By

 snow crab

 

Snow crabs are the “ladies of the sea”- all legs and petite body. Having a leg span of two feet from leg tip to leg tip they are a huge crustacean.

They take their place in their rightful pecking order as Queen crab due to the likeliness of King crabs aside from the pomp and glory.

The average weight of one of these types of spider crab is 5 lbs, where a King Crab is double the size at a whopping 10 lbs. They are light brown in color and have a smoother shell than the acne prone king crab.

These crabs come from the chilly waters in the North Pacific and Atlantic Oceans in Canada and the U.S. A popular TV show on the discovery network, called “The Deadliest Catch”, give the reality of what these crab fisherman have to survive through to bring us this delectable treat.

The crabs are caught – cooked then frozen to preserve the flavors of the tender meat. Virtually all of the crab meat  is shipped frozen (mainly to Japan). Finding fresh crab meat is impossible if you live anywhere south of Alaska. But if you happen to be in the area during the crabbing season it’s well worth your time to find a crab fisherman willing to sell his fresh catch.

These delectable fleshy legs are a popular choice amongst consumers with just 73 calories per crab. One of the more affordable species of crab (next to Blue crab) and easy to prepare.

The Canadian season for fishing Queen crabs is April through November. In the Bering Sea of the U.S., the start of the season depends on when the ice breaks, and the season extends through the summer months.

Crabbing fisheries of Snow crabs have been able to maintain a healthy population. And the trapping process has done minimal damage to the marine environment making this crab an environmentally friendly choice. It is expected that there will be healthy stocks of these crabs for many years.

Aside from their nickname “Queen crab” they also have the Latin name Opilio, or Opies if you are one of the crazy Bering sea fisherman on the show, “The Deadliest Catch”.

Snow Crab
 
 
:
: main
: 2
Ingredients
  • snow crab legs

 

Return from Snow crab to How to Crab Home