An Aussie Christmas just would not be Christmas without a platter of prawns. Australians are expected to plough through around six million kilograms of prawns this year; the Sydney Fish Market alone is expecting to sell around 120 tonnes of prawns during their 36-hour seafood marathon – the 30th anniversary of the marathon and the last before the market moves to its new home on Blackwattle Bay – which kicks off on Tuesday, December 23 at 5am.

If you’ve been tasked with buying the seafood for your family spread this year, you’re likely not just feeling daunted about the madness that is the trip to the local fish market on Christmas Eve. There’s also the question of the type of prawn to choose. King prawns. School prawns. Tiger prawns. The Big Prawn. Although that last one might be a tad hard to fit on the barbie. 

So how do you choose the best prawns for your Christmas feast? Here are our top tips on the most common prawn varieties, as well as advice on how to select the freshest prawns, how to prep them and how to serve them, so you can shell-abrate good times come the big day.

Related story: Cherry shortages loom ahead of Christmas as cold weather delays Victorian harvest

King prawns

These big, juicy lovelies are the most popular prawn variety in Australia. They’re wild-caught all over the country, and can vary in size from 10cm up to a whopping 25cm, so if you wanna go big, you can. But according to the team at the Sydney Fish Market, a happy medium size is your best bet when it comes to both value for money and flavour. But there is a warning for king prawn lovers this year, Queensland and NSW fishers have reported lower-than-average catches, which means supply is tighter and prices will be higher. But if you’re willing to shell out a little extra, the quality of king prawns this year is reported to be excellent.

The subtle, sweet flavours of king prawns make them ideal for pastas, but probably the best way is to enjoy cooked king prawns is fresh, with a delicious dipping sauce, like our yuzu aioli. Or go classic Oz and pop ‘em on the barbie with our chorizo and Aleppo pepper butter barbecued king prawn recipe.

Related story: Matt Preston shares 6 fresh ways with prawns for Christmas

School prawns

While these wild-caught beauties are much smaller than the average prawn –  they usually clock in at around 9cm, although they can be found at up to 16cm – these wee shrimpies are big on flavour. They’re wonderfully sweet, and while they’re available year-round, they hit their peak between October and April, which means Christmas is the perfect time to enjoy them. They’re also the cheapest variety, which makes them a good choice for those watching their budget. 

When choosing school prawns, the team at the Sydney Fish Market says that a good rule to remember is: the smaller the prawn, the sweeter they will taste. But because school prawns are so small, they’re not so easy to peel – instead, for these guys, they totally rock if you deep-fry them. Try these salt and pepper prawns with pineapple dipping sauce. If you do want to have a go at peeling them, try them in this school prawn crudo. The effort will be worth it. 

Related story: 103 seafood recipes for a lighter Christmas

Tiger prawns

There are several varieties of tiger prawn. Some are wild-caught and some are farmed. The most commonly farmed tiger prawn is the black tiger prawn, and the Fish Market team say that these will offer you a stronger and more consistent flavour than the wild-caught options, which are also experiencing low catch volumes this year, and therefore higher prices. You can pop these guys in a salad, serve them with a dipping sauce on a stunning prawn cocktail board or try them on our tiger prawn milk buns. 

If opting for wild-caught tigers (the prawns, not the cats – that would make Christmas lunch… interesting), you’ll find these guys are much bigger than the farmed varieties, and because of this, they’re both more expensive, and will have a less intense flavour. But because they look so beautiful, with their lovely tiger stripes, they’ll make for an impressive centrepiece. 

Related story: Go cray with these luxe lobster recipes this Christmas

How to pick the freshest prawns

According to Australian Prawns, you should use all your senses when shopping for prawns. They should smell like the ocean; they should feel firm, not slimy or soft; and they should look lustrous and brightly coloured. All the legs, feelers and eyes should be intact, and you should avoid any prawns that have black spots, black heads or discolouration around the joints. 

How to choose the most sustainable prawns

GoodFish: Australia’s Sustainable Seafood Guide recommends avoiding imported vannamei prawns. Imported vannamei prawns make up nearly two-thirds of the prawns eaten in Australia, most of which come from Vietnam, where prawn farming has caused serious environmental damage.

Instead, for the most sustainable option, they recommend you choose Australian-farmed prawns. Australian farms produce far lower levels of nutrient and chemical pollution. Wild-caught king prawns from South Australia’s Spencer Gulf are also a great option, as they come from Australia’s only wild prawn fishery that’s been ‘green-listed’ in the GoodFish guide.

Related story: 75 prawn recipes that are shrimply the best

How long do prawns last in the fridge?

Fresh prawns – either cooked or raw – should be stored in an airtight container in the coolest part of your fridge (at around 0°-4°C) for no longer than three days. You can freeze fresh prawns for up to three months at a temperature below -18°C, but if you’re buying green (raw) prawns at this time of year, these may have been frozen ahead of time, because of the huge demand at Christmas. They’re then thawed right before they go on sale. If they’ve been frozen already (ask your fishmonger) you shouldn’t refreeze them. And always leave your prawns in the shells until just before you plan to use them. 

If buying cooked prawns, you have a little more wiggle room. The prawns are boiled onboard the ship right after being caught, so they should last in the fridge for anywhere from three to five days. 

A hot tip: when you head out to buy your prawns, make sure you bring something with you that will keep them cool on the trip home.

Related story: 100 of our best-ever desserts for your Christmas table

How to prepare prawns

While prawn-peeling newbies might feel a tad nervous about the whole deal, it’s really quite easy, so don’t be shy about it. Just twist off the head (or use a knife to cut it off, carefully) and peel off the outer shell, starting with the legs. The prawn roe (inside the head) is an acquired taste but perfectly edible, and even the highlight, if you ask delicious. Food Director, Lucy Nunes. If you want, you can leave the tail on, but if you want to remove it, pinch the tail and pull the body out. 

Deveining (removing the digestive tract of) cooked prawns is really a matter of preference, but with green prawns, most people prefer to do so. The easiest way to do this is to straighten out the prawn in your hand, run a sharp knife down along the back and then just peel the vein out.

Related story: 112 easy Christmas side dishes for the big day

Can dogs eat prawns?

This is one Christmas food that you can happily share with Rover, without having to worry about any emergency trips to the vet. In fact, prawns are good for doggos, thanks to all those omega-3 fatty acids. Just make sure they’re cooked and deveined, and that you remove the head, shell and tail first. 

So, ready to seas the day? We’ll see you at the fish market. Just don’t forget your esky!

Related story: We ranked supermarket custard from worst to best, so you know what to serve with your Christmas pud