking shrimp several ways until you hit your ideal results. In which case, browse our 22 global shrimp recipes for inspiration, for ideas like a simple grilled summer shrimp salad or shrimp and okra gumbo.