Dungeness crab is one of the most prized seafood delicacies coming from the Pacific Northwest With its sweet, succulent meat and hearty texture, it’s no wonder Dungeness crab is highly sought after As a seafood lover, you may be wondering just how much meat you can get out of one of these delicious crustaceans. Here’s a comprehensive guide on maximizing your yield when cooking Dungeness crab.
An Overview of Dungeness Crab
The Dungeness crab gets its name from the Dungeness Spit near Sequim, Washington where it was first harvested in 1857. It thrives in the cold Pacific waters ranging from Alaska down to California.
Identifiable by its reddish-brown shell and squat round shape the Dungeness crab measures 6 to 10 inches across and weighs 1.5 to 2 pounds on average. The minimum size limit for harvest is 6.25 inches.
The sweet, tender meat of the Dungeness crab has made it commercially and recreationally important. The peak season for Dungeness crab is between November and June. They are sustainably caught using baited pots and traps.
Of all commercially caught crab species, Dungeness offers one of the highest yields of meat. Their large size and high proportion of body meat makes them exceptionally meaty compared to other crab varieties.
Estimating Meat Yield from a Dungeness Crab
The amount of meat you can extract from a Dungeness crab depends on its size. Here are some general guidelines on yields:
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A 1 pound Dungeness crab yields approximately 1⁄4 to 1⁄3 pound of meat.
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A 2 pound crab will give you 1⁄2 to 3⁄4 pound of meat.
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A 3 pound crab yields 3⁄4 to 1 full pound of meat.
As the above estimates show, larger Dungeness crabs provide more meat for your money. The condition and sex of the crab also impact yields. Males tend to be bigger and meatier. Older crabs may have a lower meat to shell ratio. Though small in size, female crabs boast sweeter meat.
When buying Dungeness crab, select crabs that feel heavy for their size with a solid, full body. This signals a high meat content. Ask your fishmonger to pick out the most meaty crabs available.
Tips for Maximizing Meat Extraction
Follow these tips to get the most meat out of your Dungeness crabs:
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Opt for crabs weighing 1.75 pounds or more. The bigger the crab, the higher the yield.
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Choose male crabs over females since males tend to be larger.
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Clean and pick the crab thoroughly, removing all meat from the legs, body, and claws.
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Use a seafood cracker to open up stubborn shells and extract hidden meat.
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Save the shell and carcass to make flavorful crab stock.
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Refrigerate picked crab meat right away and use within 2-3 days for optimal freshness and taste.
How to Cook Dungeness Crab
To retain the signature sweetness and delicate texture of Dungeness crab meat, it’s best to cook the crab whole. Popular cooking methods include:
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Steaming – Place crab in a steamer basket and steam for 15-20 minutes. Allow 7-8 minutes per pound.
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Boiling – Boil crab for 15 minutes in salted water. Cool immediately in ice water to stop cooking.
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Baking – Stuff crab with seasoning and bake at 375°F for 15 minutes per pound.
Once cooked, let the crab cool slightly before cracking it open. Use a mallet, knife, or seafood cracker to access the prized meat inside.
What Does Dungeness Crab Taste Like?
Dungeness crab meat has a sweet, mild flavor with nuances of saltiness from the ocean. The tender, white body meat has a delicate texture and buttery taste. Leg meat is slightly firmer with more pronounced crab flavor. When cooked properly, Dungeness crab is succulent, juicy, and delicious.
How Much Meat Does a Dungeness Crab Yield?
Based on its large size and high meat content, Dungeness crab yields between 25-30% of its total cooked weight in edible crab meat.
For example, a 2 pound Dungeness crab will provide approximately 1⁄2 pound of crab meat after cooking and cleaning. Larger 3-4 pound crabs may yield over 1 pound of sweet meat.
The actual amount can vary based on the crab’s size, sex, and fullness of meat when caught. When preparing Dungeness crab at home, you can expect an excellent yield of sweet, tender meat that is highly prized by seafood aficionados.
Popular Ways to Use Dungeness Crab Meat
The tender, flaky meat of Dungeness crab is versatile for all kinds of recipes:
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Crab cakes – Mix cooked crab meat with breadcrumbs, egg, and seasonings then pan fry into crisp crab cakes.
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Crab dip – Blend crab with cream cheese, herbs, and lemon juice then bake into a warm, creamy dip.
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Crab salad – Toss crab meat with greens, avocado, tomatoes, and a tangy dressing for a fresh salad.
