Wild-caught spot prawn meat is quite delicate — which is one quality we love about them — but this makes spot prawns trickier to peel than your average shrimp. The quick fix to this? Kitchen shears.
Whether you’re peeling your pack of spot prawns as part of your recipe prep or waiting until after to get your hands messy, kitchen shears will help you enjoy your spot prawns without having to work too hard along the way.
To Peel Spot Prawns Before Cooking
When you want to cook with peeled spot prawns, you’ll have to dedicate some prep time to removing the shells. Peeling through an 8-ounce pack of spot prawns should take you about 10 minutes.
To peel raw spot prawns:
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Use your kitchen shears to cut a slit from head to tail along the back (the side opposite the legs).
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With your fingers, carefully pry one side of the shell away from the back of the prawn to separate it from the meat (either clockwise or counterclockwise from the cut). Peel the shell away from this meat, then continue to roll the prawn out of the rest of the shell.
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Pinch the tail, then pull out the prawn meat.
You’ll notice that some of the spot prawn meat tends to cling to the top of the shell. This is normal.
Consider saving the shells! We recommend transforming them into spot prawn stock, since they still contain lots of flavor potential. You can keep the raw shells frozen until you’re ready to make a batch of stock, or make it right away. Spot prawn stock is easy and done in about 20 minutes, and can be used immediately or stored in the refrigerator or freezer for later use.
If You Want to Skip Peeling your Spot Prawns
Certain recipes are better with the shells left on the spot prawns. After all, there’s lots of flavor packed into those shells, and leaving them on helps to keep the prawns moist and tender. You’ll want to leave the shells on, for instance, when you’re making a seafood boil, salt roasted spot prawns, or a frutti di mare inspired pasta.
If cooking with the shells on: Use your kitchen shears to cut a slit from head to tail along the back of the spot prawn (the side opposite the legs) before you cook them. This gives you easier access to the spot prawn meat when it’s time to dig in.
There will still likely be some meat left in the shells even after you peel them, so don’t hesitate to gnaw on them to enjoy every last bit.
What About Spot Prawn Roe?
Some of your spot prawns may be carrying roe on their bellies, ranging in color from yellow to orange to red. Cooked roe has a briny flavor and can be a nice addition as garnish to dishes made with spot prawns.
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Spot prawns can be cooked with the roe left on the shells, where it will stay stuck to the bellies. This cooked roe can either be enjoyed or discarded along with the shells.
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The easiest way to remove the roe before cooking is to use a small spoon to scrape it from the bellies. This can be done when roe is partially or fully defrosted.
- Roe can either be discarded or enjoyed once cooked.
