How many Dungeness crabs should I eat per person?
An average Dungeness Crab from the fish market is going to weigh 1.5 to 2.0 lbs. That's 24 oz—32 oz, which might produce 5oz-6oz crab meat each. So, as I said above, if you are throwing on the crab pot, better plan on at least one decent sized crab per person.
As a rule of thumb, if you have crab lovers we recommend about 1 1/2 pounds per person. If you have some big eaters you might want to go with 2 pounds per person.
Serve with melted butter or toss with your favorite sauce. Crab prepared in this way is also ready to use in your favorite seafood recipes. Serving & Eating Dungeness Crab, Northwest Style - Allow one to two clusters per person. Eating crab should be fun and informal.
How many crabs will you need? If you are just serving crabs, a good rule of thumb is about 8-12 crabs per person. If you are serving other food, we estimate about a 1/2 dozen crabs per person.
Nutrition & Serving Size
Oregon Dungeness crab is as nutritious as it is tasty. A 3 oz portion of cooked meat has 19g of protein and contains important minerals and amino acids. It is low in both fat and calories, as well as cholesterol and carbohydrates.
The average serving size of Dungeness crabmeat is one half pound.
1-1½ pounds of crab legs per person for an entrée portion. 3-4 whole crabs per person for an entrée portion. 4-6oz of crab meat per person for an entrée portion. 2-3oz of crab meat per person for a starter portion.
Plan on 2 or 3 snow crab clusters per person as a side, which translates to 1/2 to 1 pound. If you serve snow crab legs as a main dish, plan on 5 to 6 clusters per person (1 1/2 to 2 pounds).
Dungeness Crab
The daily bag limit is 10 crab, and the minimum size limit is 5¾ inches. Recreational crabbing is not allowed from vessels licensed for commercial Dungeness crab fishing.
The meat-to-shell ratio for Dungeness crab is approximately 25%, making it one of the meatier crabs available. The average yield for a 2 lb crab is 1/2 lb of picked meat.
What does 1 cluster of Dungeness crab look like?
Clusters consist of 4 legs and a claw (sometimes only 3 legs). Our Dungeness crab clusters are flash-frozen and packaged in clear plastic bags for easy freezer storage.
King crab meat tends to be sweeter and more delicate in flavor compared to Dungeness crab, which has a more robust and slightly briny taste. In terms of texture, king crab meat is slightly firmer and has a more delicate flake, while Dungeness crab meat is slightly softer with a more substantial flake.
A good rule of thumb is three to four crabs per person. Order fewer if you're also ordering corn, hush puppies, oysters and other appetizers.
These toxins occur naturally in the shellfish's viscera, which are usually discarded. Those who enjoy cooking and eating crab should simply take precautions not to eat the viscera, located under the crab's back, and avoid using whole crabs in soups and other dishes.
- 01 of 16. Gruyère Scalloped Potatoes. ...
- 02 of 16. Curried Okra Shoestring Fries. ...
- 03 of 16. Twice-Baked Potatoes. ...
- 04 of 16. Classic Grilled Corn on the Cob. ...
- 05 of 16. Spicy Pepper Jelly Coleslaw. ...
- 06 of 16. Lisa Cericola's Herbed Brown Butter Mashed Potatoes. ...
- 07 of 16. Permanent Slaw. ...
- 08 of 16.
The carapace widths of mature Dungeness crabs may reach 10 inches, or 25.4 centimeters, but are typically 6–7 inches, or approximately 15–18 centimeters. They are a popular delicacy, and are the most commercially important crab in the Pacific Northwest, as well as the western states generally.
At 4 to 5 years of age, a Dungeness crab can be over 6 1/2 inches in shell width and weigh between 2 and 3 pounds. A large male Dungeness crab can exceed 10 inches in shell width. The estimated maximum life span of this crab is between 8 and 13 years.
A legal-sized male Dungeness crab is 6 ½ inches in carapace width (shoulder width) and weighs approximately 2 pounds. Dungeness crab are distributed from the Aleutian Islands to Magdalena Bay, Mexico.
Crab season traditionally runs from early November through late June, with the height of the season being in the winter months.
Crabs Are Pre-Steamed/Cooked And Pre-Cracked Average 3 Clusters Per Pound. We aim to show you accurate product information.
How much crab should I eat?
Do not eat more than four servings of crab meat per month (one serving per week). Do not eat any crab hepatopancreas (crab butter).
