# Is there any "culinary) difference between shrimp and prawns?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-culinary-difference-between-shrimp-and-prawns/304534>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [May 19, 2005, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-culinary-difference-between-shrimp-and-prawns/304534 "2005-05-19T04:08:30Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\
**Post date:** [May 19, 2005, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-culinary-difference-between-shrimp-and-prawns/304534/1 "2005-05-19T04:08:30Z")

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I used to think “prawn” was just another name for jumbo shrimp, but according to this – [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prawn](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prawn) – they’re from a different sub-order entirely. Interesting, but does it make any difference when you’re cooking? Can you substitute shrimp for prawns, and vice-versa, in a recipe? (I don’t think I’ve ever actually eaten a prawn, nor seen one on the menu in an American restaurant.)

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**Author:** ![Queen\_Bruin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Queen\_Bruin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Queen_Bruin)\
**Post date:** [May 19, 2005, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-culinary-difference-between-shrimp-and-prawns/304534/2 "2005-05-19T04:15:56Z")

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I think they’re pretty much interchangeable, unless size matters.