Constipated shrimp

[mrbigjas]

Last night I bought a pound of shrimp from a local fish shop. They were deelish, but when I was cleaning them, next to and surrounding the usual "vein" on some of them was a much thicker line of greenish-yellow, uh, stuff. It had the consistency and was the color of... well, snot.

What was that stuff? I know the vein is just the digestive tract of the shrimp, and actually I've seen this goop before, but this time prompted me to try and find out what it was.

[fifi]

I have been known to get up close and personal with a lot of shrimp and I don't recall seeing what you describe. What kind of shrimp were they?

[Dave the Cook]

I don't know for sure, but I think it's fat. If that's the case, it's yummy, even though it looks disgusting.

I've seen this most often on larger sizes -- 16/20s and up.

[Brad S]

This is what you will find on occasion in pregnent shrimp.It is only the roe,if you cook it it will turn orange just like a lobsters. No need to worry.

[Dave the Cook]

Cool. Thanks, Brad.

[Brad S]

NP Dave.

[fifi]

Does that mean that after all of these years I have never met a pregnant shrimp? Weird.

[mrbigjas]

Roe, eh? Fat, eh? V. interesting--and here I spent all that time cleaning it out and didn't need to...

These weren't large shrimp--they were 41/50s, I think. Thanks Brad, Dave, Fifi.

[fyfas]

I've noticed the same thing only in the last month in 16-20 count (supposedly) Key West pink shrimp.

Whatever it is I've never seen this before and it is very unappealing. Over several purchases, it is in 15 or 16 out of 20 or so shrimp. So if it is that these shrimp are pregnant then these little devils have been very busy !

[Dave the Cook]

You should see it on a U-10 shrimp. It's almost the diameter of a pencil, and varies from that yucky yellow to a fluorescent orange that makes you wonder if they've been mating in the vicinity of a nuclear power plant.

Edited July 29, 2003 by Dave the Cook (log)

[zilla369]

Heh...for some reason, every time i read this thread title, the Ella Fitzgerald singing "Fascinatin' Rhythm" pops into my head.

Constipated shrimp,

You've got me on the go!

Constipated shrimp,

I'm all a-quiver...

Edited July 29, 2003 by zilla369 (log)

[kpurvis]

My husband is a very funny man -- that's why I married him -- and he can come up with things very quickly. One night, we were cleaning shrimp together and I mused, "I wonder what these shrimp ate that turned their vein blue?"

Without missing a beat, Wayne crooned (to the tune of "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes"):

"She asked me if I knew,

Why shrimp shit is blue?"

Nineteen years and the man still makes me laugh.