Butterflying shrimp is a preparation technique that involves splitting a shrimp down the back and opening it up like a book to expose more surface area. This allows the shrimp to cook more quickly and evenly, absorb more flavors from sauces or marinades, and provides a nicer presentation. There are several benefits to butterflying shrimp:
Faster, More Even Cooking
Butterflying shrimp allows them to cook much faster than leaving them intact with the shell on. The exposed meat will cook through within just a couple minutes on each side. With an intact shrimp, the meat insulated by the shell takes longer to reach the proper internal temperature. Faster cooking gives you perfect shrimp texture – not overdone and rubbery but still juicy. The exposed surface also lets the shrimp cook through evenly so no part is under or overcooked.
Better Absorption of Flavors
Opening up the shrimp provides more surface area for sauces, marinades, or seasoning to adhere to and penetrate the meat. Intact shrimp can only absorb flavors through the shell, limiting how much seasoning or marinade will actually get into the meat. Butterflying them lets flavors directly coat and soak into the flesh. This is especially helpful when doing shrimp tacos or shrimp skewers where you want shrimp fully coated with rubs or wet marinades. It really boosts the flavor compared to intact shrimp.
Easier to Eat
Butterflying makes shrimp easier to eat since you don’t have to peel off the shell. The meat is fully exposed and ready to enjoy with no fussing with peeling. This makes butterflied shrimp ideal for appetizers, shrimp cocktails, salads, pasta, and anywhere you want easy to eat shrimp without dealing with the shell.
Visually Appealing Presentation
Butterflying also provides a more elegant, uniform presentation compared to intact shrimp. All the shrimp will lay nicely flat with the meat exposed rather than curled up shells facing up. This looks great for serving on platters, in salads, skewers, tacos, and anywhere you want to highlight the shrimp visually. The uniform look makes it ideal for buffets, parties, or catering.
How to Butterfly Shrimp
Butterflying shrimp is easy to do at home with a sharp knife and takes just a minute per shrimp.
- Use fresh or thawed shrimp with the shell on. Peel and devein the shrimp leaving the last segment and tail intact.
- Hold the shrimp firmly and use a sharp knife to slice along the back about halfway through the meat.
- Open up the shrimp to expose the meat inside like a book.
- Remove and discard the vein if it is still attached.
- Rinse the butterflied shrimp under cold water.
- Pat dry with paper towels.
The shrimp are now ready to cook however you like – grilled, sauteed, baked, broiled, or added to pasta, salads, and other dishes.
Best Shrimp to Butterfly
You can butterfly any size shrimp from small popcorn shrimp up to jumbo shrimp. The technique works best with larger shrimp that have more meat to expose. Here are some of the best types of shrimp to butterfly:
- Jumbo Shrimp – Jumbo shrimp around 16 to 20 per pound are a great size to butterfly. They have a good amount of meat that looks beautiful opened up.
- Extra Large Shrimp – Shrimp sized from 21 to 25 per pound make a nice presentation after butterflying.
- Large Shrimp – The 26 to 30 shrimp per pound range are still a good size to butterfly effectively.
- Medium Shrimp – You can butterfly smaller 31 to 35 per pound shrimp but the presentation won’t be quite as striking.
Shrimp Size per Pound
Here is a table showing the correlation between shrimp size and how many make up one pound:
| Shrimp Size | Number per Pound |
|---|---|
| Colossal | 10 or less |
| Jumbo | 16-20 |
| Extra Large | 21-25 |
| Large | 26-30 |
| Medium | 31-35 |
| Small | 36-45 |
| Popcorn | Over 50 |
As you go up in size there are fewer shrimp per pound. Jumbo shrimp only have 16 to 20 shrimp making up one pound. Small popcorn shrimp may have over 50 shrimp in a pound.
Should You Remove the Tail?
