How to Peel a Cooked Prawn

Co-authored by Anne Lloyd

Last Updated: October 21, 2024 Fact Checked

Prawns are delicious and nutritious crustaceans that are frequently enjoyed around the world. While prawns are popular both in dishes and on their own, many people struggle to properly peel them. By first removing the heads and loosening the shell, you can quickly and easily peel prawns either with your hands or by using a spoon and a fork.

How to Peel Cooked Shrimp Fast

Let the prawns cool to a temperature you can touch comfortably.
Twist and pull the prawn’s head off with your thumb and index finger.
Squeeze and pull the legs away, starting from the top (near the head).
Pull back the edges of the shell and peel it away from the body.
Pull the tail off the prawn if you want to remove it.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Peeling Prawns with Your Hands

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If the prawns you’re peeling have just finished cooking, wait about 10 minutes or so before peeling them. The meat under the shells can stay hot for several minutes, so let them cool a bit before handling them with your hands.
2
Twist to remove the head of the prawn. Pinch the prawn’s head between your thumb and pointer finger. With your other hand, pinch the body of the prawn. Then, twist your hands in opposite directions and pull them slightly away from each other until the head of the prawn pops off.^{[1]
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- If you’re having trouble twisting off the head, you can also remove it by cutting it off with a sharp knife.
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3
Squeeze and pull to remove the legs. Starting with the legs closest to top (where the head used to be), grab the legs between your thumb and index finger. Squeeze tightly so you have a firm grip, then pull the legs away from the shell.^{[2]
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- Repeat this process until all the legs are removed.
4
Peel back the shell to remove it from the body. Once the legs are removed, grab ahold of the edge of the shell with your thumb and index finger. Then, pull the shell up and over the body of the prawn, peeling it over the curve as you go. Once the shell is separated from the body, tug on it to release it from the tail.^{[3]
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- Every so often, you may find a prawn with a particularly mushy or soft shell. If this is the case, you may have to pull the shell off in pieces, as mushy and soft shells tend to rip or break fairly easily.
- The tail of the prawn may fall off as you peel off the shell.
5
Pull on the tail of the prawn if you want to remove it. If the tail of the prawn is still attached after you’ve removed the shell, you can remove it easily by pinching it with your fingers and pulling it away from the body of the prawn. For a more upscale presentation, however, you can leave the tails of the prawns attached.^{[4]
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- If you’re planning to eat the prawns in a single bite, or if you’re adding them to a recipe, you’ll likely want to remove the tails.
- Leaving the tails attached can also make it easier to grab the prawns for dipping into a sauce.^{[5]
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6
Remove the vein if the prawn wasn’t deveined before cooking. Using a small knife, create a slit down the back of the prawn to expose the vein. Then, use the tip of the knife to dig under the vein and lift it up out of the meat. Grab the vein with your fingers and pull gently to slide it out of the prawn.^{[6]
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- While the vein of the prawn is edible, it can add a bitter taste.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Using a Spoon and Fork

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1
Lay the prawns out on a flat surface. To begin, spread all the prawns out on a flat surface, such as a cutting board or plate. You’ll need to be able to pin the prawns down in place, so choose a flat surface that isn’t too slippery.
- You may also want to set out a bowl or have a trash can nearby for discarding the heads, shells, legs, and tails as you remove them from each prawn.
2
Hold one of the prawns in place. Using your fingers or the back of a fork, press down on one of the prawns to keep it in place on your flat surface. Make sure that you press firmly enough so that the prawn won’t slide or move.
- While you want to press down firmly to hold the prawn in place, make sure that you don’t press so hard that you squish or crush the shell into the meat.
3
Use a spoon to scoop the head off the prawn. Place the edge of the spoon right where the prawn’s head meets the body. Then, keeping the prawn securely in place, press down firmly on the spoon. Once the spoon penetrates the neck of the prawn, slide the spoon away from the prawn’s body while still pressing it down.^{[7]
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- The head of the prawn should scoop off easily. If it doesn’t, however, you can also use a knife to cut off the head.
Stick the prongs of the fork in the middle of the back of the prawn, right where the prawns body curves. Try to get as close to the shell as possible, sticking in just enough meat to get a secure hold.^{[8]
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5
Stick the spoon under the shell to loosen it. While holding the prawn secure with the fork, place the spoon with the scoop facing down between the legs of the prawn. Gently push it up under the shell and towards the fork.
- Wiggle the spoon a bit to loosen the shell even more before pulling it back out.
Now that the shell is loosened, use the spoon to hold the prawn in place and pull the fork out of the back. Then, move the fork under the loosened shell and stick it securely into the body of the prawn.^{[9]
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Holding the spoon with the scoop side down, apply enough pressure so that you have a firm grip. Make sure that you don’t press too hard, though, as you’ll need the tail to remain attached for now.
8
Pull the fork and spoon in opposite directions. Keeping pressure on both the fork and the spoon, slide them quickly and forcefully in opposite directions. The prawn should slide right out of the shell and legs, and the tail will pop right off.
- Repeat this process until all the prawns are peeled.
9
Devein the prawns if the veins weren’t removed before cooking. Create a slit down the back of the prawn with a small knife to expose the vein. Then, stick the tip of the knife under the vein and lift it up out of the meat. Grab the vein with your fingers and pull gently to slide it out of the prawn.^{[10]
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- Because the vein of the prawn is edible, you can skip this step. However, the veins can add a bit of a bitter taste.

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How do you remove prawn veins?

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Use a sharp kitchen knife to make a slit along the back of the prawn, then gently pry the vein up and out with the tip of the knife. You can also hook a toothpick under the vein to pull it out.

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What is the vein on the underside of a prawn?

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The prawn has a central artery as well as a nerve cord (equivalent to the spinal cord in a vertebrate) along the bottom of its body.

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How can you tell if prawns are fresh?

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Fresh prawns should have a mild smell. If you notice an ammonia smell, that means they’ve gone bad. They should also be firm and should not have a slimy texture or be limp or falling apart. Don’t buy prawns that have black spots on their heads or bodies.

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