What is it?

Already-picked, fresh crabmeat (sold in cans or plastic tubs) is a convenient option when you don’t have the time or inclination to cook and pick whole crabs. The crabmeat sold on the east coast usually comes from blue crabs, on the west coast from Dungeness crabs.

Choose fresh crabmeat over pasteurized whenever it’s available; it tastes closer to freshly picked crab.

How to choose:

You’re likely to find several kinds of crabmeat at your market, each labeled to indicate what part of the crab the meat comes from:
Colossal or Jumbo Lumpcrab consists of the two big muscles that help power the crab’s back (swimming) legs. These luxuriously large lumps come at a premium price, so use them in recipes where you’ll showcase them whole.
Specialcrab comes from other areas of the crab’s body and consists of smaller pieces of meat. It’s just as flavorful as the Colossal or Jumbo Lump and is the best, least-expensive choice for recipes that don’t require large pieces of crab.
Backfinis a mixture of Special and (sometimes broken) Jumbo Lump pieces.
Clawmeat, which can be from any of the legs (not just the claws), is darker than the body meat. It’s also more robust in flavor, making it a good match for spicy or other strongly flavored recipes.

Recipes

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  Pasta with Crab and Pancetta

  This quick and easy pasta may remind you of carbonara, but with sweet crab and the bright zing of lemon.

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  Recipe

  Egg Drop Soup with Crab, Baby Corn, and Peas

  This Chinese restaurant mainstay becomes a light and lovely supper with the addition of crab, baby corn, and peas.

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  Recipe

  Crab Toasts with Smashed Avocado and Bloody Mary Aïoli

  “I really love seafood as a starter, and these crostini are great to nibble on,” says chef Luke Thomas. Rich but also light-feeling, they make a perfect small bite before…

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  Chilled Corn and Crab Soup

  A quick crab salad on top gives this ultra-silky soup a casually luxurious, lunch-on-the-patio feel.

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  Recipe

  Crumble-Topped Crab and Pancetta Mini Quiches

  Two-bite mini quiches are perhaps the most versatile savory recipe in any baker’s repertoire. They are perfect for a brunch buffet, holiday party hors d’oeuvres, or Super Bowl snack, and…

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  Recipe

  Crab and Corn Cakes with Lime Sour Cream

  Classic crab cakes get a subtle Tex-Mex treatment with the addition of corn and a refreshing lettuce and cilantro salad on the side.

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  Recipe

  Crab-Stuffed Avocados

  鳄梨的一半让完美的船fresh, herb-flecked crab salad. With each spoonful, the rich avocado is the perfect foil to the sweet crabmeat and spicy horseradish…