October 14, 2009

Florida Stone Crab Season Begins

Fresh Florida stone crab claws are back in seafood markets and restaurants to the delight of Florida residents and visitors. The stone crab season is open from October 15 to May 15 each year. These delicacies are perfect for fall football gatherings and holiday parties, and they are especially easy since they can be purchased cooked and ready to eat. To enjoy the delectable, sweet meat, just crack the shells and dip into melted butter or your favorite sauce.

The claws are cooked immediately after harvest and sold fresh-cooked or frozen in seafood markets. To eat, crack the shell using a crab cracker or the back of a heavy spoon. Carefully remove the cracked shell pieces (they can be sharp) leaving the meat attached to the moveable pincer. 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.

The majority of Florida stone crab claws are commercially harvested off the southern tip of Florida’s peninsula from Sarasota to Key West. Stone crabs are caught in traps and only the claws that meet a regulated size are taken. The live stone crabs are then returned to the water where they regenerate new claws in about 18 months.

Currently, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Bureau of Seafood and Aquaculture Marketing, is providing an advertising incentive for restaurants and seafood markets that feature Florida stone crab claws. This promotion also provides free stone crab recipe brochures, staff buttons and posters for businesses spotlighting the seasonal claws. For information about the industry incentive program visit www.fl-seafood.com/industry/logo_lobster_crab.htm

When in season, buy Florida stone crab claws at your local restaurant, fish market and supermarket. Stone crab claws also make a memorable holiday gift and can be ordered from suppliers that sell online. Be sure to always ask for Florida stone crab claws as there are look-a-likes that do not have the same delicious taste.

It is against the law to misbrand seafood. The two species of stone crab, Menippe adina and Menippe mercenaria, and their hybrids, harvested in Florida, other Gulf Coast states, and the Caribbean are the only crabs allowed to be labeled "stone crab." It is illegal to label and advertise crabs from Chile and Jonah crabs as stone crabs.

For a memorable get together, try these recipes:

For more information:
Barbera Turnbull
(850) 488-0163
turnbub@doacs.state.fl.us