Its scientific name literally means “beautiful, savory swimmer,” which is a pretty accurate description of the blue crab. A gorgeous blue-green in color, it’s the most prolific species on the East Coast and furnishes most of the fresh crabmeat on the market.

Ranging in size from 3 1/2 inches up to over 5 1/2 inches in diameter, blue crab does turn the traditional orange-reddish color when cooked. Its meat has a rich, sweet, succulent and buttery flavor. The flaky white body meat is tender and delicately flavored, while the darker claw meat tastes almost nutty.

The waters of Chesapeake Bay account for over 50% of total U.S. blue crab landings, but they can also be found down the Atlantic coast and in the Gulf of Mexico. In fact, Louisiana supports a large blue crab fishery.

Sources
East Coast, Gulf of Mexico.

Availability
Blue crab is available year-round, but harvests are leanest and crabs are smallest during the winter months.

Cooking Tips

• Like other crabs, blue crab makes an excellent boil.
• Some cooks prefer to mix seasonings with cool water in another pot. After cooking, the crabs are moved to the cool, seasoned water and allowed to soak up the seasonings. This prevents overcooking and makes the crabs spicier.