Le Cordon Bleu

Dungeness Crab

Appears in
Cuisine Foundations
Cuisine Foundations

By Le Cordon Bleu

Published 2010

  • About

Scientific name: Cancer magister

The Dungeness crab, whose name means “master crab” in Latin, can measure up to 9.8 inches (25 cm), although they are generally under 7.9 inches (20 cm). They are most popular in the Pacific Northwest and the western United States, and are considered a delicacy.

The Dungeness crab is named for Dungeness, Washington, located 15 miles east of Port Angeles. Each October, Port Angeles holds the annual Dungeness Crab and Seafood Festival.
Dungeness crabs may be purchased live or precooked. Live crabs can be steamed or boiled with any number of seasonings added for additional flavor. Because the Dungeness crab will stop eating as soon as it is removed from its habitat, it is best to cook it as soon as it is purchased. This is because the starvation process makes the meat spongy and draws calcium from the shell, which in turn weakens the shell of the crab. This makes it easier to determine the freshness of a crab. When purchasing a Dungeness crab, feel the outer part of the legs; if they bend easily, then the crab is not fresh. These crabs are never sold as soft-shell crab.