Stone Crabs
 

Hi all,

Was recently in Florida and attempted to get some stone crab but the restaurants were out. I have never had it before and was wondering if it is worth the hype and if so does anyone have experience with a company they would recommend to get some shipped as I won't be back in Florida for awhile?

Thanks,

X :cool:

a big yes in my book^ sorry I can't be of help in regards to shipping

I have never been a seafood eater, but a few years back I tried the stone crab's at Joe's in Caesar's Palace LV. I'm hooked excuse the pun. I eat stone crabs at least 4-5 times a year during my travels. Enjoy!

If it is Joe's you want they ship all over the continental US:
http://www.joesstonecrab.com/yourdoor/intro.html

Google returns a number of options for stone+crab+shipping , several of which are well known:
http://www.google.com.br/search?aq=f...+crab+shipping

The Florida season just opened on, I think, Oct 15, so supplies should be plentiful now. Usually there are large supplies from Louisiana but there was some sort of problem with petroleum extraction there last year that has probably destroyed the season, thus Florida prices are probably quite high this year.

There is also a huge volume imported from other places like Brazil where they are plentiful, and there are crab farms that help also.

I'm deeply addicted to them, and eat them at least twice a week here in Rio de Janeiro, less often when I'm in Florida.

Stone crab is, by far, my favorite seafood.

Mrs. Cholula and I have been know to fly LAX/MIA on a whim just to dine at the Joe's in Miami Beach.

There is now a Joe's in both downtown Chicago and in Las Vegas, both of them a franchise run by Lettuce Entertain You. The ORD and LAS restaurants are run true to form IMO and thus we now have much closer options when the mood strikes us.

Not only are they delicious with a spicy mustard sauce, but they're also a "feel good" food -- you don't kill the crab. Rather, a claw lopped off and the crabs thrown back in the water, where they regrow that claw for the following year.

I bet the crab doesn't "feel good" about it.

I tried them last weekend in Homosassa Springs and thought they were okay, but I wouldn't fly across country for them. Mine were cracked and served with melted butter. In 3 days, I ordered stone crab, scallops, clams, shrimp and grouper. Think maybe I'm a seafood lover?

Steve,

How have you been? Don't see much of you on the DL forum any more.

+1

I have had them exactly once - at Joes in Miami Beach. I thought they were just OK, but perhaps if they were served warm or room temp instead of ice cold they may have been better. I prefer Alaskan king crab by far, or even dungeness.

I love stone crabs but buying at joe's they aren't the best....go to the fish markets on the miami River, there are two casablanca and garcia's, both have them fresh off the boat in season.

If you're in Indy, the Joe's in Chicago is quite excellent, and close to you...

Stone crabs are meant to be eaten cold. With mustard. Yum.

are you sure they were STONE crab claws? I have never seen stone crab claws served with melted butter. Every serving of stone crab claws I've had have been served chilled.

That's what I was thinking....

Did they look like this:

http://www.samuelsandsonseafood.com/...hoto/SCCJB.jpg

+1

Sounds rather painful!

Disclaimer - I've never had stone crab so I have no idea what I'm allegedly missing.

Really? And I've never seen them served cold. Although I am not surprised that some people do it that way, like king crab at a brunch buffet. Cold crustacean is not my cup of tea, however.

From the boat to the pot to the stomach...washed down with copious quantities of beer. A wonderful way to spend an afternoon.

I'm still around, but no more business travel. Only 2 DL trips this year; FCO in June & LAX in August. Life is good in East Tennessee. Gimme a shout if you're ever up this way.

Quite sure. I ate them here: http://riversideresortsbanquet.com/R...CrabHouse.html

Yes. On the small side, though - 8 to the pound.

I was offered the claws hot or cold. I didn't hear what the dip was if ordered cold. The mustard maybe?

That's pretty strange. I've NEVER been offered them hot.

Find another place and try them again-this time in the cold form. I think you'll change your perception of this great seafood.

I haven't either. A restaurant who would offer these hot has no clue how to serve stone crab IMO.

They probably also have hot sushi on their menu as well.

Thanks all sounds like it will be definetly something to add to the menu!!!

Will check out Joe's next time I am in Chicago.

X

Totally agree with this assessment. I love getting them at little joints along the Keys.

Hey, don't we all. :)

But most of us either don't live in or around the Keys nor visit there on a regular basis.

Joe's in Las Vegas, Miami and Chicago are all a lot more accessible for the vast majority of FT'ers.

That goes without saying, right? ;)

My point was that, when in Miami, folks shouldn't only think of Joe's for stone crabs. There are better, cheaper places in that area.

Having long ago participated in "harvesting" stone crab claws, and years later paid too much for them at Joe's in Miami, the "big name" place which popularized them to almost "cult" status, I've since chracterized them as "Rich Man's Rock Shrimp", an altogether too little appreciated treat from the sea, rarely seen on menus.

If they weren't so messy and so much trouble to eat the old "Barbecued' (read Cajun seasoned and deep fried) blue crab found at backroad places like Satain's in Sabine Pass have similar appeal, but remain in almost cult status like the "Chili Crab" of Singapore and Malaysia, little known beyond the small segment of diners exposed to their excellence.

