Bairdi crab is a delicious and sustainable seafood option that deserves a place in every seafood-lover’s repertoire. With its snowy white meat, succulent texture and superior sweet flavor bairdi crab offers a taste that is distinct from other popular crab varieties like king and snow crab.
As someone who loves to cook and experiment with new ingredients, I was curious to try bairdi crab and discover its unique qualities. Here is what I learned about what bairdi crab tastes like, where to buy it, how it compares to other crabs, and the best ways to cook it at home.
An Overview of Bairdi Crab
Also known as tanner crab or snow crab, bairdi crab is found in the cold waters of the Northern Pacific Ocean near Alaska. It is closely related to opilio snow crab but grows larger, up to 5 pounds compared to snow crab’s 2.5 pound maximum size.
Bairdi crab lives on the seafloor and is known for its long, spindly legs and one large pincer claw. Only male bairdi crabs are harvested commercially, and they can live up to 14 years. The peak season for fresh bairdi crab is January through April.
The Superior Sweetness of Bairdi Crab Meat
So what makes bairdi crab so special when it comes to taste? The meat has a sweet, delicate flavor that I found noticeably sweeter than snow crab and king crab It reminds me of lobster in its soft brininess. The taste has been described as clean, light, and reminiscent of the crisp ocean air where it’s caught.
Bairdi crab meat is valued for its snowy white color, succulent texture, and lack of fishiness When cooked properly by steaming, the meat becomes tender and moist, while maintaining a pleasant fibrousness The legs, claws, and body meat all have the same delicate sweetness.
Compared to king crab, bairdi crab has a sweeter, less minerally flavor. The meat is not as firm as king crab and has smaller flakes. Bairdi crab is less expensive than king crab, making it a budget-friendly way to enjoy premium crab taste.
Health Benefits of Bairdi Crab
Along with its amazing flavor, bairdi crab offers stellar nutritional value. It is low in fat and calories while providing a host of vitamins and minerals like selenium, omega-3s, B vitamins, and antioxidants.
Some of the top health benefits of bairdi crab include:
- High protein – Great for building and repairing muscle
- Anti-inflammatory – Reduces risk of chronic illness
- Heart healthy fats – Supports cardiovascular health
- Immune boosting – Selenium, vitamin C, and antioxidants
- Mental clarity – Omega-3s improve brain function
- Strong bones and teeth – Vitamin D aids calcium absorption
So feel good about indulging in this seafood delicacy! Bairdi crab offers both rich flavor and wellness perks.
Where to Buy Fresh Bairdi Crab
Since most bairdi crab is caught in Alaska, the best way to get high-quality fresh crab is to order it overnight from retailers like Pike Place Fish Market or Whidbey Island Seafood Company. Make sure the crab is labeled as coming from Alaska.
You may also be able to find bairdi crab legs and clusters in the frozen seafood section of specialty grocery stores, especially in areas like the Pacific Northwest. Check the label to ensure it is bairdi and not a different species of crab.
Buying crab legs or clusters is more affordable than buying a whole crab. You can also find pasteurized bairdi crab meat which is pre-picked and ready to eat or heat up.
Cooking Methods to Try at Home
Bairdi crab is easy to prepare at home either as the star ingredient or mixed into seafood dishes. Here are some of my favorite ways to cook it:
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Steamed clusters – The best way to enjoy the pure sweet flavor of bairdi crab is to steam thawed clusters for 7-10 minutes. Serve with melted butter, lemon wedges, and fresh dill.
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Baked crab cakes – Mix lump crab meat with breadcrumbs, egg, lemon juice, and seasonings. Then form into patties and bake until golden.
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Crab salad sandwich – Combine crab meat with mayo, celery, onion, parsley, lemon juice, and pepper. Serve on toasted sourdough bread.
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Crab omelet – Saute crab meat in butter with garlic and greens. Fold into fluffy beaten eggs and cook until set. Garnish with cheese.
