How Many Oysters Are in a Cup? A Guide to Oyster Measurements

Oysters are a delicious mollusk that can be prepared and served in many ways. Their briny taste and soft texture make them a favorite seafood for many. When cooking with oysters or buying them to eat raw, it’s useful to know how they translate into standard volume measurements like cups. Let’s take a closer look at how many oysters are in a cup.

What Size Are Most Edible Oysters?

There are over a hundred different oyster species found throughout the world’s oceans. The most common edible oysters range in size from 2 to 4 inches across the shells. Popular varieties like Eastern, Pacific, European Flat, and Kumamoto oysters are medium-sized.

Smaller Olympia and Belon oysters may be only 1 to 2 inches, while larger varieties like Atlantic can reach up to 8 inches across. For a point of reference, a medium oyster shell can hold about 2 to 2.5 ounces of oyster meat and liquor.

How Are Oysters Sold and Packaged?

When purchasing oysters, you can buy them live in the shell or shucked Live oysters are often sold by piece, by the dozen, bag, or bushel. Shucked oysters may come in jars or cans in a variety of sizes

For example, a 7-ounce jar may contain roughly a dozen small shucked oysters. Canned smoked oysters often come in 4-ounce or 6.5-ounce sizes with approximately 12 to 24 oysters per can.

Knowing the typical size and packaging helps determine how many oysters you need for recipes or serving sizes.

How Many Oysters in a Cup?

In most cases for medium-sized oysters shucked and drained:

• 1 cup of oyster meat = about 8 to 12 oysters
• 1 cup with liquor = approximately 6 to 10 oysters

The range accounts for differences in oyster size. Smaller oysters will have a higher count per cup.

For a cup of chopped or diced oysters, you’ll need even more since chopping reduces the volume. Figure 12 to 16 medium oysters chopped makes a cup.

Guide to Oyster Measurements

Here is a handy guide to other oyster measurements:

• 1 dozen medium raw oysters in shell = about 1 cup shucked
• 1 pint of shucked oysters = 16 to 20 oysters
• 1 quart of shucked oysters = 32 to 40 oysters
• 6 large oysters = about 1 cup shucked
• 18-24 small oysters = about 1 cup shucked

Measuring shucked oysters can be tricky since the liquor content changes the volume. For maximum accuracy, drain oysters first and lightly pack into cup measures.

If a recipe calls for a specific number of oysters, your best bet is to purchase them in shell and shuck yourself. This avoids variance in jar or can oyster sizes.

Tips for Cooking and Baking with Oysters

Here are some useful tips for incorporating oysters into recipes:

• Drain jarred or canned oysters well before using to reduce excess liquor.

• Roughly chop oysters for a better distribution in casseroles, bread stuffing, patties, etc.

• For oyster stuffing, figure on 1 cup chopped oysters per 2 to 3 cups of dry bread cubes.

• Add oysters at the end of cooking soups, stews, and chowders to avoid overcooking.

• When baking oysters like in a casserole, check for doneness early as oysters cook quickly.

• For fried or breaded oysters, drain shucked oysters very well and coat lightly in flour before breading.

• In general, err on the lower end of oyster amounts in recipes to avoid too strong a flavor.

Storing Oysters Safely

Raw oysters are highly perishable, so proper storage is key for quality and food safety.

• Keep live oysters chilled below 40°F until ready to shuck and eat. Discard any with cracked shells.

• Store shucked oysters drained in a bowl on ice or in the coldest part of the fridge. Use within 2 days.

• Cooked oyster dishes can be refrigerated 3 to 4 days. Reheat fully to 165°F.

• Discard shucked oysters, liquor or any leftovers if they have a sour or off smell.

Follow these tips for storing and measuring oysters, and you’ll be ready to enjoy their briny goodness in your favorite seafood recipes.