What, then, is the difference between male and female blue crabs? It is commonly used in crab cakes. Ballies - See Sponge Crab. "Sometimes the shell will appear translucent. Florida Stone Crabs are very interesting little crustaceans. This crab is very distinct when seen in the wild, due to its blue shell. Maryland Crab meat is lightly steamed and packaged in 1lb containers for the Best Maryland Crab Cakes. Types of lobster include the American lobster, which is common, and Audresselles, the royal blue lobster which is relatively rare. Here at Cameron’s we specialize in the Maryland Blue Crab. It is also believed that female crabs have dense meat. Crab: Fans love crab for its sweet, succulent meat, but there’s plenty nutrition-wise to get excited about, too. In some areas, it may be illegal to catch female crabs in order to allow it to reproduce, so it is very important to know how to distinguish a female crab from a male crab. 1. You might only want to bother with this part if you have Dungeness, blue crabs, or any other crab with a top shell that's wider than 5 1/2 inches. Males also have broader bodies and more pronounced spines than females. Male blue crabs have bright blue claws, whereas female blue crabs have red-tipped claws (often likened to the red painted nails of female humans). A serving has 290 mg sodium, 9 grams protein. Aside from its claws, a male blue crab can also be identified by the shape of its “apron,” which is the flap on its bottom. It is also observed that a male has a distinct broad shape and very pronounced spines. These claws then regenerate rather quickly. On this page, we compare Lobster Versus Crab to see which food has fewer calories, less fat, more protein, and more fiber. The bodies of smaller crabs are tasty, but you'll do a lot of work for just a little meat. Your email address will not be published. Crabs are found in all of the world's oceans, while many crabs live in fresh water and on land, particularly in tropical regions. An excess of carbs can make people feel tired and sluggish, so consuming blue crab meat is a great way to avoid the side effect of excessive carb intakes. It is flaky and sweet, often compared to Dungeness or stone crab, though it’s darker and heavier in texture than Dungeness.The biggest market for Jonah crab is processors and food manufacturers that ”blend” the less expensive meat with Dungeness or blue-crab meat. This section will help the user to identify female crab with a high meat yield. White crab meat is sweet and more delicate in flavour than brown meat and it has a moist, meaty, flaky texture. Stowaway blue crabs on ship ballasts have even showed up in the Mediterranean. According to a survey of 20 crab houses in the Baltimore area, female crabs by the dozen were priced at between 51 and 85 cents to the dollar, compared to males. “The darker and more stained the belly is, that means the crab has had that shell longer.” Dungeness crabs and blue crabs have edible meat in both their bodies and claws. Finally, males are believed to have flaky meat. Blue crab is a popular seafood; its sweet meat is prized by chefs and diners in spite of the blue crab's reputation for aggression and its fearsome appearance. A male blue crab’s apron is long and has a pointed tip, which is often facetiously called the “Washington Monument” by watermen. These crabs shy away from warm water, congregating in nooks of cold water around the Bering Sea and nearby islands, like King Island, Point Hope and Norton Sound. The meat is a little less sweet and more delicate than the Maryland Blue Crab, but they’re tasty and a sought-after commodity none-the-less. Iron is a trace mineral that carries oxygen from your heart to all cells. More Shell = Lower Price Crab is very labor intensive to remove from its shell. The Dungeness Crab is found on the west coast of North America. It is difficult to determine the sexual adulthood of the male blue crabs. Atlantic Blue Crab - Known by its scientific name Callinectes sapidus. The meat is sweet and flaky, and is more delicate in flavor than that of the king crab. Crab meat and other shellfish were once considered taboo if you were watching your cholesterol. #1 Males tend to have flakier meat. The Perfect Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes. Upon reaching maturity, a female blue crab’s flap opens. Crab meat is low in fat and contains around 340 kJ (82 kcal) per 85-gram (3 oz) serving. To open a cooked blue crab or dungeness crab, or other type of crab that has edible body meat, break off and set aside all the limbs, flip the body upside down, and use a knife to pry off the shell in the centre of its bottom (called the “apron” flap.) • Appendages are larger compared to the body in red crab, whereas blue crab has smaller legs compared to the body. Difference between a Snow Crab and a King Crab, Difference between Male and Female Turtles, Difference between Seltzer, Club Soda, and Tonic Water, Difference between a Broiler, Fryer and Roaster Chicken, Apron is long and pointy (similar to the shape of the Washington Monument), Apron looks like an inverted U (similar to the shape of the United States Capitol), Slightly narrow body than males; spines are not as accentuated, Adult females are also called “sooks” while adolescent females are also called “sally”, Difference between Male and Female Blue Crabs. Transporting live blue crab … Below are a few tips about what to expect and what to look for when buying crabs. In terms of molting, male blue crabs shed their shell about twenty times until maturity, while female blue crabs shed about eighteen times. Atlantic Blue Crab - Known by its scientific name Callinectes sapidus. Pre-picked crab meat is incredibly convenient, but is generally more expensive. All About Crabs. An average blue crab weighs about 1/3 pound with the edible portion quite low. When you sit down at a seafood restaurant and see the menu, do you get overwhelmed by all the different types of crab on the menu? With the lump meat found in the clusters under control, now it's time to attack the crab… Female brown crab. This meat is great for crab cakes, or any recipe calling for blue crab meat. A crab that has filled out its shell will have what looks like a dirty rusty under body with a lot of moss under the points. Bimbo - Slang term referring to a female blue crab. Soft-shell crabs are perfect for those of us who don’t like creating a mess when we’re trying to eat. Jumbo. The claws on the stone crab easily detach, to quickly get away from predators. Browse our RECIPE CENTER for more ideas from our chefs. Interestingly, soft-shell crabs are in fact Maryland Blue Crabs. Jumbo lump crabmeat chunks are the same two muscles, just from smaller crabs. Add the bodies of smaller crabs into stocks and sauces instead to get that sweet crab … With climate change, these crabs have been spotted recently as far north as Maine. In this article, the difference between male and female blue crabs will be discussed. Men need 8 milligrams of iron each day and women need to get 18 milligrams. The bodies of smaller crabs are tasty, but you'll do a lot of work for just a little meat. With constant activity, the meat has a brownish coloring and a slightly fibrous texture. Other crabs that are commonly found in the menu include snow crab, golden king crab, red and blue king crabs. Maryland Blue Crabs can be found all the way down the eastern coast of the United States, through the Gulf of Mexico and even as far down as Argentina. Snow crabs have snow white meat, which gives it its name and its reputation as a delicacy. Blue King Crab. Blue King Crab. The population has been well-managed, making red king fairly abundant without concern of over-fishing. Crown Prince Fancy White-Lump Crab Meat. To easily remember this, people liken these red tips to the “red nails” of female human beings. Crabs are generally covered with a thick exoskeleton, composed primarily of highly mineralized chitin, and armed with a single pair of chelae (claws). It was first seen off Egyptian waters in the 1940s, but reports of blue crab sightings in Italy, Israel, Greece, and Turkey have been made, too. Our experts are here to break down the best type of crabs to eat! The meat is a little less sweet and more delicate than the Maryland Blue Crab, but they’re tasty and a sought-after commodity none-the-less. • Blue crab is larger than the red crab. Enjoy! You'll even get B12 from imitation crab meat made from surimi -- more than 1.3 micrograms from 3 ounces. When it comes to lobsters the meat from the female is sweeter. An adult male blue crab may mate many times in its lifetime. Jumbo crabs … In areas where catching female crabs is allowed, females are eaten not only for their delicious meat but also for their roe (eggs). Crabmeat is a good source of low-fat protein, niacin, and zinc, and it also supplies folate, iron, and a large amount of the antioxidant mineral selenium.But its biggest claim to nutrient fame is its vitamin B12 content, with 3 ounces of cooked crabmeat providing over 250 percent of the required amount.. The meat is a little less sweet and more delicate than the Maryland Blue Crab, but they’re tasty and a sought-after commodity none-the-less. Read page 2 of the Blue crabs - male or female - do you prefer your crabs to have a Y