For me, the "Good Old Days" on the Gulf Coast came with a package of chicken backs left out overnight to age to aromatic state, a piece of twine, and a dip net, a sport at which even my non-angler kid sisters could master and help fill a pot. A mess of boiled crabs, some newspaper, cases of cold beer, and time, lots of time, made for a liesurely beach dinner and good conversation while cracking and picking.

for those looking to offset the cost of a trip to Joe's in Chicago or LV, see: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/15066609-post33.html

-

Trulucks Dallas Texas
 

My wife and I are huge fans of Stone Crab claws and typically eat them 5 or 6 times when they are in season. I've been to Joe's in Vegas which is great, however for those in the South, Trulucks in Dallas has great Stone Crab claws (along with that mustard sauce that goes with it).

I'd forgotten about Truluck's. I think they occasionally run an "All The Stone Crab You Can Eat For $X" special. Or at least they used to.

Here are Truluck's current locations:



* Addison, TX
* Austin, TX - Arboretum
* Austin, TX - Downtown
* Dallas, TX
* Houston, TX
* Southlake, TX
* Boca Raton, FL
* Naples, FL
* Ft. Lauderdale, FL
* La Jolla, CA

The best options for getting stone crabs are:

1) find an all-u-can-eat special (during season). Expensive, but worth it if you're hungry and love stone crab. The drawback - most AYCE specials are medium claws or smaller, so more work

2) find a local fish market that's carrying them - or even Whole Foods is cheaper than most restaurants. Take them home, wrap the uncracked claws in a towel, and gentle tap away with a good size hammer until the shell cracks and you can remove it

3) Avoid overpriced tourist traps like Joe's - you'll pay more than if you bought your own and enjoyed them at home, and you'll lose the opportunity to mix-match sizes or select specific claws

If you eat them at home, be careful with the shells - the fragments can be as sharp as cut glass and it's very easy to cut yourself badly trying to remove the pieces of they're not loose

I've never had a stone crab...never been much of a shellfish person, though I do love fish and sushi.

I may have to make a trip to Joe's in Chicago tomorrow for lunch, if the plumber comes early enough...

Update: I did make it to Joe's for lunch today. I was very happy that Sweet Willie PM'ed me to remind me about Lettuce Entertain You gift cards; I'd forgotten that Joe's in Chicago was a LEYE restaurant, and I have some LEYE gift cards that my mom gave me. Nothing like a $60 lunch for free when one is unemployed! :)

I had the stone crab appetizer and the seared ahi salad. The stone crab was good, but I'd be hard pressed to tell you how it was different from regular crab. Note that I have probably ordered regular crab in a restaurant maybe once or twice in my life, so it's entirely possible I just don't remember regular crab. As a rule, I'm just not a shellfish guy.

Fish, on the other hand, is one of my favorites. The ahi was seared rare, and the salad was really good: mixed greens, string beans, and chopped cucumber in an Asian gingery dressing.

And a glass of pinot grigio. Because why not. :)

Two words
 

I have two words about stone crab:

OVER.

RATED.

OKay, so maybe it's just one word...but I am thinking of the college football chants.

But I have had had stone crabs about 4-5 times now. I don't think that there really is anything special about them. I agree with gfunkdave; they don't taste any different from any other crab.

Certainly, it's fine. Nothing wrong with them. But I wouldn't pay the exorbitant prices that they ask for a certain restaurants. They just taste like any other crab. Being in San FRancisco, we get lots of dungeoness crab. I don't think the meat really tastes any different. No better. No worse. I don't see what the hype of stone crab is all about.

1. I find stone crab cleaner and easier to eat.
2. It is plentiful and no reason to pay those extreme prices for it, esp when in south florida
3. I don't find it better or worse than other kind of crab by taste, and never said as much.

I like king crab, snow crab, blue crab...I like crab!

I think that may be the issue for you. I personally think there is a very large difference in the way various crabs taste.

+1

There are. Just as an oyster is not just an oyster. There's a marked difference in oysters depending on their source.

But, personally I'm thrilled for all the :td: :td:'s on stone crabs. :p

Doesn't change my opinion one iota, leaves more supply for those who appreciate them and helps keep the prices in the lower stratosphere.

+2

If stone crab is fresh, and cooked just right (meat should not stick to the inside of the shell), the flavor is very distinct and sweet.

The only time I've ever eaten stone crab that tasted plain or off was the off-season frozen stuff stored over summer or imported from South Africa which is definitely not fresh Florida stone crab.

Avoid eating stone crab served before early-November or after late May.

I think they taste different from other crabs. IMHO, their main attraction is one easy-to-eat ginormous claw chock full of flesh.

OT: They are also known as thunder crabs in Singapore.

http://www.wildsingapore.com/wildfac.../hardwicki.htm

I admit that I am not a crab connoisseur
 

I have had Miami stone crab, San Francisco dungeoness crab, Maryland blue crab, Shanghai hairy crab, and Alaskan king crab.

Are there subtle differences? Yes.

Are those differences that dramatic that I would pay more for stone crab legs? No way.

But I am not a crab connoisseur. However, I am open-minded. I've tried stone crabs on 4 separate and distinct occasions, each time thinking I must have had a bad batch prior. But each time, I am disappointed. I think, "What's the big deal with these things? They taste just like any other crab."

The question is, where/when did you have them and how were they prepared?

I can understand if someone prefers some other type of crab, but I can't really understand how someone wouldn't think there was a fairly significant difference between stone and say dungeoness.