There's pineapple shrimp, lemon shrimp, coconut shrimp, pepper shrimp, shrimp soup, shrimp stew, shrimp salad, shrimp and potatoes, shrimp burger...

Thanks to Bubba in Forrest Gump, we know of the versatility of shrimp. Who doesn't recall the scene where he ticks off the multitude of shrimp dishes?
(If you just answered "I don't...", stop reading this and go watch Forrest Gump. Come back when you are done watching and crying, please.)
There are dozens of kinds of shrimp. Krill are shrimp. Sea monkey pets are shrimp. Big shrimp, little shrimp, shrimp with horns (that seriously hurt...)....
Personally, unless I'm making some Louisiana gumbo, I prefer fresh North Carolina shrimp. There is no shrimp sweeter. (Stay with me, Louisiana Faithful...) Thanks to my husband's family, I have been immersed in NC shrimp, and stand by what they taught me. Regardless of which shrimp you use, there are a few things you should consider.

1) Fresh vs. frozen. Shrimp, raw or cooked, does not freeze well. It will come out mushier or mealier than it should. In the event never frozen shrimp can not be found, use frozen. Try and get it from a place with a good turn-over, or from a local fishmonger who can likely tell you when it was caught and frozen.

2) Head-on vs. no head. The heads of shrimp impart a delicious flavor on any dish, which is why you see their heads sticking out of true paellas. That, and it looks cool. If you do not intend on cooking with the head, you can twist them off (very simple, like opening a bottle) and use them in any fish broth, stock, or dish you may be making. They will freeze just fine, so don't be afraid to save them up (pre or post cooking) and keep them waiting for the day you want to make shrimp bisque or clam chowder. In some Asian dishes, you eat the head as well. I'm uncertain how this works, but it is supposedly delicious. If you are in a hurry, don't want to deal with heads, or they creep you out, get just the tails. Tails are especially good for cocktails.
Please note that pre-peeled shrimp is not listed. It is worth it to buy the shrimps in the shell and peel them yourself. The shell helps to keep the shrimp moist and flavorful.

3) Size. The number listed shows how many you get per pound. 20-25 is a great size for cocktails and most dishes. 30-35 are great for pasta dishes. I used 15-18 head-on shrimp (pictured above), which will go on the grill without skewers. Head-on 15-18 shrimp are about the same as head-off 20-25. Obviously, without heads, you get more per pound, which is why they cost more.
Now that you know the basics, we get to the very old debate: Devein, or not devein... that is the question.
If you watch food network, you have probably seen someone on some competitive cooking show lose points here or be disqualified there for leaving the vein in a shrimp tail.
This is because the vein is really the intestine, and some people don't want to eat shrimp poo.

Do I think it absolutely necessary to clean a shrimp every single time? No. That said, the only time I do not clean shrimp is when we have shrimp throw-down cocktail on the Outer Banks. I know where the shrimp came from, and I don't have the patience to clean 40+ shrimp. Besides, why mess with perfection?
Deveining makes a nice slit in the back of the shrimp that allows marinade to seep into the shrimp while keeping it moist during cooking, and the added bonus of having the head packs a flavorful punch.

For all others, especially as they get up there in size (larger shrimp = larger intestines...), clean as follows:


Set-up: I have the bag the shrimp came in, ready to take any garbage and be tied up and tossed out. Lesson #1: Shrimp parts left out will waste no time in making your house smell like a dead raccoon.

Also, a container for the shrimp, paper towels, and a sharp paring knife. I have never used a shrimp deveiner, but they exist, and I hear are delightful.
Once you get into a rhythm, this will go faster than you expected.You can usually see the dark vein of the shrimp through the shell:
Step 1: Hold the shrimp as pictured above. Starting at the base of the tail, make a shallow slit down the back of the tail. I do this by holding the paring knife blade side up (don't get your face too close to your hands) and opening as if you would an envelope or lobster tail.

Step 2: Use the knife blade to remove the vein.You found orange, you say? Congratulations! It's a girl!


Your shrimp are clean and ready for whatever you have planned!

(See what I have planned for these shrimp in my next post!)