The Wait is Over; Stone Crab Season has Begun
If you’re ever in Florida during stone crab season, you’ll know just how delicious this treat can be. Stone crabs must be served while they are still alive, so the best places to eat them are those that bring them straight from the ocean. Here are some tips to help you make the most of this delicacy while it’s here!
Ordering stone crabs can be a bit tricky, so here are some tips on how to do it. You must first determine whether you prefer your crab cooked or boiled. Crabs taste better when boiling, but many people prefer the convenience and cleanliness of steaming. If you want to boil them yourself, buy them alive and bring them home in a container of salt water or vinegar water (to avoid breaking up the meat). You’ll also want a big pot with water that has enough salt in it that looks like a salt marsh. Carefully remove them from the boiling water with tongs or two forks once they have finished cooking.
Before buying a stone crab, you need to know a few basic things about them. The size and number of claws will determine the initial pricing. Pricing per pound ranges from $10 to $15, with the higher end being reserved for sets of three or more large claws. If you’re in the market for more than that, then the price drops considerably. For example, if you want two pounds of larger claws with all of their claws intact, this will cost about 25 dollars per pound.
Stone crabs can be cooked in many ways, but the most common way is to break the claws and use a sucker to get the meat out. Since this is not a simple task, below are the recommended procedures: Use a hammer or mallet to crack the claws, taking care not to smash your fingers in the process. As you pull the meat from the inside, there may be a few small bones left, so be careful. You can always suck those up, too, if they bother you. To get at any leftover flesh under the claw shells, you can use the shells themselves as a scoop. Stop worrying about finishing your food until you’ve polished off all the claws. You can use your leftover stone crab claws in a lot of tasty ways. You might be able to get some meat out of them that wasn’t visible earlier.
Stone crab claws can be enjoyed simply steamed and eaten as is, or they can be dipped in melted butter or garlic butter for added flavor. When filled with shrimp and mayonnaise and topped with lettuce and tomato, stone crab claws create a delicious sandwich. Stone crab claws can be added to pasta in a dish such as stone crab spaghetti or spaghettini alle vongole veraci. Stone crab claws are a common ingredient in soups such as seafood bisque. Stone crabs can be a tasty addition to salads to round things out.