chromosome? However, you will notice that an adolescent male blue crab’s apron is shut, whereas an adult male blue crab’s apron is free to open, a sign of its readiness to mate. The whole area of the Bering Sea holds bairdi, but the harvest is much more limited compared to opilio. by Cameron Manesh | Sep 17, 2017 | Crab How-To's | 0 comments. For years it has been an open secret that many “Maryland crab cakes” may be made Maryland-style, but not necessarily with Maryland, or even American, crab meat. These crabs can be caught off Newfoundland on the east-coast of Canada, all the way up to Greenland. Fred Baxter, Sr., of Mr. B's Seafood on Kent Island, holds a large crab (L) that displays the distinct blue claws of a male crab and the apron of a female and (R) a normal male crab. CLAW MEAT: Claw meat comes from the swimming fins and claws of the crab. • Blue crab has a serrated carapace, whereas red crab has a round shaped carapace. Backfin: Combination of “special” and “super lump” (80/20.) Fortunately, that is no longer the case. ). The ‘True Blue’ program allows restaurants serving Maryland blue crab product to use a special logo in marketing or advertising the product. Join the discussion today. The Carolina Meat & Fish Co is Charlotte’s premier Fish Market, the largest supplier of blue crab in the city and experts in crabbing, preparing blue crab and eating blue crab in the United States. You'll even get B12 from imitation crab meat made from surimi -- more than 1.3 micrograms from 3 ounces. You can identify the male crabs by the bluish color on the tip of the claws. ). If you’re wondering why you typically see soft-shell crabs fried and not boiled, it’s because if you tried to boil them, they would just fall apart in the hot water! fresh crab, shrimp, sausage, new potatoes, butter, blue crab and 7 more Boiled Crabs rouses market hot sauce, yellow onions, small red potatoes, corn-on-the-cob and 6 more Males mate several times in a lifetime, while females mate only once. Moving Crab Sustainability Forward. To easily remember this, people liken these red tips to the “red nails” of female human beings. This meat is some of the sweetest blue crab meat and it is my favorite part of the crab. When harvesting Snow Crabs in Canada, only the males are kept. There are only two of these muscles per crab, which is why it is so expensive (often $40 to $50 or more per pound). They are easily identified by their blue claws and inverted t-shaped apron which resembles the Washington Monument. Under the point of the carapace you will not find any “moss” or very little and it will be light in color. The female, or hen, brown crab has a broad, beehive-shaped abdomen or apron, which fits tightly to the underside of the body; Backfin - The swimming or paddle fin. $8.49 at Sprouts Market. “When you go to buy a crab, flip it up side down,” says Rorapaugh. Meat from the male blue crab is sweeter. We hope this guide helps you out a bit! These crab should be kept aboard and females of poor meat yield should be returned alive and undamaged, to the sea. How to make a Phillips Crab Cake. They pack the flavor of a Maryland Blue Crab, but seem to have a much softer shell. Blue king crab is the largest of the king crab species. The actual yield depends on the size of the individual crab and experience of the crab picker. We wrote a thorough article detailing everything you need to know about Maryland Soft Shell Crabs on our blog. All the way from Alaska, down to the Baja California Sur in Mexico. Soft shell crabs also have loyal following. King Crabs are the most popular variety of crabs. In Canada, they are also referred to as Queen Crab. Interestingly, they are also fished this way. An adult male blue crab may mate many times in its lifetime. Each container comes freshly packaged to lock-in flavor and freshness. Finally, males are believed to have flaky meat. Snow Crabs are found all over both the North Atlantic and North Pacific Oceans. Because of this, the more work you’re willing to do at home, the cheaper the price. But when we gorge on crabs, we don’t really check if we are about to eat a male or a female crab, do we? Blue crab legs are so skinny and there’s so little meat in those short (relative to other crab legs such as Alaska King, Dungeness and Snow crabs) legs they’re hardly worth the trouble. If you’re looking for some tasty, fresh Maryland Blue Crab tonight, check out our online store and get fresh Maryland crabs delivered straight to your door in under 48 hours! For years it has been an open secret that many “Maryland crab cakes” may be made Maryland-style, but not necessarily with Maryland, or even American, crab