How to Buy Dungeness Crab Online

Found along the West Coast of the United States, Dungeness crab is a very popular crab option. If you do not have the opportunity to go fishing for the crab yourself, or simply would rather save the effort, Dungeness crab is conveniently sold online. Dungeness crab is a versatile crab to cook with. Online seafood stores offer the crab either live or pre-cooked. Consider the following your how-to guide for buying Dungeness crab online, including its various forms and shipping.

But, before you start finding Dungeness crab for sale online, consider the below price grid. This should give you an idea of how much you should spend. These vendors have been vetted for their high-quality products and ease of ordering.

Dungeness Crab Prices

Dungeness Crab Online Options

When you go to buy Dungeness crab, here is what you can expect in terms of size offerings. In the wild, Dungeness crab grow to be about six to seven inches across their body. Minimally, each crab weighs around two pounds, but what you get may vary. Remember that the weight refers to the whole crab, not just its meat. Keep this in mind when deciding which style and how many Dungeness crabs to get.

The Oregon Dungeness Crab Commission lays out the four primary Dungeness crab formats. They are whole and live crabs, whole and cooked crabs, clusters of cooked crab legs, or picked and cooked crab meat. Many hold that live Dungeness crab is the way to go because it is the freshest possible. The choice boils down to what kind of preparation you are interested in. For example, if your plan is to use the crab meat for crab cakes, you might be better off getting the pre-picked meat. However, crab leg clusters or a whole crab would satisfy the crack-and-eat experience. Each option is delicious no matter how you buy Dungeness crab.

Dungeness Crab Shipping and Processing

Any time you buy Dungeness crab, you can expect a shipment of fresh crab with great quality. Dungeness crab, if pre-cooked, is sold frozen like many other crab varieties. For the cooked crab options, the processors will boil the crab and break off and clean clusters. The exception is if you buy live Dungeness crab. In this case, the fishers do not process the crab beyond placing it on ice and packaging the crab.

After you place your Dungeness crab order online, the processors pack the crab in special refrigerated packaging and send the parcel on its way to you. Most of the time, shipping is either overnight or next day to prevent the crab from thawing.

Dungeness Crab Season

The Dungeness crab season runs from mid-November to the later spring months. They are concentrated around the coastlines of California, Oregon, and Washington. According to Southern Living, the Dungeness crab industry accounts for roughly a quarter of that region’s business for the year. Unlike other crab varieties, you can actually participate in the Dungeness crab catching season too. You can set your own traps during the season in permitted areas and see what you can get.

If that sounds like a lot of work, you always have the option to buy Dungeness crab online. Enjoy the sweet taste of Dungeness crab from the comfort of your own home.

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