Crab meat is a delicious and versatile seafood enjoyed in dishes from crab cakes to crab dip. With many types of crab to choose from, which crab meat is truly the best? Here is an in-depth look at the most popular options and how to select high-quality crab meat for your recipes.
The Best Kinds of Crab for Meat
The ideal crab meat combines sweetness, richness, and delicate flavor. The most prized varieties include:
Maryland Blue Crab – This East Coast crab is considered the gold standard for crab meat. It has a sweet, briny flavor and flaky texture perfect for picking. The leg and body meat are premium.
Dungeness Crab – Found off the Pacific Northwest coast, its sweet, succulent meat is ideal for crab cakes. The chunks have a pleasant firmness.
Stone Crab – From Florida, stone crab claws have sought-after meat with a subtle, almost nutty richness. The texture is moist and tender
Snow Crab – Snow crab legs from Alaska have delicate white meat with a sweet taste It shreds nicely for crab salad,
Soft-Shell Crab – While technically any molting crab, soft-shells from the East Coast offer total edibility. The tender meat has a mildly briny flavor.
King Crab – The largest crab, the king crab has firm leg and shoulder meat with a slightly salty, oceanic flavor.
The meat from these crab varieties stands out for its superior texture, sweetness, and versatility in recipes.
Buying Fresh Crab Meat
For the best quality and flavor, purchase fresh crab meat at local fish markets or high-end grocers when available.
Look for refrigerated containers labeled with the type of crab. Inspect the meat for a glistening, translucent appearance with no yellowing. The odor should smell pleasantly briny, not fishy or ammonia-like.
Fresh crab meat is more expensive but has better texture and taste than pasteurized meat. Use it within two days for maximum freshness.
Choosing Pasteurized Crab Meat
Pasteurized crab meat is heat processed to extend its shelf life. While not as pristine as fresh, high-quality pasteurized crab still provides delicious flavor and a pleasant texture in recipes.
Pasteurized meat is available year-round in the refrigerated or freezer sections at most mainstream grocery stores.
Check the sell-by date and pick packages with at least a week or two before expiration. Inspect the meat through the packaging for a bright white color with red or orange tinting.
Jumbo lump and lump meat will showcase large chunks, while special and claw meat has smaller pieces. Pasteurized crab tastes sweeter than canned crab.
Understanding Crab Meat Grades
Crab meat is available in different grades based on the part of the crab it comes from:
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Jumbo Lump – From large muscles near the body. Has the most impressive chunks.
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Lump or Backfin – Contains smaller broken chunks from body muscles.
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Special – A mix of lump and body meat particles. Smaller texture.
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Claw – Shredded meat from the claws. Often used in soups and stuffing.
Jumbo lump commands the highest prices for its pronounced chunks and delicate flavor. It works well in places where texture takes center stage.
Claw and special grades offer affordability and still provide delicious crab taste. Their smaller size makes them perfect fillers in dips, patties, soups, and casseroles.
Opting for Canned Crab Meat
Canned crab allows enjoying the flavor wherever fresh seafood is not accessible or affordable. Rinsing improves the flavor.
Look for cans packed in water or brine rather than vegetable oil. Avoid added fillers or preservatives. Name brands like BlueStar and Crown Prince offer quality choices found at many grocery stores.
While canned won’t match the pristine texture of fresh or pasteurized, it lets anyone anywhere have access to tasty crab dishes.
Storing Crab Meat Properly
To extend freshness and flavor, store all crab meat properly:
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Keep fresh crab meat chilled at 34-40°F maximum. Use within 2 days.
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Refrigerate pasteurized crab meat for 5-7 days after opening. Discard if it smells unpleasant.
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Freeze extra fresh or pasteurized crab meat for up to 3 months. Defrost in fridge before use.
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Refrigerate open canned crab meat for 2-3 days. Discard if any odd odor develops.
With proper storage, you can enjoy any type of crab meat at peak quality.
Making the Most of Your Crab Meat
No matter which variety you choose, premium crab meat lets you create amazing recipes:
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Crab cakes – For impressive appetizers, entrees, or sandwiches. Jumbo lump or backfin are ideal.
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Crab dip – Blend crab with cream cheese, mayo, and spices for a creamy snack. Use any grade of meat.
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Crab salad – Toss crab gently with mayo, lemon, and veggies for a light lunch. Shredded meat works well.
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Crab soup – Simmer claw and special grade crab meat in broth with veggies and seasonings.
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Crab stuffed mushrooms – Mix crab with breadcrumbs, garlic, and cheese to stuff mushroom caps.
With so many sweet options for crab meat, you can enjoy delicious crab flavor year-round. Follow this guide to pick the perfect crab meat for any recipe.
Backfin Crabmeat
This grade of crab meat has smaller, broken lumps of lump crabmeat mixed in with flakes of white body meat. It costs less than lump crabmeat and tastes good. It has enough texture to look good in dishes where you can see some crabmeat, like crab salads, pasta dishes, and regular crab cakes.
Colossal Lump and Jumbo Lump Crabmeat
Colosseum lump crab, which is also called mega jumbo or super jumbo, is made up of big pieces of meat that connect to the skate fins. Because each crab only has two of these muscles, it costs a lot (often $40 to $50 or more per pound). Jumbo lump crabmeat chunks are the same two muscles, just from smaller crabs. Giant and jumbo crab are both great when you want big chunks of crab to pick up with your fingers and dip in butter or your favorite sauce.
Because colossal and jumbo are smooth and sweet, they are best eaten by themselves. This is why they are not a good choice for crab cakes. The seasonings might overwhelm the delicate flavor and mixing the ingredients would break up the tender chunks. Putting it bluntly, do not get this type of meat for crab cakes. It is too pricey to use such a delicacy in that way.