Is your Crab Fresh? Simple Ways to Find Out

There’s nothing better than going to a great seafood restaurant and feasting on crab meat, particularly from an Alaskan Red King Crab, which is one of the most prized crab species in the world. These are usually caught on Bristol Bay and Norton Sound, yet these may also be found along Monterey Bay. Dark burgundy in color, these crabs turn bright red when cooked, with scarlet red highlights along the top part of its shell. The taste of its snow-white meat is definitely something to remember.
Eating this kind of crab fresh off the bay is definitely better than frozen crab meat, but it’s also very quick to spoil. Luckily, there are a few simple ways to determine a crab’s freshness before it gets cooked to ensure that you’ll get a succulent dinner.

Check it out

Raw crab meat should have pure white flesh, with a hint of bright red where the shell meets the flesh. It should also have no hints of other colors aside from these two.

Smell it

One telltale sign of spoiled crab meat is a rancid, sour, or strong fishy odor coming from it. Raw crab is supposed to either smell faintly sweet or not have any smell at all.

Touch it

Don’t hesitate to rub your fingers through the meat; fresh crab meat will feel moist but not slimy, and it’s definitely spoiled if it feels dry.