Hey there, seafood lovers! As a chef who’s handled countless pounds of shrimp, I know it can be tricky visualizing exactly what a pound of these tasty crustaceans looks like. Whether you’re planning a dinner party or following a recipe, I’m gonna break it down for you in simple terms.
Quick Answer
One pound of medium shrimp (36-40 count) typically:
- Fills a standard dinner plate
- Fits in a gallon zip-top freezer bag
- Takes up about two cupped handfuls
- Fills a heaping mixing bowl when peeled
Understanding Shrimp Sizes: A Complete Breakdown
Let me tell ya not all shrimp are created equal! Here’s a handy size guide showing how many shrimp you’ll get per pound
| Size Category | Count per Pound |
|---|---|
| Extra Colossal | Under 10 |
| Super Colossal | Under 12 |
| Colossal | Under 15 |
| Extra Jumbo | 16-20 |
| Jumbo | 21-25 |
| Extra Large | 26-30 |
| Large | 31-35 |
| Medium Large | 36-40 |
| Medium | 41-50 |
| Small | 51-60 |
| Extra Small | 61-70 |
Visual References for Different Shrimp Sizes
Colossal Shrimp (U-15)
- Takes up most of a dinner plate
- About 8-12 impressive-sized shrimp
- Perfect for fancy appetizers or main courses
- Each shrimp is roughly the size of your palm
Jumbo Shrimp (21-25)
- Fills about half a standard mixing bowl
- Great for grilling or shrimp cocktail
- Each shrimp is about thumb-sized
- Usually what you see in restaurants
Medium Shrimp (36-40)
- Fills a regular dinner plate
- Perfect for most recipes
- Each shrimp is about finger-sized
- Most commonly used in home cooking
Shell-On vs. Shell-Off: What’s the Difference?
Here’s something important I’ve learned through experience – shell status makes a big difference in how your pound of shrimp looks!
Shell-On Shrimp
- Takes up more space
- Looks more impressive
- Better for stock-making
- Protects flavor during cooking
Shell-Off (Peeled) Shrimp
- More compact appearance
- Ready to cook
- Takes up less storage space
- What you actually eat
Pro Tips for Buying Shrimp
- Reading the Labels
- Look for numbers like “21/25” – that’s your count per pound
- U-15 means “under 15 pieces per pound”
- The smaller the number, the bigger the shrimp
- Storage Tips
- Keep refrigerated at 36-40°F
- Use within 2 days if fresh
- Keep frozen shrimp in original packaging
- Don’t refreeze thawed shrimp
- Portion Planning
For main courses, plan on:
- 1/2 pound per person for shell-on
- 1/3 pound per person for peeled
- Double up for serious seafood lovers!
Common Recipe Amounts
Here’s what I typically recommend for popular dishes
- Shrimp Scampi (serves 4): 1 pound
- Shrimp Cocktail (appetizer): 2 pounds
- Grilled Shrimp (serves 6): 1.5 pounds
- Shrimp Pasta (serves 4): 1 pound
- Stir Fry (serves 4): 1 pound
FAQs About Shrimp Portions
Q How much cooked shrimp will I get from 1 pound raw?A You’ll end up with about 8-12 ounces after cooking depending on the size and shell status.
Q: What size shrimp should I use for pasta?
A: I usually go with large (31-35) or medium-large (36-40) – they’re perfect for getting a bite of shrimp with every forkful of pasta.
Q: How do I know if I’m getting the right count?
A: Count ’em out! If the package says 21/25 and you get way more or less, something’s fishy (pun intended!).
My Final Thoughts
After years of cooking with shrimp, I’ve found that understanding sizes and portions makes all the difference between a good meal and a great one. Whether you’re making a quick stir-fry or fancy appetizers, knowing what a pound looks like helps you nail the recipe every time.
Remember, these are general guidelines – don’t be afraid to adjust based on your needs. And hey, when in doubt, it’s better to have a little extra shrimp than not enough!
Now go forth and cook some amazing shrimp dishes! Would love to hear about your shrimp cooking adventures in the comments below.
Would you like me to explain or break down any part of this article further?
Shrimp Sizes in Recipes
Each recipe calls for specific shrimp sizes and there’s an element of personal preference. For example, with Coconut Shrimp you may prefer making them as one-bite appetizers with medium shrimp or as two-bite appetizers with jumbo shrimp.
Just bear in mind to adjust the cooking time to the different size shrimp, i.e. larger shrimp will need extra cooking time, whereas smaller shrimp will require less cooking time.
For menu planning, it’s sometimes helpful to know how many shrimp you get per serving. Here’s what to expect for a 4-oz (113 gram) serving:
- Colossal shrimp: 1-4 per serving
- Jumbo shrimp: 5-6 per serving
- Large shrimp: 7-9 per serving
- Medium shrimp: 10-12 per serving
- Small shrimp: 13-18 per serving
How Many Shrimp in a Pound
The other confusing thing is that the larger the count, the smaller the shrimp! Huge shrimp may count 10 per pound, while very small shrimp count 60 per pound.
When reading shrimp package labels, you’ll see numbers like 16/20 or 16-20 count. That means there are between 16 and 20 shrimp per pound. Since bigger shrimp are more expensive, it’s important to know you’re getting the actual size you’re paying for!
Different kinds of shrimp such as white shrimp, pink shrimp and rock shrimp are usually available in multiple sizes. However, mantis shrimp harvested from the southeast tends to be colossal only.
The table below shows the counts per pound for each shrimp size. For most sizes, a count range is used. For the largest colossal sizes, a “U” refers to “under” or “fewer than” a certain number in a pound:
| Shrimp Size | Shrimp Per Pound |
| Extra Small | 61-70 |
| Small | 51-60 |
| Medium | 41-50 |
| Medium Large | 36-40 |
| Large | 31-35 |
| Extra Large | 26-30 |
| Jumbo | 21-25 |
| Extra Jumbo | 16-20 |
| Colossal | Under 15 (U15) |
| Super Colossal | Under 12 (U12) |
| Extra Colossal | Under 10 (U10) |
Note: These numbers are for fresh or frozen shrimp without heads, shell-on or shell-off. Shrimp with heads weigh in one category higher.
What’s the biggest shrimp size? Extra colossal shrimp is the largest size available in seafood markets with counts as large as 5 shrimp per pound. However, there are Asian tiger shrimp that weigh 7-11 ounces each with a count of just 1-2 per pound!
What’s the smallest shrimp? There are extremely small shrimp with counts like 150 per pound or occasionally even 250-350 per pound, usually labeled incorrectly as extra small shrimp!