BBQ Tips

Don’t get us wrong, we love grilling prawns – or any seafood for that matter – but quite often the thought of the whole cleaning process causes us to think twice. In reality, it isn’t actually as hard as you think. Have a read of our tips below and practice, practice, practice. You’ll be peeling and deveining like a pro in no time.

Here are our top tips…

- Start by removing the head (twist and pull), then pull off the legs. The rest of the shell should come off easily now.

- Depending on your preference, you can leave the tail on or off (remove by giving it a gentle pull). Some like to keep the tails on for decorative purposes.

- To remove the vein that runs down the back of the prawn, make a slit along the back with a small knife. Place the prawn under running water and the vein should come off easily. If it doesn’t, just use the knife or a toothpick.

- For best results, experts will tell you to grill prawns with the shells on, as the shells hold a lot of flavour.

- To devein without removing the shell, simply make a cut down the back of the prawn and remove the vein as above.

- If you want to make the most of your prawns, fry the discarded heads and shells in some olive oil on high heat. Then add water, bring to a boil and reduce until it becomes a deliciously tasty stock which can be used to flavour other dishes. Keep stock in the freezer until ready to use.

- And yes, you can easily get prawns that are perfectly peeled & cleaned from the supermarket, but if you find truly fresh prawns, chances are you’ll have to do it yourself.

- Ready to start? Tell us how you go with Bob Hart’s King Prawn Rafts recipe – he gives you the option to grill with shells on or off.