Your Guide to Cooking Dungeness Crab

Alaska Dungeness Crab is not only a beloved Alaskan seafood, it is also one of the most festive crab dishes you can place on your menu. They say that for taste and value, cooking Dungeness crab is legs above the rest. It is classically served whole, either hot or cold, and paired with melted butter or dipping sauces, including mayonnaise, aioli, and flavored butters such as mustard butter. Available precooked, this superior shellfish has a distinctive sweet flavor and bright orange shell color.

Alaska dungeness crab is available by the pound in either the frozen food sections, seafood section or meat department of supermarkets, grocery stores or specialty seafood stores. Generally speaking, it is typical to see the price at $4.99 to $5.99 per pound though some markets can price it as low as $2.49. The largest and most flavorful Dungeness Crab comes from Alaska. Alaska Dungeness Crab enjoys a connoisseur's reputation, and is well known for its quality. It is treasured for its beautiful orange shell color, characteristic sweet flavor and tender flaky white meat.

Before cooking Dungeness crab, first put it into the freezer about 15 minutes to dull its senses. Bring a large pot of water to boil, heavily salted or not, your choice. Place the crab head first into the water. Depending on the size of your crab, cook for 15 to 18 minutes. Once boiled, you will need to clean your crab. Remove the flap of the shell on the bottom of the crab and then lift off the top, which may require a little force. Pull off the gill tissue and rinse off the grayish substance, which some people reserve for "butter" (though some argue that it should not be eaten due to the potentially high levels of toxicities). Break or cut the legs into pairs and serve.

Arguably the best ways to serve Alaska dungeness crab is thoroughly heated and simply cracked, with melted butter, mayonnaise or a favorite dipping sauce. However, the delicate flavor of Dungeness crab takes well to a wide range of seasonings and other ingredients. You can also cook its meat into crab cakes, crab corn pudding, bisques, or Crab etouffe'. However you choose to prepare it, cooking Dungeness crab should definitely be a part of your culinary repertoire.