Jewel asks: When I was buying shrimp, I saw the word “count.” What does this mean?

“Count” in shrimp lingo means the number of shrimp you’ll get per pound. This is where size really does matter because the smaller the number, the bigger the shrimp. This is why you should always buy shrimp by count not size.

Sometimes you’ll find a “U” in front of the number 10 or 15. This means there are under 10 or 15 shrimp per pound. Buying shrimp by the count is a good idea because what one store sells as “large” could be sold as “jumbo”  in another store.

Count is usually reserved for raw shrimp, head-on or head-off, de-veined or not, and peeled or unpeeled.

But lately I’ve noticed that some places are selling cooked shrimp with a “count.” Don’t forget that shrimp shrinks once it is cooked, so buy bigger if you can afford it!

Use this handy chart for a loose reference so you’ll always know how to buy shrimp by count not size:

And once you get those shrimp home, you’re going to need to peel and devein them. Here’s how I do it:

Learning how to peel and devein raw shrimp is not difficult—in fact, it’s actually a bit of kitchen know-how you should keep in your back pocket.

Many shrimp recipes, like my recipe for Cuban Garlic Shrimp, are easier to eat (and look better) if you peel and devein raw shrimp before cooking. Peeling is self-explanatory. But deveining is basically removing the “vein” that runs down the back of the shrimp.

Some recipes say you don’t need to remove the vein because it’s flavorless and harmless. But for me, it’s gritty and gross (it is the shrimp’s intestinal tract, after all).

Frankly, it’s poop, and I think it ruins the shrimp’s natural sweet flavor. And yes, I know you can always buy it already peeled and deveined. But why pay someone for a task that is so simple?

Back to the topic. Here’s how to Peel and Devein Shrimp:

       Print this recipe.    

And in case you are a visual learner, here’s a great step-by-step video:

If you want to leave the shells on for a particular recipe, use a small pair of scissors to cut through the shell to reveal the vein. Use the tip of the scissors to remove the vein.