Why Bobby Flay Never Removes The Shrimp Tails In Pasta Dishes

If you're planning on making a pasta dish with shrimp, then you should consider using all parts of the seafood. Chef and TV personality Bobby Flay is a big believer in not letting any part of his shrimp go to waste, even if it's going into pasta. While many may bemoan the fact that they have to remove their shrimp tails, Flay urges any home cooks making a dish with the seafood to leave the tails on. 

Speaking at the Food & Wine Classic, Flay revealed that, in addition to buying shrimp still in the shell, he also cooks shrimp for his pasta with the tails still on. Flay says the tails help the seafood keep its form while cooking, preventing them from turning into a flimsy mess on your plate. Likewise, it also helps make for a better splash when it comes to presenting your dish. The shrimp tails help the seafood stand out and visually give your dish a bit more pop.

It's not just Bobby Flay who prefers to leave a shrimp's tail on. There are many chefs out there who swear by leaving the tail firmly in place, even if they suggest peeling your shrimp, which we will get to in a moment. But besides helping to keep a shrimp's form and being visually appealing, a shrimp's tail doesn't significantly improve the flavor of your meal, especially when it comes to meals that don't take long to cook, like pasta.

Paul Adams, senior editor at America's Test Kitchen, told The Takeout: "In a dish like shrimp scampi, the shrimp are cooked for just a couple of minutes, so it's unlikely the tail imparts any flavor. It's just there for presentation reasons; same reason the clams in spaghetti alle vongole are in their shells." So there you have it. While you're welcome to follow Flay's advice, and it certainly may help for those glamor shots for Instagram, removing those shrimp tails is unlikely to impact the taste of your pasta. 

However, if you do want your shrimp alfredo to shine, then you should consider buying whole shrimp. You can repurpose their shells and tails for flavorful results.

If you're planning on discarding those shrimp tails, then consider combining them with those freshly-peeled shrimp shells to create a delicious stock. While some people cook the shrimp in their shells to hold in the seafood's natural juices, you can also use shrimp shells to create a base liquid for your pasta. Bobby Flay recommends using these inedible parts of the shrimp to create a flavor boosting-stock, which he uses himself for some of his pasta dishes like shrimp orecchiette. 

Creating a shrimp stock from shrimp tails and shells is incredibly easy. Simply cook your tails and shells in a frying pan with oil for several minutes until they're simmering. From there, add in water and allow the mixture to simmer, which will allow the shrimp's natural flavors to infuse with the water. This creates a nice stock that will combine well with pasta, ensuring a bit of seafood in every bite. You won't actually end up eating the shell or tails, as straining the liquid will prevent any hard bits from remaining in the stock. From there, consider combining the stock with one of our shrimp pasta recipes.