31 Oct Everything About San Francisco’s Dungeness Crab

The Dungeness crab is a favorite of restaurant-goers throughout San Francisco, and its popularity extends beyond seafood restaurants. People who choose to dine at a Chinese, Italian, or even Vietnamese restaurant often order meals that include Dungeness crab. Even so, not even natives to the Bay Area always understand that fishermen can only harvest this tasty crab during certain times of the year.

What is Dungeness Crab?

The Dungeness crab is a large crustacean weighing up to two pounds, including its shell. When the body of the crab grows too large for the shell surrounding it, the smaller shell falls off and a larger one takes its place. Approximately one-quarter of the Dungeness crab’s body is pure meat, which gives it a larger yield than any other type of crab in the world.

A Seafood Favorite at Z & Y Restaurant

Patrons at Z & Y Restaurant enjoy a variety of seafood, including spicy Chinese fish at much more. However the Spicy Garlic Crab and the Stir-Fried Crab with House Spicy Sauce are two all-time favorites. Both of these delicious dishes feature San Francisco’s native crab.

What is the Best Way to Cook Dungeness Crab?

Dungeness crab meat is expensive at up to $50 for one pound. Some people prefer to buy the meat in smaller canned portions to reduce the cost. However, canning meat harvested from a Dungeness crab affects its flavor and freshness.

Chefs have the option of steaming or boiling a live Dungeness crab in its complete form. This method requires them to place the live crab in a pan of salted boiling water. The crab should boil in this form for up to 15 minutes. Once boiling is complete, the chef should remove the Dungeness crab from the pot of water and place it ice water until shortly before serving.

Those who choose to steam Dungeness crab should place it in a steaming bucket for 15 to 20 minutes until crisp. According to experienced chefs, Dungeness crab tastes best when the person steaming it allows seven to eight minutes for every pound of crab or portion thereof. When cooking multiple crabs, the cook should start by weighing them all together and dividing that number by the total number of crabs. They can then apply the seven-to-eight-minute rule.

What Kind of Flavor Should Diners Expect?

Fans of Dungeness crab alternatively describe its flavor as sweet, mildly flavored, and nutty. Meat from the body of the crab typically tastes juicy and tender, while meat from the legs taste more flavorful and crunchier. The exact taste pattern people experience depends on how the chef prepares the crab and the area where the fisherman pulled it from the water. People trying it for the first time can still expect a sweet and salty flavor combination.

When is Crab Fishing Season in California?

The California crab fishing season starts on the last Saturday in November and ends on June 30 each year. The dates can vary depending on county of residence, so crab fishermen need to check their local laws to ensure they remain in compliance.

People should also be aware that they cannot keep any Dungeness crab they catch within the city limits of San Francisco. Local laws only allow people to keep Dungeness crab if they catch it outside of the Bay Area that goes past the Golden Gate Bridge. Because the Bay Area is a breeding ground for this crab species, officials have declared the waters within the city limits of San Francisco a protected estuary.

The Impact of a Late Start to the 2020-2021 Crab Season

The most recent crab hunting season was supposed to start in late November last year, but this did not happen. Charlton Bonham, director of the California Fish and Wildlife Department, delayed the opening by approximately eight weeks due to poor results from meat testing.

The season did not officially get underway until January 2021, forcing hundreds of local restaurant owners to miss serving Dungeness crab during the holiday dining season. While fewer people dined out due to COVID-19, restaurateurs could not even make the delicious crustacean available on a take-out basis. This came as a huge financial blow to many due to the numerous expenses they must meet whether their boat is in the water or not. Some of these include:

• Boat insurance
• Maintenance and repair costs
• Docking fees
• Bait to catch the crab
• Salary for each crew member

The 2020-2021 crab fishing season was not the first time crab fishermen had to deal with extreme hardships. Past seasons have presented such problems as toxic algae, environmental restrictions, and severe weather that made getting out on the boat impossible for several days of the season. Although the crabbing industry is nowhere near what it was in past decades, those who work on it remain hopeful that the glory days can return.