carefully lift and pull out the digestive tract. The
goal is to get it out in one piece so that it doesn’t
break and spill its contents onto the shrimp (if it
does, simply rinse it off).
Step 3: Remove the Shell and Legs
Pick up the shrimp and pull the shell halves out
sideways. Once the sides are separated, grasp the
shrimp at the segment just above the tail with one
hand, then pull the rest of the shell away from that
segment with the other. You should be left with a
naked shrimp with the last tail segment still attached.
The tail is customarily left on for aesthetic purposes
in many preparations; I like to leave it on because
I’m the kind of guy who picks up his shrimp with his
fingers and pops them back before chasing it down
with the tail itself. I love its sweet, flavorful crunch.