Where to Buy a Whole King Crab for a Special Occasion

I love cooking with fresh high-quality ingredients especially for special occasions like birthday dinners or holidays. And when I want to serve something truly impressive as the centerpiece main course, my go-to is a whole king crab. The sight of that giant, red-shelled crustacean landing on the table elicits audible gasps and wows from guests. And the incredibly sweet, rich flavor of the crab meat makes it totally worth the splurge.

If you also want to source an entire king crab for your next big dinner or event, here are my tips on where to buy one and how to prepare it.

Why Buy a Whole King Crab?

While you can certainly purchase pre-cooked king crab legs or claws at many grocery stores, there’s something about buying and preparing a whole, live king crab that really level ups the experience. Here are some of the key advantages of buying a whole crab rather than pieces:

• Maximum freshness: A live crab guarantees peak freshness and flavor since it was recently caught. Pre-cooked legs may have been processed weeks or months before.

• Impressive presentation A whole crab arrived dramatically at the table is a showstopper Pieces of legs simply don’t have the same visual impact.

• More meat A whole crab contains meat from the legs, body, and claws Buying only legs means missing out on a good amount of sweet crabmeat

• Cooking flexibility: You can prepare a whole crab baked, boiled, grilled – whatever method you prefer. Pre-cooked legs limits your options.

• Delicate flavor: The meat from a freshly cooked whole crab has a more subtle, delicate flavor than pre-cooked versions.

So if you want the absolute best king crab experience, start by buying a whole live crab. Here are the best places to source one online or locally.

Where to Buy a Live King Crab Online

One of the best things about shopping online for seafood is that you can buy a live king crab and have it shipped overnight to your door. This guarantees maximum freshness, even if you don’t live near the coast. Here are my top recommendations for purchasing live or whole cooked king crab online:

Global Seafoods

This is my go-to source for buying live seafood online. Global Seafoods has a wide selection of live king crab available, including:

• Red king crab from Alaska
• Golden king crab from Alaska
• Red king crab from Norway
• Red king crab from Japan

I especially love that you can source live crab from Norway and Japan. The flavors are incredible! Global Seafoods has fast overnight shipping to ensure the crabs arrive alive and very lively.

They also sell whole cooked king crab if you prefer to buy pre-killed. Prices range from $199 for a 5 lb crab up to $499 for a 10 lb. king crab from Norway.

FishEx

Another excellent online source for premium king crab. FishEx specializes in wild-caught seafood from Alaska, including both red and golden king crab varieties.

You can order either whole cooked crab or boxes of pre-cooked legs and claws. Whole cooked crabs start at around $280. Boxes of legs/claws range from 3 lbs ($189) to 10 lbs ($499).

FishEx has a great selection and very reasonable pricing on king crab. Plus overnight shipping is free for orders over $199.

Seattle Fish Company

This supplier focuses specifically on fresh seafood from the Pacific Northwest. They sell live Dungeness crab and red rock crab, but not king crab.

However, they do offer whole cooked king crab from Alaska, either frozen or thawed. Prices range from $170 for a 4 lb crab up to $700 for a 15 lb king crab.

Keep in mind their inventory fluctuates, so selection is not as extensive as some other online seafood companies. But they do have very fast overnight shipping.

Honorable Mentions:

• Maine Lobster Now – live lobster, but no king crab
• Lobster Anywhere – cooked king crab legs only
• Sea to Table – sustainable wild-caught seafood, but no live crab

Where to Buy King Crab Locally

If you’d prefer to select your king crab in person, here are some of the best places to source it locally:

Asian Markets

Many Asian grocery stores and seafood markets sell live crab and lobster. Check the live seafood tank to see if they have any king crab from Alaska or imported from Norway or Japan.

The quality and freshness can vary greatly depending on turnover at the market. So inspect the crab closely before purchasing.

Independent Fish Markets

Another place to find live or whole cooked king crab is a local independent fish market, especially one that focuses on fresh, sustainable seafood.

The selection will depend on their distributor and inventory, so call around to markets in your area to check availability and pricing.

Restaurant Suppliers

Some restaurant or hotel food supply companies will sell to the general public. These suppliers cater to high-end establishments that serve fresh seafood.

So you may be able to source a high-quality king crab from a local supplier, though minimum orders and pricing will be tailored towards the restaurant industry.

Fishermen’s Wharves

If you live near major fishing ports like Seattle, San Francisco, or Alaska towns like Kodiak, you may be able to purchase king crab right off the boats at the wharves.

This is about as fresh as you can get! Check to see if the ports in your region sell live or freshly caught seafood to the public.

Fishermen’s Markets

Many fishing towns have seasonal fishermen’s markets where you can buy seafood directly from fishermen. For example, the Kodiak Fishermen’s Market in Alaska sells fresh live and cooked king crab when available.

Look for rotating fishermen’s markets in port cities near you. But call ahead as inventory fluctuates.

How Much Does King Crab Cost?

As a premium seafood delicacy, king crab is one of the pricier options out there. Here are some typical price ranges:

• Live king crab: $17 – $27 per pound
• Whole cooked king crab: $20 – $30 per pound
• King crab legs clusters: $25 – $60 per pound

The per pound cost decreases slightly for larger crabs. And legs are often more expensive per pound than buying a whole cooked crab.

For a sense of total cost, a common 8-10 lb king crab would be around $200-$300 for a whole cooked crab. Individual legs for a meal for 2-4 people might run $150-$200.

So expect to spend around $200-300 for a nice king crab dinner for 4-6 people. It’s definitely a splurge! But worth it for a special occasion.

When is King Crab in Season?

Another factor that impacts availability and pricing is king crab seasonality:

• Alaska: Peak season is fall to early winter (October – January)
• Norway: Live crabs available spring through fall
• Japan: Peak seasons are spring and fall

You’ll typically see the largest selection and lowest prices during peak harvesting seasons. Prices increase and availability decreases in the off-seasons.

So plan around the seasons if you’re wanting to serve a fresh king crab dinner. The good news is frozen and previously cooked crabs are available year-round if you can’t time it with a current season.

How to Prepare a Whole King Crab

Once you’ve sourced your perfect king crab, it’s time for the fun part – cooking and eating! Here are some tips for preparing a whole crab:

• Butcher the crab – Use sturdy shears/scissors to cut off the legs and body. Cut the body in half and crack the legs.

• Clean the crab – Rinse the pieces well in cold water. Remove the top shell, gills, and innards. Rinse again.

• Boil or steam – The traditional cooking method is boiling or steaming for 8-12 minutes until the shell turns bright red.

• Other cooking methods – You can also bake, grill, or sauté the crab pieces. Baste with garlic-lemon butter or other seasoning.

• Crack the shell – Use a mallet or cracker to break open the legs, claws, and body. Carefully pick out the meat with a fork or pick.

• Serve and enjoy! – King crab is amazing on its own with just a squeeze of lemon. You can also pair it with drawn butter, garlic aioli, or your favorite sauces.

A whole king crab feeds anywhere from 2 hungry people to 6 lighter eaters as an appetizer. Plan for about 1 lb of crab meat per person.

One tip: Have plenty of crab crackers on hand for your guests! The shells are tricky to break open with your bare hands.

Splurge on a Whole King Crab for Your Next Celebration

A whole fresh king crab is one of the ultimate culinary treats. While not cheap, it’s worth the splurge for a memorable special occasion, impressive dinner party, or milestone celebration.

The cost of a whole king crab can vary significantly, but you can generally expect to pay between $275 and $675, or even more, depending on the size, type (red or golden), and where it’s purchased.