This sweet-tasting crab is a favorite of discerning seafood gourmands from San Francisco to Shanghai. Named after Washington state’s Dungeness Bay, Dungeness crab are found only in the eastern North Pacific, particularly off the coasts of northern California, Oregon and Washington.

Most Dungeness crabs are harvested from December through February, when the crabs are actively feeding after molting. Generally, meat yields improve as the season progresses. The biggest Dungeness can reach almost 3 pounds in size.

Almost 25% of the Dungeness harvest is now exported to China and Taiwan, where the Chinese word for Dungeness means “very valuable crab.”

Source
Northern California, Oregon, Washington state, Alaska, Canada.

Abailability
Although individual fishing seasons vary, Dungeness crab is basically available year-round. The largest harvests generally occur during winter months, however.

Cooking Tips

• Preparations can involve the whole crab or simply the meat.
• Crack the legs and dip into a simple butter sauce, or sauté them and serve warm with a black bean sauce.
• Makes great crab cakes.
• Terrific addition to omelets, soups, salads or soufflés. Since the meat will be first cooked while still in the crab, though, be sure to add it at the last minute to avoid it becoming dry.