Crab meat is a delicious and versatile ingredient that can elevate a variety of dishes. However, finding high-quality crab meat 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, sustainable crab meat online or in stores.
Online Retailers That Specialize in Seafood
One of the most convenient ways to buy crab meat is through online seafood retailers that ship it directly to your door Here are some of our top recommendations
Maine Lobster Now
This company offers an impressive selection of crab meat including snow crab leg meat from Canada, Jonah crab meat from Maine, and Dungeness crab meat from Seattle. Their crab meat comes pre-picked so you don’t have to deal with shells. It is hand selected, packaged, and frozen at the peak of freshness. They also provide helpful recipes and cooking tips if you need inspiration.
Seattle Fish Company
With three generations of experience in the seafood industry, this retailer provides high-quality crab meat like snow crab, king crab, and Dungeness crab. Their crab meat is wild-caught, sustainably sourced, and processed in the United States.
Lobster Anywhere
This company ships live lobsters and other shellfish nationwide. Their selection of crab meat includes snow crab king crab and blue crab meat. The crab is wild-caught and the company has its own fleet of boats to ensure quality.
Local Fish Markets
Visiting a local fish market is a great way to connect with sellers that really know their product. They can give you useful tips on how to pick the best crab meat and how to store it. Here’s what to look for:
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Markets that source seafood daily from local fishermen. This ensures maximum freshness.
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A variety of crab meat options like blue crab, stone crab, or Dungeness crab depending on your region.
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Crab meat that is translucent white with red tints and minimal shell fragments. Avoid yellow or gray meat.
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Crab meat that smells fresh and mild, not fishy or ammonia-like.
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Hard-frozen meat if you can’t use it right away. This preserves quality.
Seafood Counters at Grocery Stores
Many high-end grocery stores have excellent seafood counters that carry fresh crab meat. The benefit of shopping in person is that you can inspect the quality and only buy what you need for a couple meals. Things to look out for:
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Crab meat packed that day – check for the date.
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Meat that is moist and glistening but not sitting in liquid or juice.
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No unpleasant “fishy” odor.
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Ask questions about the source and freshness. A knowledgeable fishmonger is a good sign.
Asian Markets and Fish Stores
If you have access to an Asian supermarket, they are absolutely worth checking out. These stores often sell live seafood and freshly packaged crab meat at very competitive prices. Depending on the region, you may find crab varieties that are hard to find elsewhere like hairy crab.
Direct from a Local Crab Fishery
If you live in a coastal region where crab is caught fresh daily, consider buying directly from a local crab fishery. You’ll get exceptional quality and support small local fishermen. This is also the most sustainable option. The crab meat will be as fresh as possible, just make sure to consume, cook or freeze it quickly.
Tips for Storing and Freezing Crab Meat
Once you’ve sourced some top-notch crab meat, proper storage is key. Here are some tips:
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Keep fresh crab meat chilled at 33-40°F if using within 2 days.
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For longer storage up to 3 months, freeze crab meat in an airtight container.
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Freeze in smaller portions to avoid waste. Crab meat can be used in many recipes.
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Place wax paper between pieces of crab meat when freezing to prevent them from sticking together.
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Cook frozen crab meat without thawing first for the best texture.
With this guide, you now have the knowledge to seek out high-quality and sustainable crab meat from the best sources. Enjoy this luxurious ingredient in crab cakes, seafood pasta, hot crab dip, or simply on its own with a squeeze of lemon.
What Makes Culinary Reserve Crab Meat the Best?
Our premium line of pasteurized Blue Swimming Crab meat was created to meet the highest standards of seafood excellence. Our customers prefer Culinary Reserve for its sweet, clean, buttery flavor and delicate, flaky texture.
Our crabs are responsibly wild-caught from the Indonesian Spice Islands. Live crabs are steamed immediately, which is the key to our premium quality. The crab meat is then 100% hand-picked, immediately chilled, and pasteurized under the strictest quality control standards.
In addition, we regularly micro-test our crab meat to guarantee food safety.
Our high-quality packaging protects product integrity and increases shelf life. Shelf life for culinary reserve crab meat is 12 months under proper refrigeration.
All of these quality commitments make a difference to maximizing the flavor, freshness, and texture. While we can list reasons all day long, we encourage you to taste the difference for yourself. It’s a tender, buttery flavor experience that most other brands can’t replicate. Plus, our dedication to long-term sustainability ensures you can enjoy your crab meat with confidence and a clean conscience.
Check out the video below to learn more about what makes the Indonesian Blue Swimming Crab unique.
Culinary Reserve Super Lump Crab Meat
Super Lump Crab Meat consists of: Smaller and broken pieces of jumbo lump, with large flakes included.
Best Used For: Super lump is best when going “high end” is the goal! Super Lump crab meat is excellent in crab cakes, dips, salads, and casseroles. Also, it makes for a beautiful presentation as a stuffing for fish, chicken, vegetables, or seafood.
Super Lump Crab Meat Recipe Suggestion: Baked Crab Cake Bites (view here). These 1 oz. mini crab cakes are absolutely perfect for a delectable party hors doeuvres. Serve with a small dollop of Sriracha Mayo aioli and plenty of toothpicks!
Chicken of the Sea Lump Crab meat Costco! #lumpcrab #chickenofthesea #crabmeat #costco #costcofinds
FAQ
Do supermarkets sell crab meat?
Tesco Orkney Crab Meat 100G – Tesco Groceries.
What is the best way to buy crab meat?
1. Fresh crab meat should be white, firm, and eaten within two days. When it comes to selecting good fresh crab meat, trust your senses. The meat should be white for the most part with a moderately firm texture. If the meat has an exaggerated fishy or ammonia smell or has a blue tinge, steer clear.
Is frozen crab meat better than canned?
Crab meat hetmetically sealed in a partial vacuum retains its original tenderness, color, and flavor in frozen storage more ef- fectively than crab meat sealed in moisture-v8por-resistant cello- phane or packed in friction-top tins.