meat. Blue crab legs are so skinny and there’s so little meat in those short (relative to other crab legs such as Alaska King, Dungeness and Snow crabs) legs they’re hardly worth the trouble. The quality of the meat is at its highest when the crab is cooked alive or euthanized within seconds of going into a steamer. Have you ever ordered a crab sandwich and noticed how the piece of fried crab actually looks like it’s just an entire crab thrown in the deep fryer? However, as long as you don’t overindulge, they can be a healthy option. They are essentially blue crabs that have just grown out of their shell, they then form this soft-shell due to their molting process. Although still white in color this meat will be flaky and less shapely compared to the jumbo lump. They typically range from 5 ½ – 6 ¼ inches. Compared to other king crab varieties, red king crab meat tends to have a bit more flavor. Depends on the crab that you are describing, and as you know there are many different kinds: Callinectes sapidus, or Atlantic blue crabs a species of swimmer crabs eaten, the claws have more meat than legs. King crab meat has a sweet flavor and delicate texture and is celebrated for its distinctive rich flavor. Snow Crab. An experienced crab picker can produce about 2 1/4 ounces of meat from each pound of live blue crabs. Backfin is finer textured than lump meat, but its flavor is similar. With a hard-shell and five legs on each side, snow crabs have a nice, sweet taste. Recently the crabs have drifted eastward and have been found as far east as Florida! discussion from the Chowhound General Discussion, Crab food community. A male blue crab “molts” or sheds its exoskeleton about twenty times before reaching adulthood. The common fisheries for red king crab are Alaska’s Bristol Bay and Norton Sound. The #1 Male crab, also known as a “Jimmy”, are typically the most sought after type of crab. Snow crab legs are typically less expensive than king crab legs. Blue crab claws are also available. Our crab meat is packaged fresh and contains luscious chunks of delicious blue crab meat. Snow Crabs are found all over both the North Atlantic and North Pacific Oceans. A female blue crab sheds its shell about eighteen times until it becomes an adult. Buying crabs is a fairly straightforward proposition -- if you know what you want. King crab has a short harvesting season, limited availability, and a lobster-like flavor—yep, they’re the more expensive of the two. Crab meat or crabmeat is the meat found within a crab.It is used in many cuisines across the world, prized for its soft, delicate and sweet taste. Looking at the bottom of the crab the shell is pure white, thus the name “whitey”. Step Five: Attack the Legs and Claws. Well, that’s precisely what it is! discussion from the Chowhound General Discussion, Crab food community. It … Rorapaugh says the crabs grow roughly 30 percent between sheds, so they’ll increase in size the later it gets in the year. Required fields are marked *, Cameron’s Seafood ships fresh, 100% authentic Maryland crabs, crab cakes, crab soups and fresh seafood to your door. The ‘True Blue’ program allows restaurants serving Maryland blue crab product to use a special logo in marketing or advertising the product. Super Lump: Small/broken “jumbo” and large flakes of body meat. The lumps, or pieces, in the Colossal grade are bigger than those in the Jumbo Lump. Depends on the crab that you are describing, and as you know there are many different kinds: Callinectes sapidus, or Atlantic blue crabs a species of swimmer crabs eaten, the claws have more meat than legs. Maryland blue crab meat must be eaten within 3 days upon delivery or frozen for 6 months. A crab that has recently moulted will have a very clean, shiny and intact shell. They’re caught with dredges, traps, and bottom trawls, and also as a by-catch on shrimp boats. Also … Top 10 Website Recipes. When cooked it can turn to a bright purple. Up until 1950, the Chesapeake Bay accounted for the lion’s share of available blue crab, about 75 percent, but that figure has since declined to about 50 percent of the domestic blue crab catch. The meat comes from two large muscles connected to the swimming legs. The rear-most fin of the crab which has a flat, oval shaped swimming paddle. Maryland Crab Cakes or Crab Imperial mix well with the lump selection. 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By Cameron Manesh | Sep 17, 2017 | crab How-To 's | comments... The fishermen tear off its claws and inverted t-shaped apron which resembles the Washington Monument …! Use this way as well you prefer your crabs to eat sodium, 9 grams protein by!