Ina Garten's Answer To The Shrimp Tails On Vs Off Debate

Whether it's fried up and stuffed into a po' boy sandwich or sauteed to perfection atop a plate of linguine, there's no denying the endlessly versatile appeal of shrimp. But if there is any controversy surrounding the delectable crustacean, it's what to do with the tails. While some diners choose to dispose of it, other foodies firmly believe that you should never remove shrimp tails before cooking. It's true that leaving the tail intact can help enhance the umami flavors of the shrimp, and it is indeed edible depending on how you prepare it. But the tails can also be hard, sharp, and tough to eat — quite the contrast to that soft and tender meaty center we all know and love.

So, to de-tail or not to de-tail? Well, leave it to the Barefoot Contessa to come up with the perfect shellfish solution. During an interview with NPR alongside Stephen Colbert (who recently appeared on her show, "Be My Guest"), Ina Garten settled the shrimp tail debate once and for all. "If you're going to pick up the shrimp by the tail and eat it and then throw the tail away, that's fine," Garten began. "But if you're using shrimp in a dish where you're going to eat it with a knife and fork, it definitely shouldn't have tails on it." And there you have it, folks. Shrimp as a finger food? Tails are a go. Shrimp in a sauce, salad, or soup dish? Tails are a no.

While we'll admit that there can be some exceptions depending on personal preference, Ina Garten's tip for shrimp tails is a pretty good rule to cook by. That fibrous part of the crustacean is made up of tough muscle tissue, along with chitin and chitosan, which are responsible for that hardened exterior. You may not want to bite into it, but the tail works as a built-in handle when you're using your fingers to munch on shrimp cocktail or navigate a seafood boil. It's pretty much a shrimp's version of the bone in a chicken drumstick; easy to bite the meat around, and easy to toss aside when you're done.

But if you're enjoying a plate of shrimp mac and cheese or slurping down a bowl of shrimp and okra gumbo, the last thing you (or your dinner party guest) is going to want to do is to dig around for shrimp tails and have to cut them off between bites. In those cases, it's easier for everyone to remove the tails, at least before serving. You might find that many restaurants leave them on, particularly for aesthetic reasons, but it definitely leads to an inconvenient dining experience.

Now that's not to say that those shrimp tails (and entire shells, for that matter) have to go to waste. In fact, they absolutely shouldn't. We recommend saving them for later to create a flavorful seafood stock that you can then store for use in future fish-focused dishes.