How to Cook Dungeness Crab

How to Cook Dungeness Crab ~~ When in the Puget Sound area in the summer, you’re going to hear lots about crabbing. I’m pretty sure that the question, “are you going crabbing?” is a local greeting that everyone uses.

Just like talking about the weather, or asking, “how’s the family?” It’s just friendly a way to greet people and start a conversation.

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Please let me know if you have any questions about this recipe. I read all the comments myself and I try to help as soon as I can. I have readers from all levels of comfort and experience in the kitchen on my site, and I’ve tried to answer some of your questions already in the post. But if I’ve missed anything, please feel free to leave a comment and ask.

Cooking crab

Since I’ve learned quite a bit about Dungeness Crab, I thought I’d share how to cook it.

Now, if you want to catch it, here are some great guides: How to Harvest (catch) crab; How to Clean a Dungeness Crab; and Crab Identification and Biology (which I found to be really interesting!).

How to clean a Dungeness Crab

I won’t go into detail on cleaning crab, but I will say that I prefer the “clean it, then cook” it method. I feel that this is a better way to enjoy it, and a more humane way to treat the crab.

Now, if you don’t want to catch Dungeness Crab, you can find them at well-stocked fish markets. So, whether you catch it or buy it, here’s my guide to How to Cook Dungeness Crab. With special thanks to Ken, Barb, and Matt for sharing their techniques, time, and letting me take pictures of the crab.

Sea water

In the recipe I suggest using sea water. If this bothers you, or you don’t have access to it, use about ¼ cup of salt per gallon of fresh water.

Fennel

I like the unusual ingredient in this recipe. The fennel. The fennel makes the crab meat white and a bit firmer, but doesn’t really add any noticeable flavor. Since I’m not a big fan of the flavor of fennel, I was a little worried about it the first time I ate it, but now I’m a fennel believer.

How to eat crab

You’ll want a {affiliate link} crab cracker and some crab forks to help get all the crab meat out of the shell. You can make lots of different dishes with the cooked crab meat. I’ve collected a bunch of different recipes I for you below the recipe card.

You can make lots of different dishes with the cooked crab meat:

Make cooked crab into Crab Cakes (follow this recipe substituting crab for tuna)

Seafood Chowder (follow this recipe either adding the crab along with the tuna or substituting crab for tuna)

Crab Imperial Appetizers

Hot Crab Dip from Serena Bakes Simply from Scratch (which is delicious! I’ve made it multiple times!)

Sushi

Crab Cake Sandwiches

Shrimp & Crab Enchiladas

Seafood gnocchi from Brown Sugar Mama (which I can’t wait to try!)

Crab mac & cheese from Will Cook for Smiles

Seafood Shepherd’s Pie (just add the crab into the mixture)

Crab Rangoon from Spend with Pennies

Crab Alfredo from food.com

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How to Cook Dungeness Crab Recipe

How to Cook Dungeness Crab

Debi

Sweet fresh crab meat. After you catch and clean the crab, you'll want to know how to cook it, this guide will help you.

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 22 minutes mins

Total Time 52 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Servings 2 servings

Calories 36 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 fennel bulb sliced
• raw uncooked & cleaned crab
• sea water or salt water

Instructions

 

• It’s best to do this outside, as the process can be a messy one. Place sliced fennel in large pot of sea water, and bring to a boil.
• Once the water is at a rapid boil, place cleaned crab into the boiling water. Bring the water back up to a boil, and cook crab for 22 minutes; if the pot starts to boil over turn the heat down on the burner.
• Once 22 minutes are up, remove the crab from the boiling water with a pair of tongs, and dunk the cooked crab in cold water to stop the cooking process (shock the crab in cold water).
• The crab are ready to eat, as is. You’ll want a crab cracker, and some crab forks to help get all the meat out. This is also a messy process, and again, probably best done outside. But, what’s better than fresh crab legs eaten in the company of friends while sitting outside and enjoying the wonderful summer weather! Or, you can make lots of different dishes with the cooked crab meat. Below, I have a bunch of different recipes I collected for you!

Nutrition

Calories: 36kcalCarbohydrates: 9gProtein: 1gFat: 1gSodium: 61mgPotassium: 484mgFiber: 4gVitamin A: 157IUVitamin C: 14mgCalcium: 57mgIron: 1mg

Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations, and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary based on brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes, and more.

Keyword crab, dungeness, how to cook crab

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