King crab is pretty damn delicious, let’s get that out there front and center. Because king crab is tough to catch and is so delicious, it’s also expensive. I mean, there’s even a very popular TV show dedicated to watching men cheat death to bring these critters to our plate. Yeah, sure, you have snow crab being caught in Alaska too, but for the most part they’re catching red king crab , and occasionally blue king crab .
The good news is, king crab isn’t the only crab out there. With the prices so high for these guys, you may want to seek out other tasty options to satisfy your craving. So, what are some other types of crab you can eat?
Dungeness Crab
Dungeness crab, in my opinion, is even better than king crab. It’s sweet, easy to eat, not usually cooked in brine, and, what puts it over the top for me, you get to drink the crab butter after cooking. King crab is almost always processed close to where it’s caught and then sold only as legs / claws. This doesn’t allow you to enjoy the white – yellow “fat” inside the back of the shell. Man, that’s good stuff!
Snow Crab
Snow crab, while still caught in Alaska, is much different than king crab. Processed in brine as well, it’s a bit of what I consider and artificial crab flavor. Not artificial like fake ‘K’rab, with a K, but artificial as in you can’t really taste crab, just saltiness. That being said, a lot of people enjoy snow crab. It’s easy to eat and dramatic, because of their long limbs. Yes, it’s dramatic.
Rock Crab
Rock crab, while for sure it isn’t king crab, is a very affordable option if you still want to enjoy crab on a budget. While the meat isn’t as sweet as other types of crab, it’s still very tasty and makes for a great treat. A large male rock crab, can provide almost as much meat as a dungeness. An additional bonus: female rock crabs contain eggs inside, which are quite delicious.
So here are a few options to enjoy crab, without breaking the bank on buying king crab. What kinds of crab do you enjoy the most?
