What does “26/30” mean? This guide will teach you how to read shrimp sizes, help you figure out what size and number of shrimp you need for your recipe, and give you ideas for cooking.
How Many Shrimp are in 2 Ounces? A Shrimp Size Guide
Shrimp are a delicious and versatile seafood ingredient that can be used in everything from appetizers to main courses. When cooking with shrimp, it’s helpful to understand how shrimp sizes and counts work so you know how much to purchase and prepare. In this shrimp size guide, we’ll look at how many shrimp are typically in 2 ounces based on their size and count per pound.
Shrimp Counts Explained
Shrimp are categorized by size using a count per pound. The shrimp count tells you how many individual shrimp make up one pound. For example a bag labeled as “31/35” contains 31 to 35 shrimp per pound.
As a general rule, the lower the shrimp count, the larger the shrimp size Shrimp with a higher count per pound, like 51/60, will be smaller in size than those with a lower count per pound, like 16/20.
Some common shrimp size counts are:
- Colossal or Super Colossal: Under 15 per pound
- Extra Jumbo: 16 to 20 per pound
- Jumbo: 21 to 25 per pound
- Extra Large: 26 to 30 per pound
- Large: 31 to 35 per pound
- Medium: 36 to 40 per pound
- Small: 41 to 50 per pound
- Extra Small: 51 to 60 per pound
How Shrimp Counts Convert to Ounces
To determine how many shrimp make up 2 ounces, you’ll need to do a simple calculation using the shrimp’s count per pound.
There are 16 ounces in one pound. So to find out how many shrimp are in 2 ounces, divide the shrimp count per pound by 16.
For example:
- Shrimp Count: 31/35 per pound
- Calculation: 35 shrimp per pound / 16 oz per pound = 2.19 shrimp per oz
- Round up: ~3 shrimp per ounce
- For 2 oz: 3 shrimp per oz x 2 oz = 6 shrimp
So for 31/35 shrimp, you would get approximately 6 shrimp in 2 ounces.
Here’s a breakdown of how different shrimp sizes convert to 2 ounce servings:
- Colossal or Super Colossal (under 15 per pound): 1 to 2 shrimp
- Extra Jumbo (16 to 20 per pound): 2 shrimp
- Jumbo (21 to 25 per pound): 2 to 3 shrimp
- Extra Large (26 to 30 per pound): 3 to 4 shrimp
- Large (31 to 35 per pound): 5 to 6 shrimp
- Medium (36 to 40 per pound): 5 to 6 shrimp
- Small (41 to 50 per pound): 6 to 8 shrimp
- Extra Small (51 to 60 per pound): 8 to 10 shrimp
As you can see, Colossal shrimp are very large with only 1 or 2 making up a 2 ounce serving. Smaller Extra Small shrimp have a greater count per pound, so there will be more shrimp in the same 2 ounce portion.
Impact of Shells and Heads
One important note is that shrimp counts are based on whole shrimp before they are peeled and deveined. Removing the shells and heads reduces the weight of the shrimp meat.
So if you purchase shrimp with the heads on, the count will be approximately 2 sizes larger than if purchased peeled and deveined. With the shells on, the count is 1 size larger than without shells.
For example, if you purchase 31/35 head-on shrimp, they would be equivalent to 41/50 once peeled and deveined.
Cooking Tips by Shrimp Size
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Extra Colossal and Colossal shrimp work well for grilling, broiling, or stuffing. Their large size makes them ideal as appetizers or main dishes.
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Jumbo, Extra Large, and Large shrimp are versatile for sautéing, baking, grilling or making shrimp cocktails.
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Medium shrimp are great in pastas, tacos, soups or stir fries.
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Small and Extra Small shrimp can be used in salads, rolls, dips or breaded as popcorn shrimp.
No matter what the shrimp size, proper cooking is important to prevent overcooked rubbery shrimp. The larger the shrimp, the longer they will take to cook. Smaller shrimp cook quickly in just a few minutes.
