Florida Keys Stone Crabs with Mustard Sauce is the "must-try" food of Key West!
The tender succulent wild-caught crab claws are caught in Key Largo and Key West and are one of the most delicious foods you'll ever eat!
Jump to:
- How to Eat Stone Crab Claws
- How Do I Crack Stone Crabs at Home?
- How Big Are Key Largo Stone Crabs?
- How to Make Mustard Sauce for Stone Crabs
- Where Can I Get Stone Crabs Shipped To Me?
- Are Stone Crabs Expensive?
- What Size Claws Should I Buy?
- Nutrition in Stone Crabs
- FAQ
- If You Like Stone Crabs with Mustard Sauce, Try These Keys Seafood Recipes:
- "📖 Recipe"
How to Eat Stone Crab Claws
Stone crabs are steamed immediately after harvesting.
They are graded by size: Colossal, Jumbo, Large, and Medium.
The claws are cracked just before serving in the restaurants. When purchasing stone crabs at the fish store, the fishmonger can neatly crack them for you.
Just bring them home, refrigerate, and enjoy them within 24 hours.
How Do I Crack Stone Crabs at Home?
The claws are already cooked for you when you buy stone crabs at your fish market.
You can bring them home uncracked and crack them open with a stone crab cracker, nutcrackers, a stone crab mallet, or a big knife.
To use a big knife, place the flat side of a chef's knife on the flat side of the claw and press down a few times as if you are smashing a clove of garlic.
If you're buying fresh stone crabs, place them in a plastic bag and refrigerate them in the back of the fridge. Consume them within 24 hours for maximum flavor.
You can pick up a stone crab cracker, a lightweight aluminum device (shown above) when you pick up your stone crabs from your fish market.
This is an appliance that will crack the crabs with ease. Place the crab in the device, as shown, and lightly press down on the joints. The shells will slip right off.
How Big Are Key Largo Stone Crabs?
When harvested from their traps on the ocean floor, the claws are pulled from crabs that measure at least 2 ¾ inches long, and their bodies are thrown back into the warm water to regenerate (it takes 18-24 months to grow back) and maintain their populations.
How to Make Mustard Sauce for Stone Crabs
The traditional sauce for stone crabs is a tangy mustard sauce. The sauce is easy to make and goes perfectly with the dreamy stone crab claws.
Mix all ingredients in a medium-sized bowl:
- Mayonnaise
- Dijon mustard
- Worcestershire sauce
- Lemon Juice
- Horseradish
- Salt
You can also add a spoonful of sugar. We had stone crabs at a local club a few months ago and the sauce was a little sweeter than usual and it tasted very good.
Where Can I Get Stone Crabs Shipped To Me?
You can purchase stone crab claws with mustard sauce online from The Key Largo Fisheries in Key Largo and the Eaton Street Seafood Market in Key West.
The crabs will arrive in one day packed on dry ice. Of course, you can also come to the Keys in October for the start of stone crab season and runs through May.
The succulent meat is a real delicacy. One and a half pounds should generously feed two adults.
Are Stone Crabs Expensive?
According to Business Insider, stone crabs are one of the most expensive seafood items you can buy. At $30.00 per pound for medium claws and up to $95.00 for colossal claws, the prices of stone crab claws have been steadily climbing over the years.
What Size Claws Should I Buy?
Whichever size stone crab you choose, they all taste great. Buy the ones you can afford. Your meal can get very expensive if you insist on the Jumbo or Colossal size, claws, and the taste, to me, is not different from Medium to Jumbo.
Nutrition in Stone Crabs
Fortunately, Stone Crabs are low-calorie, low-carb, gluten-free, keto, paleo, and Kaufmann diet compliant. They are a great source of copper.
The mustard sauce is not on the Kaufmann and Paleo diets. Enjoy stone crabs with a squeeze of lemon and melted Kerrygod butter on the side. They're still great!
Stone crabs are high in Omega-3 fatty acids, copper, and selenium.
With 31 calories and 6 grams of protein, steamed stone crabs make for a champion's meal.
With a side of cauliflower rice or a green salad, you have a perfect low-carb meal!
- Calories: 31
- Total Fat: .4g
- Cholesterol: 21.5 mg
- Sodium: 107 mg
- Total Carb .3g
- Sugar: 0
- Protein: 6.3g
FAQ
Yes, stone crabs are wild. They are harvested on the east coast of the United States from Connecticut to the Florida Keys.
Stone crabs are caught in traps, only one claw is removed, and they are returned to the wild to regrow the claw.
Florida Stone Crab season runs from October to May every year.
Stone crabs are traditionally served with mustard sauce. Made by combining mayonnaise, Dijon or dried mustard, Worcestershire sauce, lemon, and a little salt, the tangy sauce goes perfectly with the sweet crabs.
If You Like Stone Crabs with Mustard Sauce, Try These Keys Seafood Recipes:
- Seared Mahimahi with Basil Butter
- Pan-Fried Yellowtail Snapper
- Blackened Swordfish
- Florida Keys Pink Shrimp Salad
- Roasted Yellowtail Snapper
- Shrimp Tacos with Pico de Gallo
- Seared Tripletail with Garlic Butter Sauce
- Broiled Yellowtail Snapper with Blackening Seasoning
- Peel-n-Eat Shrimp
"📖 Recipe"
Stone Crabs with Mustard Sauce
Ingredients
- 3 pounds steamed stone crab claws
FOR THE MUSTARD SAUCE
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons creamy style horseradish
- sea salt to taste
Instructions
- Get cooked stone crabs from a reputable market. Remember, quality is more important than size!
- Combine all ingredients in a medium-sized bowl with a rubber spatula. Season with salt to taste.
- Serve cold stone crabs with lemon wedges, melted butter, and cold mustard sauce.
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