Where to Buy Fresh and Delicious Crab

Crab is one of the most delicious and coveted seafood delicacies. Its sweet, briny flavor and tender meat make it a favorite for many seafood lovers. However, finding high-quality fresh crab can be a challenge if you don’t know where to look. In this article, we’ll explore some of the best places to buy fresh, high-quality crab so you can enjoy this decadent shellfish at home.

Local Seafood Markets

One of the best ways to get your hands on truly fresh crab is to visit a local seafood market, especially one near fishing ports or crab harvesting areas. These seafood markets have direct connections with local fishermen and can get crab straight from the docks. This means the crab you purchase is as fresh as possible, often caught within 24 hours.

When you buy from a seafood market with a good reputation you can trust you’re getting a high-quality product. Many reputable seafood markets are selective about the fishermen they work with and may even have their own quality standards for purchasing crab. This gives you assurance you’re getting crab at its peak freshness.

The crab selection at quality seafood markets can vary depending on the season and what’s being caught locally. You may find options like

• Dungeness crab
• King crab
• Snow crab
• Blue crab
• Stone crab
• Jonah crab

Some seafood markets will sell live crab that you can take home to cook yourself. Others will have freshly cooked crab available. And you can often find other crab products like lump crab meat, crab cakes, and crab legs.

Thehands-on experience and customer service at a local seafood market are also a major benefit. The fishmongers will be able to tell you when the crab was caught, answer questions about preparing and cooking it, and can give suggestions for the best way to enjoy different types of crab.

Online Seafood Retailers

Ordering crab online has become a convenient option for getting premium quality crab meat right to your door. Online seafood companies like Main Lobster Now offer a wide selection of fresh and frozen crab sourced from local fishermen.

When ordering crab online, here are some of the key benefits:

• Overnight shipping – Online seafood companies use fast overnight shipping like FedEx to deliver your crab as quickly as possible. This minimizes the time from the crab being caught to it arriving at your door.

• Flash freezing – Reputable online seafood retailers will use flash freezing methods to lock in the freshness of the crab after it’s processed. This means it will taste like it just came off the boat when you thaw it.

• Variety– You can often find a wider selection buying crab online, including hard-to-find premium products like giant king crab legs from Alaska.

• Cooked and picked crab– Many online retailers will sell pre-cooked products like crab cakes, lump crab meat, and crab claws that are ready to eat or add to recipes.

• Guaranteed delivery– The best online seafood companies will guarantee your order arrives fresh, fully frozen, and properly packed with dry ice or gel packs to maintain optimum quality.

When ordering crab online, look for retailers that clearly state where the crab is sourced from and when it’s caught, processed, and shipped. This transparency ensures you’re getting the freshest crab.

Direct from a Local Crab Fishery

If you live near an area with commercial crab fisheries, you may be able to buy crab directly off the fishing boats. This is the ultimate in freshness and quality.

Some small local crab fisheries will sell directly to the public right at the dock or have minimal processing facilities on-site to cook and clean the crab. You can check to see if any crab boats or processors in your area offer dockside sales or self-serve seafood markets.

Buying directly from crab boats allows you to see exactly where your seafood is coming from. You’ll likely be able to get crab varieties that are caught in the local waters depending on the season, like Dungeness, blue crab, or stone crab.

Ask the fishermen or staff at the dock what the best crab is right now and how to prepare it. They’ll appreciate your interest in buying directly from the source.

Farmer’s Markets

Farmer’s markets are another place you may be able to source fresh local crab depending on your location. Some farmer’s markets, especially those near the coasts, will have vendors that sell fresh seafood like crab.

The selection is usually limited, but when available, farmer’s market crab is likely caught very close by. You may even be able to chat with the fishermen themselves.

Farmer’s market crab may be sold cooked, cracked, or alive. Make sure to ask questions from the vendor about when and where it was caught and how it’s been stored if pre-cooked.

Some other tips when buying crab from farmer’s markets:

• Ask to smell the crab first if it’s pre-cooked to check for freshness. It should smell sweet and briny, not fishy or ammonia-like.

• For live crab, look for active, lively movement. Avoid any crab that seems sluggish or inactive.

• Be aware that farmer’s market vendors may not keep the crab chilled, so opt for cooked or live crab, not raw.

Asian Supermarkets

For delicious crab varieties from Asia like hairy crab or blue swimmer crab, check your local Asian supermarket. Many will have a live seafood tank where you can personally select your crab or buy pre-cooked crab.

Some popular options at Asian seafood markets include:

• Swimmer crab
• Mud crab
• Hairy crab
• Red crab
• Flower crab
• Horsehair crab

Be aware that much of the Asian crab may be previously frozen then thawed for sale. This isn’t necessarily bad, but fresh-killed or live is best for texture and flavor.

Ask questions about the origins and catch dates for the crab. And inspect the crabs carefully before purchasing for strong movement and aroma if buying live.

For pre-cooked crab, aroma and meat texture are also good indicators of freshness when selecting.

Online Direct from Fisheries

Some small fisheries are now selling crab directly to consumers online and shipping it overnight. This is a great way to get ultra-fresh wild crab straight from the source.

Typically, you’ll order right from the fishery’s website and get the crab overnight shipped with ice packs or insulation to keep it chilled.

Online direct purchasing allows you to support small crab fisheries while getting premium quality. And you can feel good knowing exactly where your seafood is coming from when you order online direct.

Some things to look for when buying online direct:

• Details on where and when the crab is caught.

• Chilling and shipping methods used to maintain freshness.

• Order cut-off times to ensure overnight delivery.

• Live arrival guarantee if ordering live crab.

• Range of products available like whole crab, clusters, or crab meat.

While more expensive than retailers, you’ll taste the difference of buying directly from fishermen.

