How do I clean live prawns and keep them raw?

[AndrewK512]

Basically what the title says. I just picked up a couple of pounds of spot prawns. While I was gonna cook some today, I wanted to clean (devein and dehead) and freeze the rest for a later use. How would I do this without getting killed by the squirming sharp bits, and without causing the prawn too much pain?

[Hank Hanover]

You just want to skin them alive? What exactly did they do to you?

[AndrewK512]

Thanks guys! I put them in the freezer then twisted their heads off, it worked pretty well, a few were jumping but I didn't get stabbed. Oddly enough, I wasn't able to find 'veins' in most of them.

[souschef]

No veins? I guess you scared the crap out of them :)

[alkapal]

LOL!

[chef chicklet]

I am ROFL! oops anyway that's hilarious!

[Chemicalkinetics]

I knew you have it in you. We all do.

[MrsCris]

We feasted on live spot prawns on a recent trip to BC's sunshine coast. I too was surprised to not find any poopy veins in them either - they seem to be put together a bit differently than regular prawns.

BTW how did you cook them? We enjoyed them flash fried in garlic, chilis, fresh parsley, lemon and olive oil. They were so delicious and sweet!

[AndrewK512]

Baked in a mound of 400degree salt and then drizzled with olive oil and lemon as per one of the videos on Chow. It really highlighted the complex sweetness of the prawns.

[John E.]

You could wear a glove and tear their heads off. They die right away and don't feel any pain. You are then able to devein without a problem.

[goodhealthgourmet]

stick them in the freezer for about 30 minutes before you start - should be long enough to knock them out...then you can clean them and store in the freezer.