Stone Crab

The warm waters of Florida’s Gulf Coast are home to the state’s quintessential seafood delicacy - the stone crab. This small crustacean has a smooth, red-brownish shell with a pair of hefty claws which are packed with sweet, flaky, and delicate meat.

Stone crab’s meaty claws are the primary target when harvesting this crustacean between mid-October and mid-May. Live stone crabs have their claws removed skillfully, and they are then released into the water to regrow them within the span of 1 or 2 years.

The crab claws need to be cooked immediately upon removal because they’ll spoil otherwise. Boiled, chilled, and cracked stone crab claws make for perfect finger food, and they're usually accompanied by a creamy mustard-based dipping sauce on the side, although they can also be used to make a hearty stone crab chowder.