Determining Shrimp Counts: How Many Shrimp Equal 6 Ounces

As a seafood lover and home cook, one question I get a lot is “how many shrimp make up 6 ounces?” When a recipe calls for a specific weight of shrimp, it can be tricky to visualize exactly how many pieces you need, since shrimp come in so many sizes. In this article, I’ll break down the math behind shrimp counts so you can learn how to translate ounce measurements into shrimp quantities for all those tasty recipes.

Shrimp Sizes and Counts

The first thing to understand is that shrimp are categorized by size and sold by the count per pound. The smaller the shrimp, the higher the count (more shrimp per pound). Common commercial sizes include

• Colossal (under 15 per pound)
• Extra Jumbo (16-20 per pound)
• Jumbo (21-25 per pound)
• Extra Large (26-30 per pound)
• Large (31-35 per pound)
• Medium (36-45 per pound)
• Small (46-55 per pound)
• Miniature (over 55 per pound)

So “colossal” shrimp only have 15 or fewer shrimp per pound, while “miniature” could have over 55 shrimp per pound. Keeping these size profiles in mind lets you estimate how many shrimp you need.

Calculating Ounces to Shrimp Counts

Okay. let’s break this down step-by-step

1. Identify what size shrimp you have (extra large, large, etc.)
2. Note the typical count per pound for that size.
3. Divide that count by 16 since there are 16 ounces in a pound.
4. Multiply the result by how many ounces you need.

Let’s say I have extra large shrimp that run approximately 30 shrimp per pound I need 6 ounces of shrimp Here’s the math

• 30 shrimp per pound
• Divided by 16 ounces per pound = 1.875 shrimp per ounce
• Multiplied by 6 ounces I need = 11-12 shrimp

So for 6 ounces of these extra large shrimp, I’d need about 11-12 shrimp.

You can use this method for any shrimp size and desired ounce measurement. Here are some more examples:

• Jumbo (21-25 per pound):

  • 25 shrimp per pound / 16 ounces per pound = 1.56 shrimp per ounce
  • 1.56 shrimp per ounce x 8 ounces needed = 13 shrimp

• Small (46-55 per pound):

  • 50 shrimp per pound / 16 ounces per pound = 3.125 shrimp per ounce
  • 3.125 shrimp per ounce x 4 ounces needed = 13 shrimp

Once you know the math, you can quickly calculate exactly how many shrimp you need for recipes. No more guessing!

Visual Size Comparisons

Another helpful trick is looking at visual shrimp size charts online. Seeing the different sizes lined up gives you a better sense of just how big “colossal” vs “small” really is. Some general guidelines:

• Colossal shrimp have about 3-5 pieces per pound
• Jumbo shrimp have about 5-10 pieces per pound
• Large or Medium shrimp have 10-15 pieces per pound
• Small shrimp have 30-50 pieces per pound

So colossal shrimp are individually much larger than small shrimp. Keeping the visual size difference in mind helps you estimate amounts.

Handy Shrimp Count References

To make things even easier, here are some handy shrimp count references to print out and keep in your recipe box or cookbooks:

• 1 ounce of small shrimp (40-50 per pound) = 3-4 shrimp
• 1 ounce of medium shrimp (30-40 per pound) = 2-3 shrimp
• 1 ounce of large shrimp (25-30 per pound) = 2 shrimp
• 1 ounce of jumbo shrimp (20-25 per pound) = 1-2 shrimp
• 1 ounce of colossal shrimp (10-15 per pound) = 1 shrimp

Armed with shrimp sizes, ounce calculations, and quick count references, you’ll be a shrimp counting pro in no time! Say goodbye to shrimp count guesswork and enjoy perfectly portioned seafood dishes.