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Crab bisque – Simmer crab shells and mirepox to make a stock. Puree with cream and seasonings for a rich, decadent soup.
A Must-Try Delicacy from Alaska
With its sweet brininess, tender texture, and myriad health benefits, bairdi crab is a seafood treasure worth seeking out. If you are a crab lover, I highly recommend trying bairdi crab to experience its superior flavor and delicacy. A few bites will convince you that this Alaskan specialty deserves a regular spot on restaurant menus and in home kitchens.
So next time you come across bairdi crab at the fish market or on a restaurant menu, I urge you to take the opportunity to indulge. Bairdi crab offers a taste of the pristine Pacific coastal waters where it thrives, with a melt-in-your-mouth tenderness that keeps you coming back for more.
All About “Snow Bairdi” Crab
Chionoecetes bairdi (Tanner) and Chionoecetes opilio (Snow) are two species of crab that live so close to each other that they often breed with each other, creating areas with lots of hybrids. Both species are sold in stores as Snow Crabs and are commonly called Tanners. The only way to tell them apart is by small details and the use of their species name, “bairdi” or “opilio.” The genus name Chionoecetes means “snow inhabitant.” The Tanner live in the North Pacific Ocean, along the continental shelf and in coastal waters in the Bering Sea. Tanners are “true crabs,” with four pairs of legs, one pair of pincer claws, and a chitinous shell with a small abdominal flap. Some decapods use the “crab” name for association. Tanners are some of the most highly specialized crustaceans.
Males that are at least seven to eleven years old and weigh between one and four pounds after six years are the only ones that can be caught for commercial purposes today. Bottomfish share the appetite for Tanner crabs’ white meat.
Tanner sexes remain separated for much of the year and merge together during reproductive seasons. A chemical called pheromone is released by the female crab during her maturity molt, which is the last time she sheds her shell as an embryo. Hatching can start as early as late winter or early spring, but the busiest time is usually from April to June, when the spring plankton bloom gives crab larvae lots of food to eat as they swim around. After 60 days, the larvae lose their swimming ability and settle to the ocean bottom. A Tanner crab can grow up to fourteen years and go through many molts over the course of five to six years.
The Bering Sea Fishery, which began in 1961 and became a major trade route in the North Pacific with record catches of up to 332 million pounds, is where most Tanners are caught. Japan and Soviet Russia caught most of the fish until 1976, when the Magnuson Fishery Conservation and Management Act set up the 200-mile Economic Exclusion Zone and gave the fishery to the US. By 1984, the harvest was down to just over one million pounds. In 1986 and 1987, lawmakers and fishery management stopped all fishing in an effort to fix the damage caused by too much fishing. When it opened again in 1988, there were some restrictions, but by 1996, the harvest had dropped so much that the fishery had to be shut down again. The stocks recovered for reopening by 2004. That year, Alaskan fishery managers started the “Crab Rationalization Program.” It was based on programs that were already in place in New Zealand and the North Atlantic. Individual fishing quotas were set based on what each boat had caught in the past, and some fish were kept to be sold in the areas where they were caught. The CPR applies to the small fishery in Southeast Alaska, where Alaska Select sources its Snow Bairdi Crab.
The Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADFG) says that the state’s tanner crab populations are now managed for maximum sustainable yield. As a result, the populations change in ways that are stable. There are many types of boats that fish for crabs today, from small inshore fishing boats to commercial “super crabbers” in the Bering Sea (like the ones you may have seen on “Deadliest Catch”). Fishing gear consists of crab pots baited with fish such as chopped herring.
Product Info
- Caught: February
- Location: SE Alaska
- Method: Pots
- Clusters vacuum-packed & flash frozen (brine frozen and water glazed)
- Cooked to perfection
- 3kz (~6.6lb) bags in box dimensions 13”x 20” x 3¾”
- Generally holds over 18 months
All you need to know about Dungeness Crab, Snow Crab, and King Crab.
FAQ
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