If you love indulging in tender, sweet crab legs and meat, you may have heard of king crab and snow crab, but what is a bairdi crab? This lesser known Alaskan crab variety is gaining popularity for its stellar flavor, texture, and sustainable harvest. Keep reading to learn all about bairdi crab and why you should add it to your seafood repertoire
Overview of Bairdi Crab
Bairdi crab, also called tanner crab or snow crab, is one of the two main species marketed as snow crab, along with opilio crab. Named after American biologist Addison Emery Verrill, bairdi crabs are found in the cold waters of the Bering Sea near Alaska.
These large crabs can reach up to 5 pounds in size, with a leg span over 5 feet! They have a brownish, reddish or purple shell and thick, meaty legs and claws filled with tender white meat. Bairdi crab has a mild, sweet flavor that is delicate and versatile for cooking
While not as famous as king crab, bairdi offers similar enjoyment and indulgence when it comes to cracking open legs and claws and feasting on the sweet meat inside. It provides a stellar alternative to king crab which has faced population declines in recent years.
Bairdi Crab vs. Other Crab Varieties
So how does bairdi crab compare to other popular crab species on the market? Here’s a quick overview:
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King crab: The largest species, with meat that is slightly firmer and richer in flavor compared to bairdi. Facing population declines.
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Snow crab: This name refers to both bairdi and opilio crab. Bairdi is larger with sweeter meat.
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Dungeness crab: A smaller crab with a firmer texture and well-liked for whole crab cooking. Found on the Pacific West Coast.
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Blue crab: Smaller crabs known for their delicate flavor. Most common on the Atlantic East Coast.
Bairdi offers a great middle ground in terms of size, texture, flavor, and sustainability when compared to other crab varieties. It provides an excellent choice for those who enjoy picking and eating crab meat straight from the shell.
Bairdi Crab Seasonality and Sustainability
The bairdi crab fishing season in Alaska runs from January through April each year. During this time, fishermen carefully regulate their harvests to protect future populations. Bairdi crab is considered one of the better options in terms of sustainable seafood.
In contrast, snow crab (opilio) and red king crab harvests in Alaska were cancelled for the 2022-23 season due to population declines likely caused by warming ocean temperatures. The bairdi fishery remains open with stable numbers, though impacts from climate change are a concern for the future.
For these reasons, seafood fans seeking sustainable wild-caught crab should opt for bairdi over other varieties when shopping. Bairdi crab legs and meat are available fresh during the Alaska harvest season and frozen year-round.
Purchasing Bairdi Crab Legs and Meat
Want to get your hands on some delicious bairdi crab? Here are tips for finding it:
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Check local high-end grocers like Whole Foods or local fish markets, especially in Alaska. Ask a fishmonger for assistance.
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Look for labels listing snow, bairdi or tanner crab instead of king or Dungeness. Confirm it’s from Alaska.
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Purchase legs still in the shell or find prepared bairdi crab meat in the fresh seafood section.
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Order online from retailers like Pike Place Fish Market and overnight to ensure freshness.
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Opt for legs or clusters if cooking yourself. Crab meat works for ready-to-eat preparations.
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Expect to pay a premium price for quality, wild bairdi crab options.
Take care when purchasing bairdi crab to confirm it is sustainably harvested from Alaska. This ensures you get fantastic flavor while supporting responsible fisheries.
How to Cook Bairdi Crab at Home
Preparing freshly cooked bairdi crab is easy and rewarding. Follow these simple steps:
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Thaw frozen legs and clusters overnight in the fridge if cooking from frozen.
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Steam the legs/clusters for 5-7 minutes until heated through. This avoids overcooking.
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Crack shells with your hands or crab crackers to access the meat.
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Dip meat in melted butter, lemon juice, or sauce and savor the sweet flavor!
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Pick out any remaining meat to use in salads, omelets, sandwiches and more.
Steaming is the ideal cooking method to heat up frozen bairdi crab while preserving moisture and texture. You can also sauté briefly just to warm through. Avoid overcooking this delicate meat.
And be sure to enjoy the satisfying process of cracking open the hard shell legs and claws. The reward of plump, sweet meat inside makes it well worth the effort.
Delicious Ways to Eat Bairdi Crab
Beyond steaming and picking meat straight from the shell, bairdi crab can star in all sorts of mouthwatering dishes:
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Toss crab meat into salads, pastas, omelets or sandwiches
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Make crab cakes, crab rolls, or croquettes using fresh meat
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Stir meat into bisques, chowders or seafood stews for flavor
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Stuff into avocados or tomatoes for fun crab-stuffed appetizers
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Pair with artisan bread and citrus aioli for crab open-faced sandwiches
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Mix with cream cheese and spices to make hot crab dip
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Bake into casseroles, gratin dishes or mac and cheese
The subtle sweetness of bairdi crab complements both rich and delicate flavors. It can be the star of your meal or play a supporting role adding richness to recipes.
Why Bairdi Crab Should Be Your New Go-To Shellfish
For crab lovers, there’s so much to get excited about when it comes to bairdi crab. Here’s a recap of why it should be your new shellfish obsession:
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Sweet, tender meat with delicate flavor
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Satisfying to pick meat straight from the shells
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Large size provides ample meat compared to other crabs
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Considered a sustainable seafood choice
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Harvested responsibly in Alaska
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Available fresh or frozen year-round
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Delicious and versatile in many recipes
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Provides a more ethical choice versus endangered king crab
With its stellar taste and texture plus environmental benefits, bairdi crab is a fantastic choice for your next seafood dinner or anytime you get a craving for crab. Seek it out on your next trip to the grocery store seafood counter or order some online. Then get ready to crack, pick and enjoy this amazing Alaskan delicacy. Once you try it, bairdi crab is sure to become a new staple in your kitchen!
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 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.
Sig’s Bairdi Bet Pays Off | Deadliest Catch
FAQ
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