Fresh, uncooked shrimp is perishable and should be used within two days of purchase. Be sure to follow these storage guidelines.

• Rinse the shrimp thoroughly under cold, running water. Pat dry with paper towels.
• Loosely cover shrimp with waxed paper. This lets air circulate around the shrimp.
• Store shrimp in the coolest part of the refrigerator, preferably on a bed of ice.
• Shrimp can be frozen, but thawing them makes them lose some of their texture.

Deveining shrimp
The black vein running down the back of shrimp is the digestive tract. It's harmless, so to devein or not devein is a personal preference.

To peel and devein shrimp:

• Grasp the tail in one hand and gently remove shell.
• Pull off the tail.
• At the tail end, pinch the vein and pull it out with your fingers. It should be fairly easy to grab.
• Or make a shallow slit along the shrimp's back with a sharp paring knife and lift the vein out with the tip of the knife.

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