 From the Sea to the Table...It's all about Crab!
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Blue Crab
There's quite a bit more to know about Blue Crab if this popular delicacy has just met your eye! The "swimmer crabs" are just that and more, unlike Snow Crab,
King Crab, Dungeness, Stone Crab, or Red Rock Crabs. They can swim! Not only that, but they can be eaten, not only in hard shell state, but totally, just cutting
off a few undesirable members of it's body, can be eaten in it's soft-shell state. They also are identified by various forms and conditions that you find them in.
It's important to learn and know the "crab language" when dealing with these unique crabs.
Blue Crab habitat is mainly around the U.S., the Chesapeake Bay area off the Atlantic Ocean, areas off of the Gulf of Mexico, and can be found as far down as the Bahamas. This species of crab has blue highlights and their shells are extremely sharp! This species of crab can be eaten in it's soft shell form, but is mainly eaten in it's hard shell form. When the these crabs mature, their shells cannot expand, so they molt their exterior shells, leaving a soft covering for a length of days when they are vulnerable and considered marketable (edible). Crab fishermen often put the crab that is beginning to molt aside and wait until the molting process is complete. Then they will send them to the market as soft-shell crab.
The Soft-Shelled Crab need be kept alive until the crabs are cleaned and boiled, whether by a customer or a restaurant to be kept fresh. Usually crabs must be eaten within four days of molting to be useful as soft-shell crabs and edible. Their meat is very mild and sweet tasting. After they molt, they begin to rebuild their shells and are crunchy when eaten making the soft shell crab not so desirable. Soft shell season can be fairly long and can run from the months of May into Septemeber. Soft shell blue crab are fairly expensive in the market, but are worth the purchase as soft shells can be eaten whole. Always purchase soft shell blues alive. If you would like the complete low-down on Blue Crab:
Jerald and Glenda Horst will teach you all you need to know about these crabs, from the trotline and the crab traps to getting them onto your kitchen
table! The pages in this book are loaded with clear, beautiful photo's to help and guide you along the way and over a hundred pages of "Crab-O-Licious" crab recipe's!
You can find information about Blue Crab Seasons and Recreations, here. It will open up into a new window. Try this world famous Blue Crab Cakes Recipe!
Go to our Crab Homepage.
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Soft-shell Blue Crab is quite the delicacy among the popular demand for Japanese and Asain food's, but they are mostly eaten while at hard shell form.
They are much alike the 
