BUYING CRAB – WHAT TO LOOK FOR
LIVE CRAB CHECKLIST
- Crabs are being held in cold, well-circulated, clean saltwater holding tanks.
- Crabs are lively and move when touched. If you have to be careful of their snapping claws, this is a good sign! Crabs should not be limp.
- Transport your live crab in an iced cooler with a damp towel over top.
Meat yield is generally ¼ the weight of the crab.
COOKED CRAB CHECKLIST
- Meat is an opaque white (not transparent).
- Stored in a cold location or on-ice unless just cooked.
- Has a fresh “ocean” smell. There shouldn’t be any “fishy” scents.
- The shell color of cooked crab is bright red.
FROZEN CRAB CHECKLIST
- Avoid meat that looks freezer burned or discoloured.
- Packages are tightly sealed.
- Kept between temperatures of -15 to -25 C for best quality.
- Thawing: remove all packaging and refrigerate for 8–10 hours or overnight.
COOKING DUNGENESS CRAB
- Dungeness crab must be alive prior to cooking.
- Discard any crabs that have gone completely limp.
- Chilling the crabs in the fridge or freezer just before cooking will slow their metabolism down enough that you can handle them easily.
- Resource: The Most Humane Way to Kill Dungeness Crab
THE TOP 3 WAYS TO COOK WHOLE CRAB
Have you ever wondered what is the best way to cook a whole Dungeness crab? We offer a variety of methods and recipes with information and tips on cleaning in our recipes section.
Bring a stockpot of water to boil. Add live crab and cover. Cook for 7 minutes per pound. Cool on ice.
Add an inch of salted water to a large pot. Place crab in a steamer basket, bottom side down. Bring water to a boil and cook with a tight lid for 7 minutes per pound. Cool on ice.
Preheat oven to 425 F. Boil crab for 5 minutes. Cool on ice, then clean and add to a baking sheet. Cook 12 minutes.