What Makes Dungeness Crab Unique

Treasure can be found in all sorts of unexpected places — even along the murky ocean floor. After all, the rough, rocky coastline stretching from Alaska to California is home to one of the most delicious and sought-after seafood delicacies in the United States: the Dungeness crab. Millions of pounds of Dungeness crabs are brought in by fisheries every year, and end up starring in some of the finest seafood dishes throughout the world.

Named after the town of Dungeness, Washington — where people first began fishing for these crustaceans in the 1800s – Dungeness crab meat is prized by chefs and seafood connoisseurs alike for its subtle sweetness, and flaky, delicate texture. Since Dungeness crabs are larger than several similar crab species, as well, the meat is often served in big, flavorful chunks — and, consequently, doesn't necessarily need a heavy helping of additional herbs and spices.

If your mouth isn't watering yet, well ... it will be soon. Make sure you have a lemon wedge and some butter handy as you read on, and find out what makes Dungeness crab so unique.

Seafood lovers likely already know that Dungeness crab is one of the most delicious species to eat. The unique taste of these valuable critters provides a nutty sweetness balanced out by a hint of briny saltiness — the sort of flavor profile that reminds diners of their meal's oceanic origins. This delicate combination of flavors means the Dungeness crab can shine in simple preparations. In other words, you don't want to smother this variety of crab in too many bold flavors, as it may eclipse the naturally complex and delicious notes of the shellfish.

You can ingest meat from the claws, legs, and body of a Dungeness crab, with each part offering a slightly different taste and texture. The leg meat is somewhat saltier than the sweeter-tasting claws (which also offer larger chunks of meat); and though the body provides the most edible meat overall, it's a bit harder to obtain than what's available in the crab's claws or legs. Additionally, after you've finished eating a Dungeness crab's meat, you can boil the shells to make a rich and savory seafood stock to use in various crab-based stews (such as chowder or bisque).

When cooking with still-living Dungeness crabs, keeping them alive — and safe to eat — is the name of the game. In that regard, when you've got live Dungeness crabs in your kitchen that you're ready to devour, you should cook them immediately. However, if you don't plan on eating your crabs for some time, there are several ways to prevent them from dying in the short term.

You can keep crabs alive for roughly 8 hours by storing them in a ventilated cooler that's been partially filled with salt water. You can also store crabs in the refrigerator for a day or so, as long as you open the door every so often to give them some air (otherwise they'll likely suffocate and die). You'll want to avoid storing (or eating) deceased crabs more than an hour after they perish, though, as crab meat may become toxic soon after dying.

Thankfully, once you've cooked your Dungeness crab, it's much simpler to keep it safe and edible until you're hungry for shellfish. In fact, a whole cooked Dungeness crab can be kept in the fridge for up to three days, and may last in the freezer for an entire year.

Scuttling around the ocean floor all day is bound to build some muscle, which is why Dungeness crabs are packed full of protein. They're also low in fat and don't have any carbohydrates — so if you're looking for a lean seafood option without a fishy taste? Dungeness crab might be for you. Dungeness crabs contain essential nutrients like iron, selenium, folate, and zinc, as well as vitamin B12. It's also lower in mercury than many other seafood options on the market.

Of course, the potential health benefits of Dungeness crabs depend almost entirely on how you cook them. If you want to keep your crab dinner on the light side, you can prepare something with fresh ingredients, like crab ceviche. If you decide to go with a heavier preparation, however, like classic Maryland crab cakes? Be aware that the butter and cream — which makes these crispy, succulent nuggets so deliciously decadent — are bound to add some extra calories to your meal.

To some, there's no crab like snow crab. Hailing from the frigid waters of the northern Atlantic and Pacific oceans, these crustaceans have a slightly smaller shell than the Dungeness crab — though the snow crab's longer legs mean they weigh more than their Dungeness cousins on average. Compared to the sweeter, nuttier taste found in Dungeness crabs, snow crabs have a generally milder flavor. This means snow crab meat may be a bit more versatile to cook with, as it's less likely than Dungeness crab to dominate a dish's flavor profile.

Unfortunately, choosing between these two crab varieties has become more difficult in recent years, given the notable decline in wild snow crab populations found off the Alaskan coast. The situation was so dire in 2022 that Alaska canceled its snow crab season entirely that year hoping to give the shellfish a chance to replenish its numbers.

Of course, since some speculate the decrease in snow crabs is due to warmer water temperatures caused by a changing climate, it's difficult to predict whether this problem will persist or resolve itself. Either way, it seems the slightly pricier cost of snow crabs compared to Dungeness crabs isn't apt to change in the near future.

With a long culinary history in the United States (particularly in the mid-Atlantic region), blue crab isn't just a food — it's a piece of cultural heritage. Native to the Atlantic seaboard, blue crabs — so named for self-evident reasons — have featured prominently in the gastronomic lineage of American dining. This includes the indigenous origins of the crab cake, a staple of Maryland cuisine made by frying a mixture of blue crab meat with vegetables and corn meal.

It's not merely the history (or hue) that sets blue crabs apart from Dungeness crabs, though. Blue crabs are smaller than their West Coast relatives (weighing no more than 2 pounds), with shells that average around 7 inches in width. The blue crab's meat tastes a bit more seawater-forward than Dungeness crabs, as well.

Beyond crab cakes, blue crab meat is often utilized in soups and stews, or on top of select sushi rolls. And while Dungeness crab season runs from late fall through spring, blue crab season crests during the summer months — meaning they're a perfect catch for your next outdoor seafood boil.

While many types of seafood are threatened by overfishing and environmental degradation, the population of Dungeness crabs along the coast of the Pacific Northwest has remained stable in recent years. This is due to intense regulations imposed on crab fisheries, such as only allowing male crabs that are larger than a specified size to be harvested. This ensures the crabs have had time to begin reproducing before they've been caught (among other practices designed to ensure the species isn't overfished).

These protective measures have resulted in a Dungeness crab population that's steady (and potentially even increasing) along the coasts of Northern California, Oregon, and Washington as of 2023. Many scientists warn that a warming climate could have an impact on populations in the future, but for the time being? Rest assured that Dungeness crab is a sustainable choice when it comes to eating seafood — and one you can feel comfortable buying.