Stone Crab Claws: All About this Florida Delicacy!
Stone Crab Claws are harvested from the beautiful waters of the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic coast, and from October to May of each year, they become the most significant part of Florida’s seafood economy.
They are a prized Sunshine State delicacy known for their sweet, succulent meat and unique sustainable harvesting method.
This comprehensive guide dives into everything you want to know about stone crab claws, from identification to harvesting to delicious recipes and more:
- How to Identify Stone Crab
- Stone Crab Season
- Harvesting and Sustainability Practices
- Buying Stone Crab Claws (and who ships to your home!)
- How to Cook (and mustard dip recipe!)
- Cocktail Crab Claws for your Dinner Party
- Nutritional Value and Health Benefits
- Interesting Facts about Stone Crab Claws
- FAQs
How to Identify Florida Stone Crab
Florida has lots of crabs both in the water and on land. But they’re all easy to identify.
The most common confusion seems to come from all those crabs that run around the streets of South Florida during rainy season. Without knowing, people often assume those are the highly coveted and delicious stone crabs. But that’s not the case, those are blue land crabs.
Stone crabs are found in the ocean, in mangroves, in seagrass beds (they live in the water, not on land). If you see a stone crab out of the water, it’s because he’s moving to another territory OR a human has placed him there.
Stone crabs are typically beige to dark brown and have two large claws with black tips.
Male claws are generally larger and heavier than female claws.
When selecting fresh claws, look for the ones that feel heavy for their size, as this indicates that they are meaty and full. The shell should be intact and free from any cracks or damage.
Fresh claws will have a slightly salty smell, but should not have a strong fishy odor.
Stone Crab Season
It’s only legal to harvest Florida Stone Crab Claws from October 15th to May 15th.
Several factors can affect the quality and availability of Florida Stone Crab Claws during the harvesting season. One factor is water temperature, as crabs are more active in warmer waters.
Another factor is weather conditions, as storms and rough seas can make it difficult for fishermen to harvest the claws.
To ensure the sustainability of the Florida Stone Crab population, there are strict regulations and laws in place for harvesting.
These include size limits for claws, which help to ensure that crabs have a chance to reproduce before being harvested. There are also restrictions on the number of claws that can be harvested per crab, to prevent overfishing.
All of these factors add to the prices of stone crab claws each season. The 2023-2024 season saw prices range about $35 – $75 per lb. Prices for the 2024-2025 season are expected to range around $40-$80 per lb.
Harvesting and Sustainability Practices
The economic impact on Florida during stone crab season is huge, roughly $30-40 million per year.
This is an enormous incentive for Florida to remain strict and vigilant in enforcing current laws for the harvesting and sustainable fishing practices of these crabs.
Claw size, weight restrictions on daily claw harvests and crab trap that allow small crabs to escape are specifications that play a role in keeping the stone crab population in Florida waters healthy and growing each year.
One of the things that makes stone crab claws special is the harvesting method itself.
Unlike traditional crab fisheries, only claws are harvested, and the live crab is returned to the ocean.
The crab is caught (usually in a cage set on the bottom of the ocean), one or both of the claws are harvested, and the live crab is set free back in the ocean where his claw(s) will grow back.
Typically a stone crab claw removed correctly, will grow back within about a year. If it’s torn off incorrectly, it can take more like 1.5 – 3 years to grow back fully.
While it is legal for both claws to be harvested, many people choose to only harvest one of the claws which helps increase the odds of the crab’s survival once returned to the ocean.
When both crab claws are removed, the crab has a less chance of survival as they have a hard time feeding. When only one claw is removed, they can use that one to eat and the other will slowly grow back over time.
This sustainable practice ensures the stone crab population remains healthy, and large numbers of claws can be harvested each year.
There is a percentage of stone crabs that will die in this process, but the majority do live and grow a new claw back.
But this harvesting practice means the focus is on keeping the entire stone crab population alive, a very different practice from harvesting other types of crabs and worrying about their population growth and overfishing.
