What Do Shrimp Size Numbers Mean?

The system works in reverse and can be surprising at first: the smaller the number, the larger the product. A package marked 16/20 contains 16 to 20 shrimp per specified weight, which means each one is large. A package marked 41/50 contains 40 to 50 shrimp in the same weight, so the shrimp are smaller. The number is given as a range because pieces of a natural product do not all weigh the same, and a single number would not be realistic.

The weight basis for the count is not always the same; some markets use pounds, while others use kilograms. That is why products from two different brands with the same count can be different sizes. The unit is usually printed on the package and should be checked. If no number is listed, the product is sold in verbal categories such as small, medium, and large; those categories also vary from seller to seller, so looking at the shrimp remains the most reliable approach.

Size matters most for cooking time. Small shrimp cook in a hot pan in a minute or two and turn rubbery quickly if you lose track of them. Large shrimp need a few more minutes and work well on the grill, on skewers, or in the oven. Different sizes of shrimp should not be cooked together in the same pan; the small ones will dry out while the large ones remain raw. If you buy a mixed-size package, sort the shrimp by size and cook them in two separate batches. For the same reason, do not follow the time in a recipe blindly; if the recipe does not say what size it assumes, watch the shrimp as they cook.

Choose the dish based on the size, too. Small and medium shrimp work well in pasta sauce, rice, soup, and salad; they will be broken into small pieces anyway, and they cost less. Choose large shrimp for dishes where the shrimp themselves take center stage, such as grilling, skewers, stews, or sautéing in butter. Large shrimp are also needed when serving them in the shell. Large shrimp are not always better; they are simply suited to a different job. In ground or stuffed recipes, size does not matter because the shrimp will be chopped; choose the least expensive size there.

The package also lists the product’s form alongside its size count: shell-on or peeled, head-on, or deveined. This information directly affects the price because the waste has already been removed from peeled shrimp. Shells from shell-on shrimp should not be discarded; collect them for later use. Frozen products also have an ice glaze; comparisons should be made by net weight, otherwise two packages cannot be compared fairly. Check the label for wild-caught or farm-raised information, too; farmed shrimp and wild shrimp have different textures.