Sometimes when cooking shrimp, there's no need to peel them—such as for braised shrimp, tomato-braised shrimp, or pan-fried shrimp—but you still need to remove the digestive tract, extract the "sand sac" from the head, and trim off the sharp rostrum and legs. Let's go through how to prepare whole shell-on shrimp together.
How to devein whole shell-on shrimp
Step 1: Starting from the head, count down to the first joint and insert a toothpick to break the vein (Figure 1).
Step 2: Insert a toothpick near the last joint close to the tail and lift to break the vein (Figure 2).
Step 3: Use your fingers to pull out the vein (Figure 3).
Remove the shrimp's rostrum (the sharp pointy part on the head) and the "sand sac" (the digestive tract located behind the eyes).
The "sand sac" is the waste found inside the shrimp head; if you enjoy eating the heads, you must remove it, otherwise it will taste bitter and be unhealthy.
Step 1: Hold scissors parallel to the shrimp's head and cut off the sharp rostrum (the pointed spike) by snipping in the opposite direction of the head. Even if you don't remove the sand sac, you must trim the rostrum to prevent injury when eating (Figure 4).
Step 2: The base of the shrimp's head will have a small opening (Figure 5); insert a toothpick into this opening, locate the "sand sac" (Figure 6), and then remove it (Figure 7). The "sand sac" is a roughly triangular pouch; once removed, you can safely eat the shrimp head.
Trim the shrimp whiskers and legs.
Step 1: Use scissors to cut off the sharp front part of the shrimp head to prevent it from poking your mouth while eating (Figure 8).
Step 2: Straighten the shrimp and use scissors to trim off the legs in a parallel cut (Figure 9).
③ After preparation, whole shell-on shrimp (Image 10) are very convenient to eat once cooked.
The secret to making shrimp bouncy and crunchy is to rinse the peeled shrimp under cold water, pat them completely dry, then mix with a pinch of salt, a teaspoon of egg white, and a teaspoon of cornstarch, stirring in one direction until the mixture is fully absorbed, then refrigerate for at least 15 minutes before cooking.
We always admire how restaurants manage to make shrimp so crunchy and bouncy, with that perfect texture, but what many don't realize is that nearly all of those beautifully textured shrimp have been soaked in alkaline water or marinated with baking soda, which isn't great for your health if eaten regularly, so I've been searching for a healthier alternative, and finally I've adapted a technique from Huaiyang cuisine chefs to share with you here.
① After deveining the shrimp, add salt at a ratio of 15 g salt per 500 g (about 1 lb) of cleaned shrimp and mix well (Image 11). Gently rub with both hands for 15–20 minutes, then cover and refrigerate for about 8 hours. Note: refrigerate, do not freeze!
Step 2: When ready to use, wash the shrimp to remove the salt, rinse them several times with clean water, then let a very thin stream of water run over the shrimp for about half an hour (Figure 12).
Note: For whole shrimp with shells, the key to achieving bouncy, tender shrimp meat is to first rinse the shrimp thoroughly, then gently massage them with a pinch of salt and cornstarch, rinse again, and pat dry before cooking.
Note: For whole shrimp with shells, the key to achieving bouncy, tender shrimp meat is to first rinse the shrimp thoroughly, then gently massage them with a pinch of salt and cornstarch, rinse again, and pat dry before cooking.
Always first mix the salt evenly with the shrimp, then rub them between your palms—be sure to trim your nails short first, or you may tear the shrimp.
As you rub the shrimp, you will notice some very fine foam forming—this is completely normal and indicates that the salt ratio is correct.
Rinsing the shrimp after removing them from the refrigerator is a crucial step, because the shrimp have been rubbed with salt for a long time and then marinated in the fridge, allowing the salt to penetrate deeply. Simply rinsing them a few times is not enough to remove the excess salt, so after a few washes, you need to run a thin, steady stream of water over the shrimp for at least half an hour, letting the continuous flow slowly draw out the excess salt. When preparing this for the first time, you can blanch one shrimp to taste for saltiness, which will help you estimate the appropriate rinsing time.
The times given here for rubbing and refrigerating the shrimp are what I consider optimal for the best texture. If you're preparing shrimp on short notice, there's a quicker method: rub the shrimp for 10 minutes, then spread them flat in the freezer for 10 minutes (ensuring even cooling), then quickly rinse and wash them under running water—no need to rinse for too long since the marinating time is short; just wash a few times and rinse for a few minutes. While the texture won't be as good as shrimp that have been refrigerated for a longer marination, it's still far better than untreated, soft shrimp. Although this process is meant to give the shrimp a bouncy, crisp texture, the salt rubbing and water rinsing also leave the shrimp's surface smooth and shiny, washing off most of the black membrane and making them look more appealing—a two-for-one benefit!
After cold marinating, when cooking the shrimp, if additional seasoning is needed, be careful with the salt—generally it's recommended not to add more salt. Simply toss the shrimp with a little egg white for a silky texture, then add a small amount of cornstarch to create a slight stickiness. The egg white ensures the shrimp are smooth and tender. Although this method involves several steps, the texture is excellent and it's also a healthy approach. If you're aiming for the perfect texture, it's well worth a try.
