Choosing crab is easier when you separate the species, harvest origin and package format. King crab, snow crab and Dungeness crab offer different eating experiences. A product’s size label alone does not tell you where it was caught or how much picked meat it will yield.
King crab: red, blue and golden
Alaskan King crab is a useful starting point for comparing the available selection. Red, blue and golden king crab are distinct species, not interchangeable names for size grades. Check the actual species and origin on the product you select; not every king crab sold in the United States comes from Alaska.
Red king crab
Choose red king crab for a centerpiece built around large leg sections and rich, sweet meat. Compare package weights and the size description before choosing king crab legs. Shell-on pounds are not pounds of picked meat.
Blue and golden king crab
These are separate king crab species with their own fisheries and availability. Do not treat a blue or golden crab listing as a substitute for red king crab without comparing the product details. For species background, see the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.
Snow crab: opilio and bairdi
Snow crab is often sold in clusters and has slender legs that make a hands-on dinner. Alaska’s fishery includes Chionoecetes opilio and Chionoecetes bairdi. Bairdi is commonly called Tanner crab, while opilio is commonly called snow crab; both may appear under snow-crab marketing names. They are related species, not simply two grades of the same crab. See Alaska’s Tanner crab species profile.
For a Bairdi dinner, compare our Bairdi crab legs in two-cluster packs and check the selected weight before ordering.
Dungeness crab
For sweet meat from both legs and body sections, compare Dungeness crab for sale online. Whole crabs, clusters and pieces require different serving plans. Read the selected product’s harvest origin and included pieces before ordering.
Jonah crab is a different choice
Jonah crab comes from the western North Atlantic, so it should not be listed as an Alaskan crab species. It can be another option for a crab dinner, but it is not another name for Dungeness crab. NOAA’s Jonah crab profile explains the species.
How to compare value
- Compare the same species and package format.
- Divide the selected package price by its listed pounds.
- Check whether the weight includes shell, claws or body sections.
- Include shipping and the rest of the meal when planning a budget.
- Use current product prices instead of an undated market average.
Storing and serving your order
Check whether your crab arrives cooked or raw and fresh or frozen. Follow its storage and heating directions; cooked frozen crab usually needs gentle reheating rather than a full raw-crab cooking process. Add lemon, a vegetable side and a little butter, then let the crab be the main event.
Ready to buy king crab legs online? Compare the currently available sizes and package weights before choosing your order.
