The process of molting allows the crab to shed its external shell periodically in order to grow. They are harvested by dredges, trawls, pots, trotlines and dipnets. During the winter months, blue crabs move into deeper water and enter a state of semi-hibernation. They are omnivorous, feeding on plants and animals. A shallow water crab, it can live in salt, fresh and brackish waters of bays, sounds, channels and river mouths. Male and female claws are various shades of blue on top and the tips of the females' claws are bright red.īlue crabs are found along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts. The underside of the body and legs are white. They have a hard shell or exoskeleton which is brownish-green or dark green and drawn out on each side into a long spine. Blue crabs have five pairs of legs and the first pair is equipped with pincers. Blue tinges on dark shells and blue patches on the legs give the crab its name.īlue crabs average 4 to 6 inches across, with shallow, compressed bodies that taper on each end. The blue crab is one of the most valuable crustaceans in the United States. Crab meat does not freeze as well as shrimp and tends to dry out after about 2 months. You can freeze the crabmeat in the containers they come in or repack in airtight containers.
It can be used in pasta dishes, gumbo, stuffing, salads, or our favorite.crab cakes!įresh crabmeat should be stored below 35☏ and has a shelf life of about 10 days from the date of packaging. Claw meat has a brownish tint, which is natural. The body meat is delicately flavored, while claw meat is nutty. The meat of the blue crab has a rich, sweet, succulent and buttery flavor.
Lump or jumbo lump: The largest unbroken pieces of white meat from the body the sweetest part.īackfin: White body meat, containing smaller and broken pieces of lump and flake meat mild flavor.Ĭlaw: The darker meat from the claw stronger flavor, great for crab cakes.įingers or claw fingers: For cocktails or appetizers, with part of claw pincer attached. Our crab meat comes from four different parts of the crab (see charts at right side): The season usually starts in May and goes into October, though sometimes it may not be available due to weather factors. It is hand-picked so it may contain some pieces of shell or cartilage remove any that may be present before use. Our fresh blue crab meat is domestic and comes in 1 lb containers, fully cooked and picked.
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