King Crab vs. Snow Crab v. Dungeness Crab

Q: Which crab is best for making crab cakes?

Although any wild-caught crab will taste delicious in crab cakes, our recipe uses the sweet meat of our Red King Crab legs to complement the recipe’s sweet corn and citrus aioli!

Q: How do you cook frozen crab legs?

Our pre-cooked, flash-frozen crab legs can be boiled, steamed, or grilled. To steam, bring water to a boil in a large pot, place the crab legs in a steamer basket, and steam for about 5 minutes or until heated through. To boil, add the crab legs to boiling water and cook for about 5 minutes or until heated through. To grill, brush with butter and grill for 3-4 minutes on each side. For more in-depth instructions, check out our blog on How to Cook King Crab.

Q: Can I use frozen crab for cooking?

Yes, you can use frozen crab for cooking! All Alaskan King Crab products are shipped frozen and precooked. To ensure an even cooking temperature, thaw the crab legs in the refrigerator for 8-12 hours before cooking.

Q: What should I dip my crab legs in?

We recommend the simple option of melted butter to pair with your crab feast. Melted butter combined with our AKC “Just Add Butter” Seafood Seasoning is a simple and surefire way to enjoy the perfect bite of crab leg.

Are you a crab lover? Do you know the three most important traits of each crab leg variety? Learn about the key characteristics of crab leg that should inform your crab purchase. Characteristics from the taste profile to shell-to-meat ratio to texture - here is everything you need to know in preparation for your next delicious crab leg feast.

Taste Comparison

King Crab: King Crab meat is known for its rich, sweet flavor with a hint of saltiness. The meat is succulent and firm, making it a popular choice to pair with butter.

Snow Crab: Snow Crab meat offers a delicate and slightly sweet flavor with a subtle salty taste. The meat is tender and flaky, making it a great option for a wide range of seafood recipes.

Dungeness Crab: Dungeness Crab meat has a delicate, mildly sweet flavor that many describe as even tasting slightly nutty. The meat is moist and tender and pairs well with seasonings like Old Bay or our “Just Add Butter” Seafood Seasoning.

Shell-to-Meat Ratio Comparison

King Crab: King Crab Legs have the highest meat-to-shell ratio, ranging from 60% to 75%, depending on the crab. Due to their jumbo size, King Crabs are known for the generous amount of meat each leg may have.

Snow Crab: The meat-to-shell ratio in Snow Crab is lower than King Crab and ranges around 20-30% of their weight in meat, depending on the cluster size. Our Bairdie species’ Snow Crab is the largest snow crab variety, with 12-14 oz clusters!

Dungeness Crab: The meat-to-shell ratio in Dungeness Crab is comparatively lower than other types, roughly 14% to 22% of their weight in meat depending on the size of the crab. This crab species is loaded with Vitamin B-12 and omega 3’s.

Texture Comparison

King Crab Legs: King Crab Legs have firm, succulent meat that is slightly chewy.

Snow Crab: Snow Crab Clusters have a tender and flaky texture.

Dungeness Crab: Dungeness Crab Clusters feature moist, tender meat that is slightly firmer than Snow Crab.

While you can’t go wrong with any crab legs, it is best to know the taste, texture, and shell-to-meat ratio of each crab species to ensure your cravings are satisfied every time. Shop our Alaskan King Crab, Snow Crab, and Dungeness Crab collections now and get to cooking!