If you’ve been down to Florida, you might remember the time a tourist from Miami went to get some stone crab claws and was shocked because she only recieve the claws instead of the whole crab. That’s not how it works. Restraint is built into this fishery and the idea is that you get to enjoy meat of the crab and let the crab live. The size chart will help you respect this biological system.
Let the crab live; after it gets harvested. For instance, the legal length for harvest are two and three-quarter inches, measured from the crab’s elbow down to the end of its lower finger. Why? Because by then the animal have matured.
Why Stone Crab Is Good for You and the Ocean
Beyond the legal length, there is grades, Large, Jumbo, etc. Each of those larger increments are higher priced. And most people don’t understand that, they just think larger = more expensive (which isn’t true in most cases). For most home cooks, then, the best choice is generally going to be jumbo size. It represent a large amount of meat without price tag associated with larger sizes like colossal or mammoth.
While those huge claws may look cool on the Internet, they’re uncommon in nature and quite pricey. You can see from the chart that price increase at a linear rate with length; it’s a matter of diminishing returns, not greater quality.
Regeneration Because it’s a regenerative process. When a licensed fisherman catches a crab, they’ll cut off just one of the crusher claws and then release the crab, alive, back in the water. In anywhere from 12-18 months, that same crab will grow another claw in place of the harvested one. So you’re not depleting the population; you’re eating a renewable resource.
And the regeneration timetable work quickly. Within three months, a tiny bud appear and the new claw begin growing at half-size within six months. By almost a full year and a half, the claw is ready for harvest once more. This cycle allow the fishery to remain stable without restocking constantly.
When serving the claws at home, handle them carefully. They are basically ready-to-eat when picked up from the boat, having been steamed first. You don’t want to “cook” the crabmeat, just maintain its texture. Generally two or three minutes over steam should of do it. If boiling them, pay close attention; too long and the sweet white meat get tough and dried out. Quick heat, then chill and present over ice with a creamy mustard sauce which cuts through the rich flavor of the seafood.
There’s a technique to cracking the shell. Don’t smash the thing with a sledgehammer. Use light taps around the side until you see some cracks, then twist apart gently. Your goal is to get big hunks of meat, not shredded meat.
The best time to order these claws are when they’re in season: November-February. Prices will be lowest and supply highest between those dates. Outside that period, you’ll pay extra for what little is available.
It’s all about respect for the animal and what it can do in terms of healing itself. It gets a second chance; you get a meal. Today’s consumption leads to tomorrow’s abundance. Each claw is a year of life and living. Savor the meat, honor the source. What makes this whole thing work is knowing you’ve contributed to keeping the wheel spinning.