12.5 C
New York
Thursday, May 29, 2025

Buy now

What Ought to I do with Shrimp Shells? – Leite’s Culinaria


A pile of discarded shrimp shells.A pile of discarded shrimp shells.

Ought to I save shrimp shells or toss them?

Expensive By no means Cook dinner Bare Guys: What to do with shrimp heads and shells after you’ve extracted each doable morsel of shrimp and drop of juice? Compost them? Put them down the rubbish disposal? Use them for inventory?—Shell-Shocked

Expensive Shell-Shocked: Right here’s a rule-of-thumb we use in our home: As soon as a bit of meals has been in somebody’s mouth, it’s rubbish. Be at liberty to undertake it in yours.

Whereas we’re at it, right here’s our off-the-cuff corollary: You may’t make inventory out of desk scraps. These shells have been doused with herbs, spices, oils, sauce, perhaps even spittle. Not even Martha could make inventory for shrimp and grits out of them.

Can I compost shrimp shells?

To reply your query, sure, you can compost shrimp shells. Many residence gardeners swear by shellfish compost. (Caveat: Some public piles received’t settle for shells owing to a want for pristine vegan mulch.) Simply be certain your private pile is way from your home, as shrimp shells do certainly put up one thing of a stench within the scorching solar– though that’s really the least of your worries, as a result of the extra tasty stuff you toss on the pile, the extra furry well-wishers you’ll entice. In our neck of the woods, we fear about bears. You might have to deal with raccoons or chipmunks. Contemplate your self warned.

As for placing shrimp shells down the drain, they will–and can–clog the rubbish disposal. In addition they make for an odiferous trash can. Our greatest recommendation is to stuff the shells in a zip-closed bag, stash them within the freezer, and save them for trash day, if you haul them to the curb—together with any of that inventory you’ve made.


Our very intelligent, very clothed By no means Cook dinner Bare columnists are at your disposal, in a position to troubleshoot the whole lot from questionable desk etiquette to tough cooking strategies (in addition to, natch, correct cooking apparel). Ask us your query in a remark under!


Initially revealed August 9, 2021

Related Articles

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Latest Articles