Crawfish Boils and Crab Festivals

For delicious crab dishes and experiencing local crab culture, attend a crawfish boil or crab festival.

These events will feature crab sourced from the region cooked up every way imaginable from crab boils to crab cakes to gumbo. You can try crab prepared by local chefs and restaurants to get a taste of regional crab specialties.

Some of the most famous and flavorful crab feasts include:

• Chesapeake Bay Crab & Beer Festival (Maryland)

• Louisiana Crawfish Festival

• Gilroy Garlic Festival (California)

• Guntersville Crawfish Festival (Alabama)

• East Coast Seafood Festival (Florida)

Don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty at these fun festivals and community events! Crack open some crab legs, peel the shells, and enjoy crab in its freshest form.

How to Pick Quality Crab

Picking out top-quality fresh crab is an art. Here are a few tips on what to look for when buying whole live crab, raw crab, or pre-cooked crab:

• Live crab – Select crab with vigorous movement and reaction to touch. They should cling tightly to your hand when picked up. Any crab that seems lifeless should be avoided.

• Cooked crab – Look for crab with a bright color and shiny shell. The meat should be firm, opaque, and white with no discoloration or unpleasant odor. Avoid any crab with yellowing meat or a fishy or ammonia smell.

• Legs or clusters – Solid, heavy legs are best. The shell should have a purple-reddish hue when cooked. Break a leg open to check the meat – it should be tightly packed inside with a fresh smell.

• Cracked crab – The meat inside cracked body sections should completely fill the compartments with no wateriness or gaps. It should be moist and flaky yet firm.

• Lump crabmeat – The meat should be pearly white in color with visible chunks and flakes. There should be minimal broken pieces or crab shell/cartilage.

Getting your crab from a reputable seller you trust is the best way to ensure you’re getting a high-quality product. Don’t be afraid to ask questions and take a close look when buying whole crab or cracked crab.

Recommended Cooking Methods

One of the joys of eating crab is that it can be prepared in endless ways. Here are some of the most popular and delicious methods for cooking up fresh crab:

• Steaming – The simplest preparation, steaming allows the sweet crab flavor to shine. Drop whole crab or clusters into a pot of boiling seasoned water until the shell turns bright red/orange.

• Boiling – For crab boils, add whole crab or snow crab legs to a pot with seasonings like Old Bay or Zatarain’s and boil until cooked through. Spread out newspaper and get cracking!

• Sautéing – Quickly sauté lump crab meat with butter, garlic, and fresh herbs for a simple yet elegant dish.

• Baking – Stuff crab shells with a rich crab imperial mixture or shredded crabmeat and breadcrumbs and bake until browned and bubbling.

• Grilling – Grilled crab is amazing in the summer. Toss halved shells or clusters right on the grill until lightly charred. Brush with butter for extra richness.

• Frying – Breaded and fried soft shell crab is a signature East Coast dish. Just coat in flour, egg wash, and panko or cornmeal and fry quickly until crispy.

From rustic crab boils to upscale crab cakes, there’s no wrong way to cook fresh crab. Let your imagination run wild with this incredible ingredient.

Storing and Handling Crab

To keep crab at top quality after purchasing, proper storage and handling are key:

• Cook live crab the same day as purchasing for best flavor and texture. Keep in a ventilated bag or container in the fridge until ready to cook.

• Store fresh cooked crab for no more than 4-5 days maximum in the coldest part of the refrigerator.

• Frozen crab can be kept for 2-3 months in the freezer before deteriorating. Always thaw in the fridge, not at room temperature.

• Prevent cross-contamination by keeping raw and cooked crab separate. Discard any liquids released from raw crab.

• When reheating cooked crab, avoid overcooking it which makes the meat tough. Gently reheat pieces in simmering water, butter, or sauce to prevent drying out.

With proper handling, you can enjoy crab at the peak of freshness and quality when cooking at home.

Fabulous Crab Recipes to Try at Home

Once you’ve sourced some amazingly fresh crab, it’s time to put it to use in delicious recipes. Here are some all-star crab recipes to try at home:

• Maryland Crab Cakes – Classic crab cakes loaded with lump crab meat, breadcrumbs, and Old Bay seasoning. Pan fry until golden and serve with lemon wedges and remoulade or tartar sauce.

• Crab Boil – A low-country specialty, crab boils feature seafood like crab, shrimp, crayfish, clams, and mussels simmered in a seasoned broth with corn and potatoes. Spread out newspaper for a rustic feast.

• Crab Salad – Flake fresh crab meat and gently fold with mayo, lemon juice, diced celery, onions, and herbs. Spoon over a bed of greens or serve in avocado halves.

• Crab Dip – Combine lump crab with cream cheese, sour cream, Parmesan, garlic, and spices. Bake until bubbly then dig in with crusty bread or crackers.

• Crab Cakes Benedict – Top toasted English muffins with pan fried crab cakes, poached eggs, and hollandaise sauce for an elevated breakfast.

• Crab Louis – A classic West Coast salad featuring crab meat, greens, hard-boiled egg, cucumbers, avocado, and tomatoes with a tangy dressing.

Let your creativity run wild when cooking with crab. Boiling, steaming, sautéing, baking, grilling – it’s all delicious with this succulent shellfish!

The Takeaway

From coast to coast, crab is one of the most sought-after seafood treats. Getting your hands on fresh high-quality crab can be tricky, but knowing where to buy it makes enjoying this incredible ingredient much easier. Local seafood markets, online retailers, direct fishery websites, and events like crab festivals are great places to source delectable fresh crab. Look for crab at peak freshness and handle it with care to enjoy the glorious sweet flavor of this shellfish. Then have fun getting creative cooking it up in your favorite recipes from classic crab boils to elegant crab salads. Delicious crab is closer than you think – get cracking!