Deciding how many crab legs to buy can be tough, especially when you take guests or side dishes into consideration. If your friends and family members are not big fans of seafood, you can safely plan for a half pound per person. If you know some serious seafood enthusiasts, plan for up to two pounds per person.
Since Seafood Watch lists Oregon's Dungeness crab fishery with a sustainable seafood rating of 'best choice', there is no need to feel guilty about catching the daily limit of 12 crabs per fisherman.
Therefore, a dozen of live crabs weighing approximately 4 pounds will yield only 1/2 pound of actual edible meat. Boiled crabs: Plan on 2 to 4 crabs per person depending on size for boiled crabs. Generally, a bushel of #1 will hold 60-72 crabs, which will feed about 10 – 12 people.
Plan on serving each guest at least one pound of meat each, but some stone crab enthusiasts may be able to eat as many as three pounds of crab meat, so it is best to be prepared.
References
- https://www.webstaurantstore.com/blog/1716/how-to-pick-a-crab.html
- https://www.lintonseafood.com/medium-blue-crabs-12-bushel-maryland-steamed.html
- https://www.boxhillpizzeria.com/boxhill-crab-cakes/blue-crabs-are-they-healthy/
- https://www.bluecrabtrading.com/usa-blue-crabs-by-the-dozen/live-1-dozen-male-usa-hard-shell-blue-crabs-mediums-5.5-to-6-inches.html
- https://www.alaskankingcrab.com/blogs/resources/the-king-crab-difference
- https://www.news-journalonline.com/story/news/2013/01/30/crab-bowl-blue-vs-dungeness/30719112007/
- https://louisianadirectseafood.com/seafood-handbook/crab/
- https://www.northcoastseafoods.com/products/jumbo-lump-crab-meat
- https://www.ucdavis.edu/news/safe-ways-eat-crab-0
- https://repository.library.noaa.gov/view/noaa/16273/noaa_16273_DS4.pdf
- https://www.baltimoresun.com/2018/09/13/the-gender-gap-is-real-for-crabs/
- https://fishex.com/crab/dungeness/dungeness-crab-legs-pacific
- https://crabs.com/blogs/news/what-is-the-best-tasting-crab
- https://www.king5.com/article/tech/science/environment/alaska-cancels-snow-crab-harvest-second-year-in-a-row/281-ea73c572-b18f-467c-b727-80015e6763bb
- https://www.crab-o-licious.com/dungeness-crab.html
- https://www.masterclass.com/articles/king-crab-vs-dungeness-crab
- https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-green-paste-in-lobsters-and-crabs
- https://myfwc.com/research/saltwater/crustaceans/blue-crabs/faq/
- https://www.southernliving.com/food/seafood/crab/side-dishes-for-crab-legs
- https://fathomseafood.com/blogs/news/how-to-tell-if-crab-has-gone-bad
- https://www.mychicagosteak.com/steak-university/king-crab-vs-snow-crab
- https://doh.wa.gov/community-and-environment/food/fish/advisories/puget-sound/marine-area-6
- https://www.mercurynews.com/2016/12/15/dungeness-crab-101-buying-and-cracking-tips-from-the-pros/
- https://crabs.com/blogs/news/how-many-stone-crabs-should-one-person-eat
- https://www.bellbuoyofseaside.com/post/five-reasons-dungeness-crab-is-better-than-king-crab
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Callinectes_sapidus
- https://www.quora.com/Can-crabs-change-gender
- https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=dungenesscrab.main
- https://www.bluecrabtrading.com/seafood-blog/maryland-blue-crabs-101.html
- https://www.shellshack.com/
- https://oregondungeness.org/cooking-and-serving/
- https://www.fastactionfishing.com/crabbing-on-the-oregon-coast/
- https://www.crabdynasty.com/medium-snow-crab-legs.html
- https://www.mainelobsternow.com/super-colossal-snow-crab-clusters-2-x-14-oz-plus
- https://a-z-animals.com/blog/dungeness-crab-market-prices-in-what-to-expect-when-buying/
- https://wildlife.ca.gov/Fishing/Ocean/Regulations/Fishing-Map/Northern
- https://time.com/6222956/alaska-snow-crab-disappearance/
- https://www.southernliving.com/food/seafood/crab-season
- https://www.thekitchn.com/snow-crab-vs-king-crab-23489094
- https://crabhouse39.com/news-events/the-best-tasting-crab/
- https://oregondungeness.org/nutritional-info/
- https://thefishsite.com/articles/how-to-check-if-your-mud-crab-is-full-of-meat
