Peel a Cooked Prawn
A lot of people like to eat prawns, but not everyone knows how to peel one properly. Note: These are instructions are for peeling a cooked prawn (however the method can be applied to green\uncooked prawns.) Hint:Practice on large prawns and then move on to smaller ones, once you have perfected your technique.
Contents
Steps
- Hold the prawn in one hand, between the thumb and forefinger, hold the sides of the prawn making sure that the legs are facing downwards. With your free hand grasp the sides of the head with the thumb and forefinger.
- Remove the head of the prawn in a snapping motion, using downward force. Discard the head. With the hand that was holding the now discarded head, remove all of the legs in a single motion, this will assist in liberating the shell from the body of the prawn.
- Prise the shell off the body with the thumb, starting at the point on the under belly of the prawn from where the legs where removed. If the Prawn was carrying eggs at the time it was caught, this could be a messy job. Pull the tail from the flesh of the prawn. If the previous steps have been performed correctly, the tail and the shell should fall way in one piece, without leaving any remnants of edible flesh in the tail section.
- Finished.
Tips
- For larger prawns, after peeling, an incision can be made along the back of the prawn, thus enabling you to remove the vein.
Warnings
- Avoid the spike on the top of the head of the prawn.