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Seafood pasta – Sauté crab with garlic, white wine, and red pepper flakes and combine with hot cooked linguine.
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Crab soup – Simmer crab meat in tomato broth with potatoes and corn for a hearty chowder.
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Stuffed mushrooms – Fill mushroom caps with crab, breadcrumbs, Parmesan, and herbs then bake until hot and bubbly.
However you choose to use it, Dungeness crab meat is sweet, succulent, and delicious. With proper cooking and cleaning, you can maximize your yield from each crab for countless memorable meals.
Cooking & Serving Tips
Oregon Dungeness crab is both versatile and easy to prepare, and can be served simple or elegant. It is at home equally on newspaper or fine china.
Place live crab in boiling salted water and cook for 18-20 minutes (after the water returns to a boil), turning the shell bright orange. Immerse in cold water to cool before cleaning. Fresh Whole-Cooks can be served chilled or heated in a steamer, broiler or oven for 4 to 5 minutes.
Clean the crab by removing the gills and viscera before serving. Serve with melted butter or dipping sauce. Frozen products should be thawed before reheating. Picked meat can be served chilled, Crab Louis or cocktail style as a delicious appetizer. As a featured ingredient in a hot entrée, Dungeness meat goes well with pasta, in casseroles and in seafood-based soups.
Oregon Dungeness crab has a sweet, delicate, stand alone flavor. Leg meat is firm and white with pinkish tones on the outside. Body meat is white and flaky.
The meat-to-shell ratio for Dungeness crab is approximately 25%, making it one of the meatier crabs available. The average yield for a 2 lb crab is 1/2 lb of picked meat.
Average portions for popular market forms are: • Whole-Cooks – 1 per serving • Sections – 1 to 2 per serving • Picked Meat – 1/4 lb. (4oz) per serving
- Cleaning Instructions
Refrigerate your whole cooked crab until ready to eat. Then follow these simple steps. To remove the back, hold base of crab with one hand, place thumb under shell at mid-point, and pull off the shell.
The leaf-like gills are now exposed. Gently scrape them away with thumb or spoon edge. Wash away the “crab butter” (viscera) under a heavy stream of cold water.
Many feel the Oregon Dungeness Crab is best when served warm, straight from the shell and dipped in drawn butter or seafood cocktail sauce. It also makes an excellent ingredient for a wide variety of delicious dishes.
- Cracking Instructions
Twist off each leg (including the two large legs with claws) where they join the body. Break off small pincer and discard. Use your fingers and a self assured manner.
Break large claws in two at the dotted line, and crack with a nut cracker. Or place on a cutting board and give a light whack with a mallet or small hammer. Most purists consider this the choicest meat in the entire crab, so oohs and ahs are appropriate. You may wish to nibble as you go, dipping your crab meat in drawn butter or cocktail sauce, or squeeze on a spritz of fresh lemon juice.
Crack next two joints of largest legs with nutcracker or mallet, and remove juicy, succulent meat. It’s perfectly acceptable – if you’re carried away with the proper amount of adventure – to suck meat out of the shell, as if using a straw. Or if you feel timid, use a nut pick or cocktail fork to remove.
Repeat the cracking procedure on the top two joints of rest of legs. Don’t miss a single piece of flavorful meat.
Smaller joints of legs can be snapped with fingers and meat either sucked out or removed with pick or fork. Or, show a little creative flair and use the pointed joints at the tip of crab legs as picks!
Grasp main body of crab with two hands and firmly snap in two. Place each section on cutting board and strike with mallet to break small bones and loosen meat. Or, the more flamboyant and independent crackers may simply use their fingers to separate and remove meat. A pick or cocktail fork comes in handy, too.
Easy way to get the body meat from a Dungeness crab.
FAQ
How much crab meat is in one crab?
This depends on the size and weight. On average 3-6+ ounces of meat per crab. For more information visit Maryland Crabs.
How many crabs make 1 lb of crab meat?
That’s when it comes down to more “bang for the buck.” An average blue crab weighs about 1/3 pound and yields about 2 ¼ ounces of meat. Add up the math and you’ll find it takes about 6 crabs to pick a pound.
Is one Dungeness crab enough for one person?
About 3 pounds of Dungeness crab will serve 2 to 3 people easily if you’re serving with additional entrees. If you’re having a crab feast for a group, 1 & 1/2 pounds per person would be a good start.
How many pounds is a whole Dungeness crab?
Crack into it and enjoy the fantastic sweet flavor ! Each crab weighs in at around ~1.75 lb.