Fresh Shellfish, How Much To Buy?

Shrimp, crawfish, crabs or oysters quantities vary

These quantities are for people with average appetites. Consider your guests and family members. These quantities should average out for the large and small appetites.

The amount of shellfish you need to buy varies with the size of the shellfish, how you cook them, your recipe, and the size of the serving.

A general guide for shrimp

The general guide used in buying shrimp for one person is one pound for whole shrimp one-fourth or one-half pound for headless shrimp and three to four ounces for peeled tails used in cooked dishes.

For crawfish

When you buy live crawfish to be boiled and eaten, you should buy about five pounds per person. When you're buying peeled tails for cooked dishes or salads, plan to use three to four ounces per person.

For hard shell crabs

One to two pounds or four to five hard shell crabs will feed one person, while three to four ounces of shelled meat per person will be enough for cooked dishes.

For oysters

When you buy oysters in the shell, plan to serve a half dozen per person. When you buy shucked oysters, buy one-half pint per person.

For more information on buying shellfish contact your local county Extension office.