March 18, 2022BLUE CRAB SEASON IS HERE!

Blue Crab season has officially begun, so we thought this would be a perfect time to tell you a little bit more about this delicious species!

The translation of its Latin name is “beautiful swimmer”, and indeed it is, for its legs allow it to rapidly outdistance its other bottom crawling crab relatives. The blue crab’s common name is equally telling, recognizing the bright blue coloration of its claws. The female of the species is even more vivid, setting off her pincers with bright red tips.

Virginia Blue Crabs come in many market forms: whole, live and steamed. Crabmeat is available fresh, frozen, and pasteurized, ( a process which allows shelf life to be extended without changing taste, appearance, or texture). Cocktail claws and numerous value-added products are also available, such as crab cakes. Picked crabmeat is available in: Jumbo Lump- very large pieces of crabmeat; Backfin- meat coming from the backfin area of the crab; Special or Regular- all white flakes of body meat other than the lump; Claw- comes from crab claws; Blended Backfin- combination of backfin and special.

Check out our suppliers and retail directories to find out where you can purchase Blue Crab near you!