Photo: Condé Nast Digital
Every time I shop for shrimp, I have to chuckle. Between colossal, jumbo, and large shrimp, I’m surrounded by oxymorons. In fact, when I first learned the meaning of the word oxymoron—the combination of contradictory or incongruous words—jumbo shrimp was the example I was given. That’s because the word shrimp refers not only to one of the most popular seafoods in the world, but to something that’s small or puny.
Shrimp are graded by size as defined by the count, or number of shrimp in a pound, and those counts are expressed as a range, such as 26-30 (the higher the numbers the smaller the shrimp). If you’re a fishmonger, counts aren’t a sexy way to label your shrimp. But stick an adjective like colossal or extra-large onto those curvy crustaceans, and the shopper is far more inclined to go for the big ones, which cost more.
There is a standardized list of shrimp counts and their corresponding names (available all over the internet), and reading it will tickle your funny bone. Would you believe that super colossal is bigger than extra jumbo? In my experience, wherever shrimp are sold, these terms are tossed around rather loosely. One store’s jumbo is another one’s extra-large. Forget about the shrimp police; there aren’t any.
Why does size matter? Because the larger the shrimp, the longer it takes to cook, and no one enjoys underdone or overcooked shrimp. Your best bet, then, is to ask for the count. Just don’t go down for the count obsessing over it!
I am fairly amused by this but understand it completely. In most of the world, shrimp and prawn are graded by count per kilogram, the U.S., by the pound of course. In addition to the size (count) fro cooking the species of shrimp is very important as well. Also where it is from. About three years ago shrimp became the #1 marine protine in the world, previous to that it was tuna (what shop doesn’t have can tuna? this should tell you how large the industry is). also important is where the shrimp is from. In the US testing for steroids and antibiotics is not as strict as it should be or as they let on it to be. If farmed, I want a Tiger, (monodon) and from a country I trust, (there are many more that I don’t than those which I do…use discretion). The other popular shrimp from farming are Vannamei a white shrimp which grows fast in dense populations usually has been medicated by means of additives to its food and is not as tasty nor does it grow as big. Just as with chicken, best to know what you are buying as there are a lot of smoke and mirrors…even colossal ones!
Thanks for posting a useful and informative comment. You cleared up some misconceptions I’ve had about shrimp and prawn. I still don’t know, however, where they have been or how long they’ve been in their ice-filled displays in the supermarket. I’m always worried that some disease is lurking in those innocent-looking specimens. But I buy and eat them anyway.