45 of Our Best Shrimp Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What does 21 25 shrimp mean? ›

The shrimp count on a bag of wild-caught U.S. shrimp is the number that denotes how many shrimp are approximately in the bag “per pound.” For example, if a shrimp bag's count reads “21/25,” then that means those shrimp are sized to be approximately 21 to 25 shrimp per pound.

Colossal (16-20) & Super Colossal (8-12, 13-15) Shrimp Size. Colossal shrimp average about 16 to 20 shrimp per one-pound bag. You will get 4-5 shrimp per serving and they come in at about 0.75 oz per shrimp. Super colossal shrimp are the largest shrimp in the market.

26/30: 26 to 30 shrimp per pound (Extra Large) 31/35: 31 to 35 shrimp per pound (Large) 36/40: 36 to 40 shrimp per pound (Medium Large) 41/50: 41 to 50 shrimp per pound (Medium) 51/60: 51 to 60 shrimp per pound (Small)

The count is stated like in the photo below. The number above and below the slash (/) indicate the range of shrimp per pound. For example Extra Jumbo 16/20 indicates there are between 16 and 20 shrimp per pound.

The number comes from a handy seafood industry shrimp size chart. If the label reads 26/30, you know there should be from 26 to 30 shrimp in each pound. Sometimes you'll see a letter U as well, as in U12, which means under 12 of those shrimp make up a pound.

What Does the U Mean on Shrimp Packaging? U stands for “Under” and represents the number of shrimp per pound. The lower the number, the larger the shrimp. For instance, our Colossal Shrimp are U-8/12, meaning you'll get 8 to 12 big, fresh shrimp per pound. Colossal is the largest size available!

The bigger the shrimp size, the lower the count per pound. For instance, the 61/70 label on the extra-small shrimp package means a pound contains 61 to 70 fresh shrimp.

Peeled and deveined (P&D) – uncooked (raw): The shell of the shrimp is removed and the digestive tract along the back is removed and cleaned. P&D uncooked is available with the tail-on or the tail-off.

What size shrimp tastes the best? ›

It turns out that bigger is NOT better. the larger the shrimp, the older it is. The older it is, the tougher and more iodine-y the shrimp tastes. Smaller younger shrimp are sweeter and more tender.

Small Shrimp

These tiny shrimp are known for having a subtle flavor and cooking quickly. They often come in bags 51/60, 71/90 or even 91/100. You want to make sure not to overcook small shrimp or they'll become rubbery.

Soak shrimp in brine

Soak quickly in brine to keep lean seafood moist as it cooks and season it throughout. A solution of 1 tablespoon kosher salt and 1 quart water works to season 1 pound of seafood. Dissolve the salt in the water, and then submerge the shrimp and chill for 30 minutes.

When you can, boil shrimp shell-on. The shell keeps them slightly more flavorful and promotes even cooking. Devein first. Deveining shrimp before cooking is best since it's a little harder to do it neatly after they're cooked.

The slash between numbers is simply the range of shrimp in a pound. In the above examples, there would be 16 to 20 shrimp per pound, 21 to 25 shrimp per pound, and 31 to 40 shrimp per pound. A “U” in the count means there are “under” that amount of shrimp in a pound.

“What that means is the amount of pieces per pound.” Yep, shrimp size is technically measured in shrimp count: the number of shrimp in one pound. (Shrimp weight includes their shells, but not their heads).

The number comes from a handy seafood industry shrimp size chart. If the label reads 26/30, you know there should be from 26 to 30 shrimp in each pound. Sometimes you'll see a letter U as well, as in U12, which means under 12 of those shrimp make up a pound.