When butterflying shrimp, you can choose to leave the tail on or remove it. Here are some pros and cons of each method:
Leaving Tail On
- Maintains presentation and visual appeal
- Helps shrimp hold together better
- Provides more flavor
- Lets you pinch and pick up shrimp easily
- May be awkward to eat depending on dish
Removing Tail
- Easier to eat shrimp
- Takes extra time to remove
- Can lead to loose butterfly
- Shrimp may fall apart easier
- Reduces flavor
For most dishes, leaving the shrimp tails on results in the best presentation and flavor. But for shrimp cocktails or salads you may want to remove the tail for easier eating. Consider how the dish will be served when deciding whether or not to keep the tails.
Cooking Methods
Butterflied shrimp cook very quickly and can be prepared many ways. Some top cooking methods include:
Pan Searing
In a hot pan with just a little oil, butterflied shrimp cook for just 1-2 minutes per side. You get caramelization on the outside and juicy meat inside. Season with cajun spice, lemon pepper, or other dry rub before searing.
Grilling
Butterflied shrimp are perfect for grilling. They will cook through over direct heat in just a couple minutes. The high heat caramelizes the shrimp while locking in moisture.
Sauteeing
You can quickly sautee butterflied shrimp in a pan with butter, olive oil, or other fat. The shrimp will cook in a minute or two and absorb all the flavors of the pan sauce.
Broiling
For easy and fast cooking, butterflied shrimp broil beautifully. In about 5 minutes under high heat they become charred and caramelized.
Baking
Bake butterflied shrimp in a hot oven for 10-12 minutes until opaque and cooked through. Baking allows them to gently cook in the ambient heat.
Skewering
Thread butterflied shrimp onto skewers for easy turning during grilling or broiling. They’ll char nicely while exposed to the high heat.
Adding to Pasta
Throw butterflied shrimp into hot pasta right at the end to gently cook them while absorbing sauce flavors.
Marinade and Sauce Ideas
Butterflied shrimp absorb and hold onto marinades extremely well. Here are some marinade ideas to soak up maximum flavor:
- Teriyaki Sauce – Classic Japanese flavors
- Ginger Lime – Bright citrus and spicy ginger
- Jerk Spice – Caribbean inspired heat
- Tomato Basil – Fresh mediterranean vibe
- Honey Sriracha – Sweet heat blend
- Lemon Pepper – Zesty and fresh
- Cajun Spice – Southern inspired seasoning
- Tandoori Yogurt – Indian inspired tangy marinade
You can also quickly saute or simmer the cooked shrimp in flavorful pan sauces. Try garlic butter, white wine sauce, creamy pesto, or fresh tomato sauce.
What to Serve with Butterflied Shrimp
Butterflied shrimp pair well with many sides and ingredients including:
- Rice – White, brown, fried, coconut
- Pasta – Linguine, angel hair, zoodles
- Vegetables – Asparagus, broccoli, tomatoes
- Fresh Salads – Green, pasta, potato
- Breads – Garlic, rolls, cornbread
You can also stuff butterflied shrimp into tacos, serve over salad, or sprinkle into pizza, flatbreads, and nachos.
Storing Butterflied Shrimp
Store peeled, deveined, and butterflied shrimp covered in the refrigerator for 2-3 days maximum. The opened up shrimp are more prone to drying out so its best to use them within a couple days. Pack in an airtight container on top of ice to keep them chilled.
For longer storage, place prepared shrimp in a freezer bag removing as much air as possible. Press flat before sealing. Properly frozen, the shrimp will keep for 2-3 months.
Thaw frozen shrimp overnight in the fridge or place the bag in a bowl of cold water for 1-2 hours until thawed and ready to use.
Conclusion
Butterflying shrimp is an easy technique that results in quicker, more even cooking, better absorption of flavors, and attractive presentation. Opening up the back of the shrimp exposes more surface area and lets seasonings directly penetrate the meat. Jumbo, extra large, and large shrimp butterfly nicely. Grilling, broiling, sauteeing, and skewer cooking all work great. Soaking in marinades before cooking infuses incredible flavor. Serve butterflied shrimp over rice, with pasta, on salads, or in tacos for amazing seafood meals.