Alaskan King Crab Vs Snow Crab: How Are They Different? - Skull Creek Dockside (2024)

FAQs

Alaskan King Crab Vs Snow Crab: How Are They Different? - Skull Creek Dockside? ›

Here's another tip that helps you distinguish between the two types of crab: the number of legs a crab has can tell you which kind of crab it is. Specifically, king crab has 3 pairs of legs and 2 big claws, while a snow crab has 4 pairs of legs and 2 claws.

King crab legs are thicker and lined with spikes that require a crab cracker tool for best results. Snow crab on the other hand have legs that are soft enough to crack open with your bare hands. Remember not to apply too much pressure or you'll shred the delicate snow crab meat within!

There are many types of crab legs, but king crabs have the largest claws, making them one of the best for eating. Each claw is filled with a long, thick spear of white, sweet-tasting meat similar to lobster's flavor. The shells are difficult to crack, so it's best to use a cracking tool to get to the meat inside.

King crab is quite the delicacy. It is decadent while still being delicate and its meat melts in your mouth! Trust us, this is the crab meat that is most often said to taste like lobster! The king crab legs, although shorter than snow crab legs, are thicker.

Price Comparison:

King crab is considered a luxury seafood option and its larger size, premium taste, and limited availability contribute to its higher price tag. Snow crab, on the other hand, is relatively more affordable due to its smaller size and more widespread availability.

The red king crab is the most coveted of the commercially sold king crab species, and it is the most expensive per unit weight.

Male crabs are meatier and are the preferred crab for steaming. You can tell a male blue crab by its “apron,” the underbelly shell of the crab, which is narrow compared to the female's. Female crabs are fattier and are preferred for soup.

The King crab is known as the best of the best when it comes to crab meat and it is usually a delicacy and eaten on its own or with a buttery dip.

King crabs are the most commercially important shellfish species in Alaska, being not only a way of life for many watermen and crabbers but a valuable revenue stream for the state.

Snow Crab. Like King crabs, Snow crabs have very long legs that provide a lot of their meat, which is a little more fibrous than King crab, but very tasty. Because their legs are thinner and less impressive than king crab legs, they are less popular with restaurants and thus more affordable for you.

Is Alaskan king crab the best? ›

Chef Choy says there are three reasons Alaska king crab is so good. First, it's way bigger than any other crab out there. And yet it's much more delicate and soft in appearance. It's loaded with what Chef Choy describes as a "sweetness and meatiness" unlike any other crab meat in the world.

The Majesty of King Crab Nutritional Benefits

Moreover, King Crab is teeming with omega-3 fatty acids, known for their heart-healthy properties. These fats can help reduce inflammation and promote cardiovascular well-being, making it an ideal choice for those seeking to maintain a healthy heart.

Dungeness Crab Tastes Better Than King Crab

Dungeness crab has a sweet, succulent taste and melt-in-your-mouth texture. Dungeness crab legs are a true delicacy with a firmer texture than the body meat. In comparison, King crab has a milder flavor, almost to the point of being generic.

King crab has an undeniable reputation for its flavor. One bite will usually turn anyone's taste bud into an undying fan. It has a sweet, mild flavor, and is often compared to lobster. Snow crab meat is also sweet, but bears a subtle briny flavor not found in king crab.

Dungeness Crab

Dungeness crabs are known for their sweet meat. However, it has thinner and smaller legs compared to snow or king crabs. When it comes to cooking, preparers usually steam or boil them. For boiling, chefs usually include salt, spices, herbs, or seasoning in the water.

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.

Caught in the waters of Bristol Bay and Norton Sound, the true red king crab is the most prized species of crab in the world, with strong demand from consumers in Japan, the US, and Europe. Alaska's largest harvest of red king crab takes place in the waters of Bristol Bay.

As for taste — while both crab species have an excellent balance of sweet, mild fish flavors, snow crab legs have a slightly more briny taste and delicate texture, while King Crab legs are meatier, with a texture more comparable to that of lobster.

While they may be slightly smaller than red king crabs, golden king crab legs are still a feast in their own right, and enthusiasts celebrate their uniquely sweet flavor.

Snow crabs are usually sold as sections or “clusters” (4 walking legs and a claw arm), typically graded 3/5 oz., 5/8 oz. and 8 ups; with 5/8 oz. sections compromising the bulk of the production. The meat yield from snow crab is about 17% compared to approximately 25% in king crab and Dungeness crab.