Product Description
- Preservation History: prev-froz, thawed at 37 F then quickly rinsed
- Size: Colossal (4/6's and 6/9's: legs weigh 0.8-1.3 Lbs. ea)
- Form upon delivery: Individual legs and 1 or 2 claws
- Taste: sweet, rich, light brine, succulent
- Texture: body cluster meat: firm, clumpy, slightly more dry and less delicate than the leg sections, meaty. leg meat: tender, moist, buttery mouthfeel, meat sections hold form when removed from shell.
- Origin: Alaska
- Catch Method: Trap
- Availability: October - January
- Sustainability Rating: Good Alternative - Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch
- Recommended Preparation: These huge crab legs will come cooked and ready-to-eat. A quick steam (4 min) will bring out that deep ocean flavor.
- Pack Size: 10-pound case
- Nutritional Info (serving size 2/3 pound) Calories 223, Fat 1.6g, Cholesterol 111mg, Sodium 2223mg, Carbohydrates 0g, Fiber, 0g, Sugars 0g, Protein 48g, Calcium 122mg, Iron 1.5mg, Potassium 542mg, Vitamin A 18mcg, Vitamin D 0 UI, Omega 3's ~ 450mg
The Red King crab (a.k.a Alaskan King crab) is the largest and best tasting of the three commercially available species of King crab. The Blue King crab and the Golden King crab are smaller, less sweet, and not nearly as flavorful. The Red King crab is succulent, sweet, rich, and moist. The meat holds true to its form when removed from the shell, the sections tend to be quite large, and the recovery ratio of meat-to-shell is good.
Bristol Bay and Norton Sound Alaska is where most of the US harvest for Red King crab comes from and the fishery is responsibly managed by NOAA Fisheries, the North Pacific Fishery Management Council, and by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. There are currently four main stocks of Red King crab which are Bristol Bay, Pribilof Islands, Norton Sound, and Western Aleutian Islands. Two of these, the Pribilof Islands and the Western Aleutian Islands, have been closed for many years while the Norton Sound and Bristol Bay have remained active, productive, and sustainable. The Monterey Bay Aquarium still labels the Red King crab as a "Good Alternative" because of past overfishing, but populations are now exponentially rebounding because of effective fisheries management and this classification is most likely going to change.
Alaska King crab is sized by according to the number of crab legs in a ten-pound package. Legs labeled ‘9/12’, for example, have between 9 and 12 legs per 10-pound box.
Alaskan King Crab is cooked while still live to preserve the best flavor and texture. We thaw your frozen Red King crab in a 37-degree cooler and then give it a quickly rinse. It is shipped out to you in a ready-to-eat form, but we recommend steaming the crab for 4 minutes first to bring out its optimal flavor.