October 8, 2004
Nothing Better -- Florida Stone Crab Claws
Fall in Florida bring visions of beautiful sunny days, clear blue skies, cool weather and a bounty of seafood treats for special occasions or just a great meal. One exceptional treat is our own Florida stone crab claws with their mouth-watering, sweet tasting meat. Just bring home this prized crustacean, crack the shell, serve it plain, with melted butter or your favorite sauce, and enjoy.
Stone crab season opens October 15 of each year and runs through May 15. The majority of Florida stone crab claws are commercially harvested off the southern tip of Florida's peninsula from Sarasota to Fort Lauderdale. Stone crabs are harvested for their claws and only the claws of the stone crab are removed. The stone crab is then returned to the water where it will regenerate new claws in about 18 months. In 2003, over 2.6 million pounds of stone crab claws with a dockside value of nearly $23 million were harvested in Florida waters.
The claws are cooked immediately after harvest and sold fresh cooked or frozen. Fresh cooked will remain fresh for three to four days packed in ice or in the coldest part of a refrigerator. Be sure to freeze only claws that are completely intact and free from cracks in the shell. The thick shell will protect the meat for up to six months in a home freezer. Thaw the claws in the refrigerator, allowing 12 to18 hours to thaw completely. Quality will be compromised if thawed under running water or at room temperature.
To crack the shell, use a crab cracker or the back of a heavy spoon. Remove the cracked shell pieces, leaving the meat attached to the moveable pincer. Don't forget there is plenty of delicious meat in the knuckle of the claw. The meat can also be picked from the claws and used as an ingredient in other recipes. Approximately 2.5 pounds of cooked stone crab claws will yield 1 pound of meat.
When in season, Florida stone crabs can be bought at your local seafood market, supermarket or from suppliers and fishermen that sell on-line. Many restaurants also feature this crab treasure while in season. When shopping for stone crab claws, make sure you ask for "Florida" stone crab claws. There are other crab claws similar in appearance, but do not have the delicious taste you are accustom to enjoying. It is hard to resist something that tastes this good and requires so little preparation. Try the following recipe for a true Florida treat.
Curried Stone Crab Claws with Hot Marmalade Dip
2 1/2 pounds Florida stone crab claws, frozen
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/3 cup orange marmalade
1/2 cup limejuice
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 clove Florida garlic, minced
Crack and remove outer shell from the claws, leaving meat attached to the moveable pincer.
Cream together butter and curry powder. Spread curry butter over both sides of frozen stone crab
claws; arrange on broiling pan. Combine remaining ingredients, mixing well. Cook, stirring
constantly, until clear and thickened; keep warm. Place broiler pan with the crab claws about 3
inches from heat source and broil 6-8 minutes, turning once, or until hot. Serve with hot
marmalade dip.
Yield: 6 servings
Nutritional Values Per Serving:
Calories 272, Calories From Fat 132, Total Fat 15g, Saturated Fat 11g, Cholesterol 140mg, Total
Carbohydrate 1.5, Protein 33.
The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services has stone crab claw brochures for consumers. Consumers can request this colorful brochure containing cooking tips, recipes and proper care and handling of stone crab claws by sending a self-addressed stamped envelope to the Bureau of Seafood and Aquaculture Marketing, 2051 East Dirac Drive, Tallahassee, FL 32310 or email seafood@doacs.state.fl.us.
For more information:
Paul Balthrop
(850) 488-0163
balthrp@doacs.state.fl.us
