Shrimp: head on vs. head off

Shrimp are one of the most popular seafood options out there. But when you buy fresh shrimp, especially from a dock, you typically have the option to leave the heads on and take the whole shrimp, or buy the ones that have the shrimp heads removed. Today we're going to answer the question: shrimp: head-on vs. head off - which is the better choice?

Benefits of head on shrimp

It's said that the heads of shrimp contain a lot of flavor - and in some cultures outside the United States they even eat the heads. Well, I'm never one to yuck anyone else's yums, this will never be for me.

bowl of raw shrimp with heads on over ice with two single shrimp and ice on counter and an orange and white striped napkin underneath the bowl

It's also been said that cooking with the heads on is nutritionally beneficial. However, a lot of the nutritional benefits from leaving the heads on can also be obtained by leaving on the shrimp shells. Really, we're just containing the flavor and juices while cooking.

Benefits of head off shrimp

The majority of the shrimp's fat, as well as their heart, are located in the head. When cooked with the head on, it can make the meat taste almost...mushy. When you remove the head, the meat stays firm and lean, which is why people tend to like seafood and shellfish in the first place.

orange and white striped napkin with a bowl of shrimp heads and a bowl of headless shrimp next to each other

Head off shrimp are also cleaner, in my opinion. Every time I go to cut the heads off, their long antenna get all over the place and stick to everything.

However, while we are fortunate enough to be able to catch fresh shrimp off of our dock, they don't ever come out with the heads off, so for the time being I suppose I'll keep removing them myself!

But even if you remove those heads, you might want to consider leaving that shell intact until after they're cooked. Cooking shell-on shrimp is said to enhance the flavor of the shrimp, which is why many dishes are served with the shell on and need to be peeled when they arrive at the table (like jambalaya or seafood boils).

How to remove shrimp heads

Ok, so you know you want to remove the shrimp heads. But how to do it? There's three ways to get this job done: by hand, with a knife or with the best kitchen shears.

By hand:

cutting board with head on shrimp on it and a woman's hands showing where to hold shrimp to remove the head

cutting board with head on shrimp in it and a woman's hands removing the head from a shrimp

Be careful to avoid the sharp point at the head, called the rostrum. It's pointy and will poke you if you're not careful! Pinch the head between your thumb and forefinger with one hand. Pinch the body the same way with your other hand, just below the head. Press your thumbs in and bend the shrimp like you're trying to break a stick, and the head should pop off in one piece.

With a knife:

close up of a wooden cutting board with a bowl of head on shrimp in the background and a woman's hands removing a shrimp head with a paring knife

Keeping your hand out of the way of the rostrum, lay the shrimp down on its side and look for the line where the head meets the body. Cut along this line with a sharp paring knife and discard the head. You can also check to make sure you cut in the right place by making sure there's no dark spot on the end of the body. This is their black digestive tract. If you can still see it, you need to cut off a little more.

With shears:

close up of a wooden cutting board with a bowl of head on shrimp in the background and a woman's hands removing a shrimp head with a pair of kitchen shears

I'll be honest, I hadn't tried the shears method until writing this post. Man have I been missing the boat. This was by far the easiest and cleanest way to take the heads off.

A simple snip right behind the head with a clean, sharp pair of kitchen shears and it was done. It took way less time than the other methods and I'll be using these every time moving forward! Which method you use is really just personal preference.

Where to get shrimp

Ok, so now you know you need some shrimp. But where's the best place to get them?

Catch them: Unless you're catching them yourself, you're probably not dealing with live shrimp. One of the easiest ways to catch shrimp is with a cast net, which can be thrown both from shore, a dock, or from a boat. I realize that not everyone will have access to catching their own, but if you do, this is truly the freshest shrimp you can find.

Buy them from a fisherman: Travel down to a nearby dock and you're bound to find someone selling shrimp when they're in season. You may still find heads-on shrimp with this option, but you're also likely to find an option for head off.

Here we typically can buy based on shrimp size and by head status (large head on, large head off, small head on, small head off). Pricing is by the pound, and larger shrimp tend to cost more, as well as head-off, simply due to the labor that goes in to removing the heads. If you don't mind doing it yourself, you can save a bit of money and get more pounds of shrimp to take home!

Buy them from the grocery store: The grocery store will typically have a 'fresh' and a frozen option. The frozen ones come in a bag and will be head off and skin off, and often tail off. These pre-peeled shrimp may have good flavor, but more than likely they will be sub par to their competitor, the ones available at the fish counter.

The shrimp's head will have been removed on these as well, but they will likely still have the skin on. These are not typically deveined shrimp (those come in the freezer bags of shrimp), so you will have to do that part yourself if you want them deveined.

Types of shrimp

Here in South Carolina, we have three types of shrimp - brown shrimp, pink shrimp, and white shrimp.

Comparative illustrated image of white shrimp, brown shrimp and pink shrimp

Regardless of color, all shrimp tend to thrive in cold water. Our shrimping season starts in September and runs into November, as both the air and the water tend to cool off and the shrimp come out in large numbers.

Rock shrimp, named for their very hard shells, can be found a bit further offshore in deeper waters. What shrimp you'll be able to find or buy will largely depend on the area you live and what is available locally.

What to do with shrimp heads

So you've gotten shrimp and decided you want to take the heads off. Yes, you can toss them. But why? You can easily make a shrimp stock or shellfish stock using the heads. This is a great way to use all the parts of the shrimp.

After removing the head of the shrimp with a sharp knife or your hands, add them to a large stockpot with some vegetable trimmings that you might otherwise toss (celery roots and tops, carrot trimmings, and exterior onion layers, to name a few). Cover with water and boil for a few minutes, then remove the shrimp heads and veggies. You'll be left with a flavorful seafood stock that can be used to make jambalaya or seafood stew.

This stock can be frozen as well - I love freezing it in small bags or portions so I don't have to defrost it all at once!

Cooking shrimp

There's not one particular way to cook shrimp that's better than another - it mostly just depends on personal preference. If you have a lot of shrimp, you'll likely want to choose an option like boiling or steaming. If you're working with just a few shrimp, you can consider baking them in the oven or sautéing them in a pan with a bit of olive oil or other cooking fat. The most important thing to note is that shrimp do not need to cook for long - just 2-3 minutes per side is plenty to get them done. There's nothing worse than chewy, tough, overcooked shrimp.