Question for Mom

I bought some frozen cooked shrimp, and when I defrosted them, there was this dark line along the back of some of the shrimp.  What is it and should I get rid of it? –Alex B.

This line, which can be black or dark green, is the shrimp’s digestive tract.  Yes, you want to get rid of it.  Scrape it out, either before or after cooking, using a small knife or the tip of a potato peeler.  The bigger the shrimp, the easier this black line is to remove.  Do the cutting/scraping under running water, and the gritty substance will wash away.

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