August 22, 2008, Newsletter Issue #78: Types of Crab

Tip of the Week

There are numerous crab species found throughout the world, and not all are edible. Here are some of the more popular edible crabs you will find in your fish market:

King Crab. This crab is so named due to its LARGE size. Kind crabs can weigh up to 10-20 pounds each. And even though they have large bodies, they also have a good meat to shell ratio. Colors range from red, brown, blue, or to golden. Only males are harvested. The delicately-flavored meat is snowy white with a bright red outer edge.
Dungeness Crab. Found in coastal waters from Alaska to Mexico, these crabs are named for a small town in Washington state where they were originally harvested. Dungeness crabs are seasonal, prevalent in winter months only. Their large bodies weight 2-4 pounds and contain sweet, succulent flesh. In order to be harvested, they must be at least 6-1/4 inches long.
Stone Crab. Usually eaten for its claws because they contain a large amount of meat, the snow crab's flesh is rich, filling, and firm. Stone crab is found in Atlantic waters along the southern coast of the United States. Fishermen catch this crab, remove its claws, and throw crab body back into the water; the crab will regrow its claws. For this reason, stone crab is considered a very ecologically sound seafood choice. It is considered a delicacy in Florida where it is harvested the most.
Blue/Softshell Crab. Sweet with rich flesh this crab is considered to be the tastiest by some. It is harvested in the East Coast of the U.S. Its unique feature is its blue-green color, and when it's cooked, it turns red.
Snow Crab (also known as spider crab, opilio crab, rock crab, or queen crab). These crabs are found in the north Atlantic and north Pacific Oceans.
Alaskan Crab. A variety of king crab harvested in Alaska, the Alaskan crab has the same attributes as the king crab above.
Peekytoe or Bay Crab. Found in the eastern US., the bay crab is popular in Maine.
Flower Crab. Found in the Mediterranean and Indian Oceans and in parts of Africa, the flower crab has sweet-tasting flesh.
Japanese Blue or Horse Crab. This species is known to be one of the most heavily harvested crab species in the world.

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