Glossary

Is That a Fact?……

(We reserve the right to be wrong about any of the information listed below.)

ALL CRAB is good; you can’t go wrong with ordering any type of crab. It all has it’s own distinct texture and flavor. We suggest you pick two you know and try something you never had as the third choice in the Big Bucket.

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Alaskan King Crab

Most of "Alaskan" King Crab on the market comes from Russian boats. WE NEVER BUY RUSSIAN CRAB AND ONLY BUY FROM SELECT PROCESSING PLANTS IN ALASKA (see my pictures of Dutch Harbor and Nome Alaska) This is the sweetest, meatiest crab that can be found. It is pinkish in tone consisting mainly of leg meat, but we pay extra to include claws. There are different grades of King Crab, we buy only the best. During the actual season, we do get fresh king crab over-nighted to us from Alaska.

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Bairdi (Bear - die) Crab

Also from Dutch Harbor Alaska, some people think this is the BEST crab in the world (I prefer King). Bairdi Crab is VERY sweet and very rare. We buy in bulk so we usually have it year round.

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Dungeness Crab

Harvested from the Pacific Ocean off the West Coast of America. When in season, they may reach 2 ½ to 3 – pounds in size. All of the meat in this crab is good to eat, the claws and legs as well as the body.

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Blue Crab

From the East Coast of America this crab furnishes most of the fresh crabmeat in the market. Lump, or back fin meat, taken from the body, is white in color and choice for looks. Flake meat, while less shapely, is also white. Claw meat is darker, but very choice. Any of you folks that have had this crab fresh will appreciate us flying blue crab in to Pismo Beach when available. It’s a lot of work to get the reward, but oh so good!

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Snow Crab

From Alaska, or Canada this crab is sweet in flavor, it is a cousin of the Bairdi. While less meaty than the King Crab, we buy the largest available and the highest grade. Not all Snow crab are equal!

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Stone Crab

From Florida, or Texas with pale flesh, and very delicate in texture and flavor. Stone crabs have become so rare that the authorities now insist that when one is caught only one claw may be removed, and the crab must be returned to the habitat, where it usually will grow another claw, like most crabs are quite capable of doing.

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Rock Crab

We get this crab from right here off the coast of Pismo Beach, or Santa Barbara. The claws of this crab are similar in looks to the stone crab claws, with very good flavor and meatier than the stone crab. We get them in live and keep them in our live tanks.

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Spider Crab

Also from this area, this crab is kind of’ weird looking. Sometimes called the "California King Crab" the legs are excellent to eat. They are abundant, however we rarely have them because no one tries to catch this crab. It is an incidental catch, found clinging to a lobster trap or rock crab trap when the traps are pulled in. A little tough to crack, you might watch out for splatter from the table next to you.

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Jonah Crab

From the cold waters of the North Atlantic, only the claw is served and the body meat is used for canned crab meat you may see in the grocery stores.

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Spanner Crab

From Australia, the meat is brilliant white and very sweet. The exotic spanner crab are shipped fresh the day they are caught.

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March 18th, 2024