Demystifying Shrimp Measurements: How Many Cups Are in a Pound of Shrimp?

As a home cook who loves whipping up shrimp scampi ceviche, and other recipes I used to struggle with understanding shrimp sizing and measurements. If a recipe calls for a pound of shrimp, how many cups of frozen shrimp should I thaw from the bag? What about if I’m portioning out fresh shrimp from the store?

In this article, I’ll provide a handy conversion guide to answer the question – how many cups are in a pound of shrimp? You’ll learn about common shrimp sizes, see a shrimp count per pound chart, get cup equivalents, and pick up some useful measuring tips. Let’s get cooking!

An Overview of Shrimp Sizes

Shrimp are categorized by size using a count per pound. The higher the number, the smaller the shrimp. Standard commercial sizes are:

• Colossal or Super Colossal – under 12 per pound
• Extra Jumbo – under 15 per pound
• Jumbo – 16 to 20 per pound
• Extra Large – 21 to 25 per pound
• Large – 26 to 30 per pound
• Medium 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

So for example, Jumbo shrimp have 16 to 20 shrimp per pound. Colossal may have less than 10 per pound since they are extra large

How Much Do Shrimp Shrink When Cooked?

When calculating cups per pound, it’s key to know raw vs cooked shrimp measurements. On average, raw shrimp shrinks about 50% during cooking.

So 1 pound of raw medium shrimp may yield 2 cups cooked. Larger shrimp tend to shrink a bit less, around 30% for Jumbo.

For precision, weigh cooked shrimp to see the exact yield per pound for a certain size.

Handy Shrimp Size to Cup Conversions

Here are common shrimp size to cup equivalents:

• Colossal (10 per lb) – 2 lbs = 8 cups raw, 5 cups cooked
• Jumbo (16-20 per lb) – 1 lb = 4 cups raw, 3 cups cooked
• Extra Large (21-25 per lb) – 1 lb = 4 cups raw, 2 1⁄2 cups cooked
• Large (26-30 per lb) – 1 lb = 4 cups raw, 2 cups cooked
• Medium (36-40 per lb) – 1 lb = 5 cups raw, 2 1⁄2 cups cooked
• Small (41-50 per lb) – 1 lb = 5 cups raw, 2 1⁄2 cups cooked

These conversions can vary a bit depending on the specific shrimp count and whether shells are on or off. But it provides a handy guideline for frozen bagged shrimp.

Tips for Measuring Shrimp

When cooking, you don’t need to meticulously measure shrimp cups – estimate amounts:

• Appetizers – Allow 2-3 jumbo or 6-12 medium shrimp per person
• Main dishes – Figure 4-6 oz or 8-12 medium shrimp per serving
• Shrimp scampi – Use 3-4 large shrimp per serving
• Shrimp salad – Chopped equivalent of 2 cups cooked shrimp for 3-4 servings
• Shrimp tacos – 3-4 jumbo or 5-6 large shrimp per taco
• Shrimp cocktail – Allow 3-5 jumbo or extra large per serving

Learn visual shrimp portion sizes rather than measuring every time.

Storing Leftover Shrimp

Only prepare what you plan to eat. Follow these leftover shrimp storage tips:

• Refrigerate cooked shrimp within 2 hours
• Freeze spread out on a baking sheet first
• Refrigerate 2-3 days max, freeze for longer storage
• Reheat fully to 165°F, boil or simmer best

With this guide, you can stop wondering how many cups are in a pound of shrimp! Use the handy shrimp count and cup conversions to seamlessly work with bagged frozen shrimp. Get excited to enjoy delicious shrimp recipes!