King crabs are giant crustaceans that inhabit cold ocean waters. Of the different king crab species, the red king crab (Paralithodes camtschaticus) reaches the largest size. These mammoth crabs fascinate people with their hulking bodies spiny legs and incredible proportions. But just how big do king crabs get? What are the key stats, dimensions, and facts around these giants of the crab world? In this article, we’ll take a look at the record-setting size of the biggest king crabs ever found.
Masseive Claws and Leg Span
The largest red king crab ever recorded was caught in the Bering Sea near Alaska in 1977 It weighed an astonishing 28 pounds and had a leg span of nearly 5 feet across These are monster measurements for a crab,
To put the size into perspective:
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The leg span is wider than a motorcycle.
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Each claw was likely the size of a human head.
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The crab’s body alone weighed more than a bowling ball.
Even the average male red king crab is impressively sized, with a leg span up to 6 feet and weight around 10 pounds. The females reach about half that size.
Estimated Age
Giant king crabs like the 28 pound record breaker don’t grow overnight. Researchers estimate the largest specimens are between 20-30 years old. It takes years for them to achieve such massive proportions.
Red king crabs reach full maturity around 5-6 years old. After that point, their growth slows but they continue increasing in size throughout their lifespan. The oldest crabs have endured decades of brutal Bering Sea winters to attain record weights.
Shell Width
While the leg span measures the full width of a king crab’s spread, the shell width specifically refers to the carapace or body shell size.
The 1977 record had an estimated carapace width of 18.5 inches across. That’s over 1.5 feet just for the body!
Even an average male red king crab has a shell width around 6-8 inches. Females reach about 5 inches.
Meat Content
A giant king crab doesn’t just have an impressive outer size. All that internal space is filled with delicious meat.
The meat weight of a single 28 pound king crab would likely surpass 10 pounds. That’s enough crab meat for dozens of servings.
Even smaller 10 pound crabs contain around 2-3 pounds of meat. King crab legs are packed with tender, sweet flesh.
Colossal Catches
While the 1977 crab remains the largest on record, even today enormous “colossal” sized red king crabs are pulled from Alaskan waters.
Premium seafood companies like Cameron’s Seafood offer these jumbo crab legs for sale. Colossal specimens can have leg spans exceeding 5 feet. Though not record size, they are as big as king crabs come.
Prized Seafood
The giant size of king crabs makes them a prized seafood. Bering Sea fishing boats carefully harvest only mature males of appropriate size. Consumers seek out the impressively large crab legs and claws.
Larger crabs also yield more meat, making them more efficient to process. The colossal crabs provide a hearty, luxurious dining experience given their substantial portions.
Legendary Proportions
The biggest king crab ever recorded captures the imagination with its legendary proportions. At 28 pounds, it represents the upper limits of growth for this crustacean giant. While not every king crab reaches such mammoth dimensions, these creatures will continue to astound us with their stunning size potential. They represent one of nature’s most supersized masterpieces.
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- Wild-caught by trusted experts, Alaskan King Crab Co. brings the sea right to your doorstep. Our king crab is already cooked so that it still tastes like it was just caught. Learn more here.
- The biggest and most-wanted crab legs are Alaskan red king crab legs. Vitamin B-12, omega-3s, and high-quality protein are all found in large amounts in red king crab meat.
- Every order is put in a box with dry ice to keep it frozen on the way to your house.
- Our king crab is already cooked, so all you have to do is thaw, heat, and eat. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight (8-12 hours). Then, simply steam, grill, bake, or boil.
- Dip your crab legs in melted butter with our AKC “Just Add Butter” Seafood Seasoning to make your meal better, and don’t forget to serve some of our favorite side dishes.
Sourced Straight from Sea to Table
Sourced through trusted experts and chosen for taste, texture and quality.
Flash frozen to lock in the fresh-off-the-dock taste.
Packaged with dry ice and shipped overnight directly to your door.
Simply thaw, prep, heat, and eat.
Alaskan king crab boasts a rich, natural sweetness and firm yet tender texture.
After thawing your crab legs in the refrigerator for 8-12 hours, you can steam, grill, bake, or boil. Learn more here. We suggest rinsing your crab legs in freshwater before and after thawing them. You can also heat your king crab legs straight from the freezer; just give them more time to cook in either way.
All of our products will stay good in the freezer for several months. However, for the best taste and texture, we recommend enjoying them within 2-3 months.
All products are hand-weighed using a certified scale. We try to give you as many full legs as we can, but orders may also come with claws, knuckles, and other parts. Dry ice will be used to pack your order so that everything stays frozen until it gets to your door.
Both red king crab and golden king crab have a sweet, rich, and luxurious flavor profile. Golden king crab is a slightly smaller species caught at deeper depths. As a result, their legs are more likely to sting than those of red king crabs, so you should use good shears.
The exact amount of meat in each crab leg will vary slightly. We suggest ordering 1 to 2 pounds of seafood per person, but it depends on how hungry you are and what else is in your seafood feast.
Both red and golden king crab boast 16g of protein, ~350mg of omega 3s, and 9. 8 mcg of vitamin B-12 per 3oz serving. Something went wrong, please contact us!.
BIGGEST Crab I’ve Ever Seen!! TASMANIAN KING CRAB – Cooked 3 Ways!!
FAQ
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