- https://globalseafoods.com/blogs/news/is-king-crab-price-worth-it-experts-weigh-in
- https://www.costasinn.com/seafood-facts/the-different-types-of-crab-meat/
- https://www.sonomacounty.com/articles/bodega-bay-restaurants-dungeness-crab-season
- https://globalseafoods.com/blogs/news/the-pros-and-cons-of-frozen-dungeness-crab-legs-what-to-know
- https://www.georgestonecrab.com/blogs/about-stone-crabs/most-delicious-types-of-crab-a-complete-guide
- https://www.costasinn.com/blog/crabs-baltimore/maryland-blue-crabs-whats-in-a-name/
- https://www.seattlefishcompany.com/product/dungeness-crab/
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dungeness_crab
- https://docksidehhi.com/alaskan-king-crab-vs-snow-crab-how-are-they-different/
- https://tpwd.texas.gov/huntwild/wild/species/bluecrab/
- https://www.fineststays.co.uk/blog/difference-brown-white-crab-meat/
- https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/static/education/wns/dungeness_crab.pdf
- https://www.prestigeonline.com/sg/lifestyle/wine-plus-dine/most-expensive-edible-crabs/
- https://fultonfishmarket.com/blogs/articles/seafood-serving-sizes
- https://www.washingtonpost.com/goingoutguide/crab-picking-101-everything-you-wanted-to-know-but-were-afraid-to-ask/2016/08/11/d1b43f76-5d8d-11e6-9d2f-b1a3564181a1_story.html
- https://gjcurbside.com/product/dungeness-crab-cluster/
- https://www.quora.com/Are-Dungeness-crab-legs-meatier-than-snow-crab-legs
- https://www.instructables.com/How-to-Cook-and-Clean-a-Fresh-Dungeness-Crab/
- https://www.seafoodsource.com/news/supply-trade/landings-up-prices-down-as-california-becomes-first-to-close-dungeness-crab-season
- https://www.angrycrabshack.com/what-does-dungeness-crab-taste-like/
- https://wholey.com/resources/faqs/crab-faq/
- https://www.premiercatch.com/blogs/seafood-nutrition/about-dungeness-crab
- https://redcrabseafood.com/king-vs-dungeness-crab-the-best-pick-for-making-crab-legs/
- https://www.thespruceeats.com/cleaning-and-picking-meat-from-crab-1300533
- https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/SG078
- https://www.ilovecrabs.com/blog/what-are-the-different-types-of-crab-meat
- https://cravincrabs.com/how-to-eat-a-crab/
- https://www.alaskankingcrab.com/blogs/resources/everything-you-need-to-know-about-popular-varieties-of-edible-crab
- https://www.baltimoremagazine.com/section/fooddrink/crab-basics/
- https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=bluekingcrab.main
- https://www.americastestkitchen.com/cooksillustrated/articles/6123-give-your-crabmeat-a-milk-bath
- https://www.amazon.com/Bumble-Bee-Lump-Crabmeat-6-Ounce/dp/B001E52TJA
- https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/horseshoe-crab.html
- https://www.webmd.com/diet/health-benefits-crab
- https://fishex.com/crab/dungeness/dungeness-crab-clusters-alaskan
- https://www.palmersdirecttoyou.com/media/1155/king-crab.pdf
- https://www.cameronsseafood.com/blog/crab-how-tos/how-much-crab-should-i-order/
- https://www.cbf.org/blogs/save-the-bay/2023/06/whats-going-on-with-the-chesapeake-bays-blue-crabs.html
- https://www.crisfieldchamber.org/
- https://seabear.com/products/dungeness-crab-clusters
- https://www.quora.com/Are-blue-crabs-edible
- https://www.cameronsseafood.com/faq/difference-between-1-males-2-males-females-jumbo-crabs/
- https://www.southernliving.com/food/seafood/blue-crab-facts
- https://a-z-animals.com/blog/dungeness-crab-vs-snow-crab/
- https://www.chesapeakequarterly.net/V11N2/side4/
- https://www.costco.com/connection-fyt-dungeness-crabs-june-2023.html
- https://kingcrablegs.com/blogs/resources/the-anatomy-of-a-crab
- https://www.familysavvy.com/how-to-choose-crab-and-the-best-way-to-cook-it/
- https://fogharbor.com/news-events/snow-crab-vs-king-crab-whats-the-difference/
- https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/species/blue-crab
- https://www.cameronsseafood.com/maryland-experience/
- https://www.southernliving.com/food/seafood/crab/how-to-eat-blue-crab
- https://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/22/health/nutrition/22real.html