Get the Shrimp Size You Need
Now that you understand shrimp counts and how to convert that to ounces, you can easily purchase the right amount of shrimp for your recipes. Just check the count per pound, do a quick calculation to ounces, and you’ll know exactly how many shrimp you need. With this shrimp size guide, you’ll be ready to pick the perfect shrimp and cook up some delicious shrimp dishes.
How Big is a Standard Shrimp Serving?
The FDA lists the serving size for cooked seafood, including shrimp, as 3 ounces. I’ve listed the approximate recommended counts per serving in the table above.
As with any rule, you should test it and make changes based on how hungry your guests are and the food you’re serving. Most of the time, you can get away with a lower price for an appetizer, especially if you’re serving other food with it. If shrimp are the main course, you might round up.
Honestly, rounding up is common here. Our love of shrimp is strong!
How are Shrimp Sized?
Shrimp sizes are denoted in numbers, such as 21/25 or U/15. What does a “U” mean in the count? It means there are “under” that many shrimp in a pound. The slash between numbers denotes a range of shrimp in a pound.
So, for example, U/15 shrimp contain fewer than 15 shrimp per pound. 21/25’s weigh in at 21 to 25 shrimp to a pound. As the numbers get smaller, the shrimp get bigger.
Sometimes, you’ll see a sizing term alongside the number such as “Large” or “Jumbo”. For accuracy when cooking, I like to pay closer attention to the number count than the sizing term.
Because these terms aren’t standard in the seafood business, 16/20’s might be called “Extra Jumbo” by one brand or fishmonger and “Colossal” by another. Using the shrimp count instead lets you know for sure how many shrimp you’ll be getting when you plan a recipe.
| Common Sizing Term (Varies) | Shrimp Count Per Pound | Approx. Count Per 3 oz Serving |
|---|---|---|
| Extra Colossal | U/10 | 2-3 shrimp |
| Super Colossal | U/12 | 2-3 shrimp |
| Colossal | U/15 | 3-4 shrimp |
| Extra Jumbo | 16/20 | 4-5 shrimp |
| Jumbo | 21/25 | 5-6 shrimp |
| Extra Large | 26/30 | 6-7 shrimp |
| Large | 31/35 | 8-9 shrimp |
| Medium Large | 36/40 | 9-10 shrimp |
| Medium | 41/50 | 10-12 shrimp |
| Small | 51/60 | 12-15 shrimp |
| Extra Small | 61/70 | 15-17 shrimp |
| Tiny | 71+ | 18+ shrimp |
How Many Shrimp Are in A Pound | What Is The Shrimp Count
FAQ
How many shrimp is 1 oz?
How many pieces of shrimp are in 3 oz?
How many shrimp is 4 oz of shrimp?
How many pieces of shrimp is 2 servings?
How many shrimp are in an ounce?
An average serving size of shrimp is around 3-4 ounces. But how many shrimp does that equal depending on the size? Here’s a breakdown of how many shrimp come in one ounce on average: As you can see, the larger the shrimp, the fewer come in an ounce. Jumbo shrimp may have 2-3 per ounce, while smaller shrimp have more like 10-12 in an ounce.
How many shrimp are in a serving?
Because shrimp can lose up to 25% of their weight after cooking, a serving size is 3 ounces cooked, and approximately 4 ounces raw. The number of shrimp per serving depends on the size of the shrimp. A serving of tiny salad shrimp (71+ per pound) is close to 17+ shrimp, while a serving of Colossal (U/15) shrimp is 3 to 4 shrimp.
How many jumbo shrimp per ounce?
Jumbo shrimp may have 2-3 per ounce, while smaller shrimp have more like 10-12 in an ounce. When a recipe calls for a certain shrimp size, use the above guidance on shrimp per ounce to determine how much you need. For example, if a recipe calls for:
How many ounces of shrimp should a person eat?
The recommended shrimp serving per an average person is three ounces. This translates to 11-12 “medium” shrimp, 8-9 “large” shrimp, or just 3 “colossal” shrimp. How to buy Shrimp.