There’s a lot of talk about bees these days, and one of the most important questions is whether we need stricter rules on how pesticides can be used in farming. Does the issue ultimately boil down to bees vs. farmers? Unearthed columnist Tamar Haspel takes a closer look.
This week in Food, Emily Horton goes against the crisp-tender trend by cooking summer vegetables the way her grandmother did: until they are so soft they fall apart and taste so good. Jane Black talks about Ronni Lundy’s new book, “Victuals,” which is a love letter to the food and people of the Appalachian region. And Smoke Signals columnist Jim Shahin talks to a man from Fredericksburg who is sure barbecue came from Virginia to find out more about its history.
Good news: Tamar, Ronni and Jim are on the guest list for todays Free Range chat. As usual, it starts at noon sharp and, as usual, we expect a fun and lively hour. So pour yourself something cold — its hot out there — and settle in for a spell. Advertisement.
Need a little something to get you started? Heres a leftover question from last weeks chat.
When I eat out, they do it, but I would never cook shrimp at home with the tail shell still on. Not being able to taste any sauce or other flavors because 20% of the shrimp meat is stuck inside is very annoying. Is there a reason for doing this, other than having little pink handles?.
Come sit right here by me: You’re a soulmate. I have been ranting about this for years. I wouldn’t say it’s one-fifth of the shrimp, but it’s an extra bite that you have to work hard for. So what’s the point?.
Fiona Lewis, a seafood expert, told me there doesn’t seem to be a reason to do it.
“I have absolutely no idea why it’s done,” she says. And she should know. Lewis is a co-owner of the District Fishwife, a seafood shop and restaurant in Union Market. She has worked in restaurants in the United States and her home country of Australia for many years. Advertisement.
She does allow some slack where it makes good sense. “With cocktail shrimp, it’s nice to have a little handle,” she says. “For cooked shrimp that could be put on a platter and people could grab what they want, I’m in the tail-on camp.” ”.
For shrimp served with pasta or in sauce? “I can’t take it any longer when the tails are left on,” It’s horrible,” she said.
A lot of people defend or at least try to explain the practice on the Internet, which is what I did. Some of them are chefs. People say that leaving the tails on makes the food look better, adds flavor, makes the shrimp look bigger, makes things easier for the restaurant, and adds something crunchy and tasty. I don’t care. I don’t want to have to pull that last shrimp piece out of its sticky shell on a plate that’s full of butter or sauce. Advertisement.
If you cook, of course, you can do it your way. Yes, Lewis is right. There are times when leaving the tail on makes sense, like when you’ll be dipping it in a sauce. Here are some recipes from our Recipe Finder that will make both camps happy.
Shrimp are a delicious and versatile ingredient that can be prepared in endless ways. However one question often comes up when cooking shrimp – should you remove the tails before eating them? As a food blogger always looking to provide helpful tips in the kitchen, I decided to dig into this tail dilemma and get the scoop on whether or not shrimp tails should be removed.
The Case for Keeping Tails On
After researching, I found there are some compelling reasons to keep shrimp tails intact when cooking
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Easier to handle – The tails give you something easy to hold onto when eating or stirring shrimp in a pan or pot. No more chasing slippery little shrimp around your plate or pan!
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More flavor – Shrimp tails contain a good amount of fat, which helps keep shrimp moist and juicy while cooking. The shells also contain compounds that enhance the shrimp’s sweet, briny flavor.
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Nutritious – Surprisingly, shrimp tails are edible and digestible. They contain protein, fiber, calcium, iron, and B vitamins. Why throw away extra nutrition?
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Visually appealing – Whole shrimp with tails curled look much more appetizing than stumpy, tail-less shrimp. The tails give height and visual interest to shrimp dishes.
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Slow cooking maximizes flavor – Slow cooking methods like simmering in stew or broth allow time for the flavors from the shells and tails to seep into the shrimp flesh, taking the flavor to the next level.
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Stock potential – Shrimp shells and tails can be used to make a nutrient-rich, flavorful shrimp stock. Simply simmer the tails, shells, and heads in water with vegetables like carrots, onions, and celery.