Best source of up-to-date Stone Crab harvesting information is on the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission website here.
Buying Stone Crab Claws (and Who Ships Them To You!)
The best place to buy these claws is directly from a local Florida seafood market during the season. However, several online retailers ship fresh or frozen stone crab claws nationwide, so you can enjoy a taste of Florida no matter where you live.
Here are a couple of online retailers that ship stone crab claws (be sure to check for availability and shipping restrictions):
- Joes Stone Crab: The most famous stone crab seafood restaurant! In 1913, Joe opened a lunch counter in Miami Beach serving fish sandwiches and over 100 years later, they are world famous for stone crabs and seafood!
They offer overnight shipping packages on a variety of packages, with free shipping and their famous bibs, included!Check out their website for options: Joes Stone Crab Shipping
- Key Largo Fisheries: They offer shipping and a wide range of seafood in addition to their stone crab claws. Check out their website here for all of their deliciousness!
- Florida Stone Crab: Located in Hudson, Florida they ship all sorts of fresh seafood in addition to stone crab claws from October to May. Check out their website:
How to Eat Them!
When you buy them, they are typically pre-cooked fresh or frozen. Commercial fisheries will boil the crab claws either on the boat on as soon as they get to the dock.
If frozen, thaw in refrigerator 1-2 days at most.
The best way to eat fresh stone crab is cold.
Crack the claws using a mallet or nutcracker and dip the meat in a zesty mustard sauce. Use a crab fork which is very thin and long, to dig into the claw if you’d like an easier way to get to all of the meat down to the tip.
How to Cook Them Yourself (and a Mustard Dip Recipe)
Boil the claws in salted water for 8-10 minutes. Then transfer claws to ice water (filled with ice cubes) to cool quickly. This keeps the crab meat soft and moist.
You can also bake or grill your claws, but the meat will be dry.
Use a good butter or mustard sauce to dip the crab meat into. Here’s an easy classic mustard dipping sauce recipe to get you started.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions:
- In a small bowl, whisk together all ingredients until well combined.
- Serve chilled with your stone crab claws.
Cocktail Crab Claws for your Dinner Party
Cocktail crab claws can be stone crab or other types. It’s the part of the claw that makes it “cocktail” and considered the best and most coveted part of the claw to eat.
It’s typically cut so it’s easier to eat, and is usually presented in a shallow bowl with ice or other claws or seafood and lemons. This is generally an appetizer food as it’s a very small amount of meat.
Nutritional Value and Health Benefits
Stone crab claws are a lean source of protein, low in fat and calories. They are also a good source of Vitamin B12 and essential minerals like magnesium and potassium.
FAQs
What are Florida Stone Crab Claws?
Florida Stone Crab Claws are a type of seafood that comes from the Florida Stone Crab. The claws are harvested and sold as a delicacy in many restaurants and seafood markets.
How are Florida Stone Crab Claws harvested?
Florida Stone Crab Claws are harvested by removing one or both claws from the crab and then returning the crab to the water. This is done to ensure the sustainability of the crab population.
What is the best way to cook Florida Stone Crab Claws?
Florida Stone Crab Claws are typically boiled or steamed and then served with a dipping sauce. They can also be baked or grilled.
What is the nutritional value of Florida Stone Crab Claws?
Florida Stone Crab Claws are low in fat and calories and high in protein. They are also a good source of vitamins and minerals, including vitamin B12, zinc, and selenium.
Are Florida Stone Crab Claws sustainable?
Florida Stone Crab Claws are considered a sustainable seafood option because of the way they are harvested. Regulations are in place to ensure that only the claws are removed from each crab (many people choose to harvest only one claw) and that the crab is returned to the water alive for the claw(s) to grow back.
What is the season for Florida Stone Crab Claws?
The season for Florida Stone Crab Claws runs from October 15th to May 1st. Outside of this season, it is illegal to harvest Florida Stone Crab Claws.
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