Seafood: How Much to Buy and Serve

Our fish recipes generally call for a number of fillets or steaks rather than weight. The reason for this is simple. I’ve watched countless people in the seafood market look at fish and ask for a certain number of pieces. They are deciding the size that will be served to each person.

If I’m going to cook fish for six people, I might buy six small fillets, three medium fillets or two large ones that can be cut into six serving-size pieces. In the 20-plus years that our newsletter reached several thousand people, we found that consumers preferred this. Most people can look at fillets and visualize how many will be needed to feed a certain number of people, but they can’t visualize the size of one-fourth or one-third of a pound.

Recipes usually state the number of servings. One hundred grams (about 3.5 ounces) is considered a serving. But in reality, we know that people usually eat more than this. In these recipes we have allowed one-fourth to one-third pound per person. Make them smaller or larger so that they meet your needs.

The following suggestions are based on approximately 3.5 ounces per serving:

• Whole or Round Fish – 3/4 pound
• Dressed Fish – 1/2 pound
• Fillets and Steaks – 1/3 pound
• Oysters and Clams, in the shell – 6
• Oysters and Clams, shucked – 1/6 pint
• Scallops – 1/4 pound
• Crab, cooked meat – 1/4 pound
• Crabs, live – 1 to 2 pounds
• Shrimp, headed – 1/2 pound
• Shrimp, cooked and peeled – 1/4 pound

From: Mariner’s Menu: 30 Years of Fresh Seafood Ideas 

Contributed by Joyce Taylor