You’ll need fresh or frozen crab claws to boil them. Stone crab claws are sold live, raw or cooked. You can also find frozen Jonah crab claws at the fish counter of your supermarket. The commercial crab industry sometimes refers to the legs of a crab as the claw, but true claws are usually much smaller and spindlier than those larger legs. The main difference between cooking stone and Jonah crab claws is their size. Jonah’s crab claws are larger and take longer to boil. Do you need to boil stone crab claws? And, if so, for how long? It’s generally recommended not to eat raw stone crab claws because they can contain parasites.
Where Should You Purchase Crab Claws?
It is best to purchase crab claws from a local seafood shop or market. Many places sell fresh seafood and crab claws if you live near the coast. However, if you live inland, you may have to drive to the coast to find a good source of crab claws (or just stick to frozen crab claws).
What Are Stone Crab Claws?
Stone crab claws are the large pincers of stone crabs found in the Atlantic Ocean along the eastern coast of North America. They are often harvested for food during their molting season, when they shed their outer shell and cannot protect themselves from predators. The meat inside these claws is white and tender, making them an excellent choice for various recipes, including soups, stews, salads and more!
How Long to Boil Raw Crab Claws?
The first step in preparing these delicious crustaceans is boiling them for approximately 10-15 minutes until they turn bright red (or your desired doneness). It’s important not to boil them too long, or they will become rubbery and tough instead of tender and juicy!
How Long to Boil Frozen Crab Claws?
Frozen crab claws are usually already cooked and only require boiling long enough to warm them up – approximately three minutes.
How to Tell if Crab Claws Are Cooked?
To tell if your crab claws are done cooking, there are two things to look for: color and texture. Crab claws will be bright orange or red when appropriately cooked, with firm flesh inside their shells, which means it’s safe for consumption! If your crab claw meat is still white or translucent when it comes out of the pot, it needs more time!
How to Tell if Crab Claws Are Overcooked?
To tell if your crab claws are overcooked, look at the color of the meat inside the shell. When it turns brownish, it means that your crab claws were boiled too long and their texture was ruined by overcooking.
How to Open Cooked Crab Claws?
You may be familiar with the shellfish cracking methods of using a mallet or hammer or twisting the claws in opposite directions until the shell breaks open. This works, but it’s far from efficient. Put your hand inside the shell and gently squeeze it to break it open.
Conclusion
While there are many different ways to cook crab claws, each method will produce a different result. Frozen crab claws are easier on your wallet and offer the flavor you would expect from frozen, non-fresh seafood. Fresh crab claws will give you a much tastier meal, but they can also be more expensive. If your goal is to eat the crab claw with its juices rather than fry it, then the best way is to boil them for a short time in lightly salted water.