Reasons for Removing Tails
However, I found there are also some reasons why you may want to remove shrimp tails:
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Aesthetic preference – Some diners simply don’t like the look of whole shrimp with tails on. The tails can seem messy or unappetizing to certain people.
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Quick cooking methods – If you are cooking shrimp very quickly by methods like grilling, broiling, or sautéing, the tails don’t have time to impart much extra flavor. So you may as well remove them for easier eating.
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Dislike chewing tails – Some people find shrimp tails unappealing to actually eat and chew. If you are grossed out by eating the tails, obviously go ahead and remove them first!
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Presentation purposes – In certain dishes, tail-less shrimp provide a nicer, tidier presentation. Examples include shrimp cocktail, sandwiches, pasta, and rice bowls.
To Tail or Not To Tail?
So should you keep the tails on or take them off? After looking at the evidence, my verdict is that for most cooking methods, especially slow braises and stews, keeping the tails on is ideal. The tails add important moisture, fat, flavor, and nutrition. And the shells contribute tasty compounds that season the entire dish.
However, I think removing tails can make sense in quicker cooking methods or dishes where presentation is important. The tails don’t have time to impart flavor for quick cooking. And sometimes you just want neat-looking, boneless shrimp for aesthetic purposes.
Here are my recommendations on when to keep tails on vs. remove tails:
Keep Tails On For:
- Stews, braises, curries, and slow simmering dishes
- Boiling and poaching shrimp
- Serving whole shrimp as an appetizer
- Adding flavor and nutrition
- Making shrimp stock
Remove Tails For:
- Grilling, broiling, sautéing, or stir-frying
- Shrimp cocktails and shrimp platters
- Sandwiches, burgers, pasta, and rice bowls
- Salad shrimp and ceviche
- When appearance matters most
Cooking With Tails On Tips
If you do decide to keep the tails on for the maximum flavor and nutrition benefits, here are some useful tips:
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Season under the shell – Rub seasonings like Old Bay, paprika, or Cajun seasoning under the shell and tail to really infuse the shrimp with flavor.
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Simmer low and slow – For stews and braises, cook the shrimp at a bare simmer for best flavor extraction.
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Add acidic ingredients – A bit of lemon juice, vinegar, or wine in the cooking liquid helps draw out flavors from the shell.
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Remove tails before serving if needed – You can cook shrimp with tails on for optimal flavor, then snip off the tails just before serving if they will interfere with presentation.
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Skewer or spot prawns for grilling – Thread shrimp on skewers or use larger spot prawns if you want to grill shrimp with the tails on for added flavor and moisture.
The Tail End
While shrimp tails may not look very appetizing, they can actually add a lot of flavor, nutrition, moisture and visual appeal if you keep them on for certain cooking methods. Consider the recipe and how the shrimp will be served before deciding whether or not to remove those tails! My advice is keep them on for stews, poaching, and simmering, but take them off for quick cooking and presentation purposes.
shelling SHRIMP “hack” (getting the entire tail peeled)
Should you leave a shrimp tail on?
When you leave the tail on, the shrimp is easier to pick up. When I am serving shrimp as finger food (such as the Coconut Shrimp pictured on the left), I leave the tail on—it’s like a built-in handle! The tail also gives shrimp a pretty and more dramatic look, so if I want to highlight them in the dish, I will leave the tail on.
How do you remove a shrimp tail?
It is simple enough to peel the shell off of the body of the shrimp, but removing the shell over the tail takes a little bit of finesse—too forceful and you will pull that tail right off, losing precious meat. You can leave the tail on in dishes where it is obvious and conspicuous, so diners can remove it themselves.
Can You peel shrimp tails?
Once you get the shells off, you can leave the tails on or remove them. Leaving the tails on makes a nice presentation at a dinner party, but removing them makes them a little easier to eat. You can peel shrimp either by hand or with a pair of kitchen shears.
How do you store a pound of shrimp tails?
Take about a pound of shrimp tails and shells in a pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes until the liquid is orange in color. If you don’t have a pound right away, you can store them in the freezer in a large Ziploc bag for about three months until you have collected enough to use.