For birthdays, for Christmas, in times of celebration. We imagine images of steaks. We guess what we will have for dessert, and yes, we dream of crab legs.

You are planning for your next celebration. You can even for your next Wednesday night meal. Consider all the delicious, different types of crab legs or crab meat you can explore. Serving these tasty sea creatures will be a treat for you and any guests.

You’re asking yourself, where do I start?

What type of crab do I want?

How do I even being to eat this?

Pull a chair and get comfy. We’re talking crab legs. Make a list and plan for your next trip to the seafood market.

The different types of crab are a vast and varied world.

Buckle up.

Snow Crab

Snow crab is what you feel familiar with. These are generally the types of crab legs you get at an all-you-can-eat seafood buffet. Snow crab is easy to eat.

Even children have no problems cracking and peeling the legs without any tools at all.

You’ve seen snow crab legs. They are a place coral-orange. Snow crabs have defined joints that are easy to see and find.

They come with better for dipping and a plastic bib.

CRACK–someone is about to enjoy a snow crab claw.

Snow crabs are present in the coastal waters of Alaska and Maine. Fishers use traps and pots to gather snow crabs. Their taste is sweet and delicate. Usually, snow crab is for sale in clusters of legs and claws, with some meat attached to it from their bodies.

Only the males are for sale. While collecting snow crabs in Canada–the females get thrown back into the water. Letting the females produce eggs so that the fishery can remain preserved. Canada is the world’s largest producer of Snow Crab.

They are referred to as the Queen Crab in Canada. With a hard shell and five legs on either side.

Blue Crab

Simple, tasty, and salty. (but only after a lot of work.) Blue crab season is from April through December. Along the Atlantic coast, particularly the Gulf of Mexico and the Chesapeake Bay.

Blue crabs are also steamed and served full (and, in Maryland, with Old Bay seasoning).

It would be best if you separated the entire carcass. Take the claws, knees, gills, and other viscera, and then snap the whole body in two to pick the meat.

They are great swimmers with their paddle-shaped back legs. The blue crab’s flesh is famous. It is a sweet, delicate taste, and tender meat is irresistible. Everyone loves blue crabs. Preparing blue crabs is a staple in southern American cooking.

You can find blue crabs in gumbo and many other recipes and at crab boils.

Blues are among the most harvested species globally. With many high ports around the world, blue crabs remain suppled at generally high rates.

Blue crabs are one of the most recognizable species of shellfish. They are small—mature males are only nine inches wide. They have an average life expectancy of only three years.

Blues is also one of several coastal communities’ most common sources of food.

Softshell Crab

Softshell crabs are blue crabs that have become too mature for their shell. Once this happens, they molt. Meaning, they lose their cover to grow larger.

Crabs must shed their old shell and form a new surface. During this process, the crabs have been without their hardcover for a few days. They’re only softshells for a few hours.

Softshell crabs are tasty and, when eaten whole, even after limited cleaning.

Many people think these are the best crab to eat. You can enjoy the shell. It’s usually deep-fried, and it is delightful.

Softshell crabs are great for those of us who don’t want to leave a mess while we savor while we eat. They pack the punch of the Maryland Blue Crab, but they seem to have much lighter skin.

Softshell crabs are Maryland Blue Crabs. These crabs develop this softshell.

When you see soft shell crabs fried and not boiled, the translucent shell becomes very edible with deep fry love. You can hardly tell you are eating a shell at all.

This feature is what makes soft shell crabs so popular. They are so easy to eat; it’s almost criminal.

Stone Crab

Stone crabs are present in the Atlantic, from North Carolina to Florida, and in Mexico. The claws are delicious and are what we enjoy most from snow crab. Stone crab trapping happens in cages–and their meat is sweet and tasty.

When in-season, the meat is flaky and white wrapped inside an ornamental shell. Topped off with a black tip. Eating stone crab is like eating a work of art.

It is harvested in South Florida from mid-October through mid-May.

Fisherman snaps off a single claw and throws the rest of the crab back into the water, where it will regenerate a new one.

Per pound, crab is the most expensive seafood eaten in the United States.

It can be difficult to come across stone crab claws for sale. If you can find them it is advised you buy them right away! You’ll be happy you did.

The crustacean is sought after for its delicate, succulent flavor. The sought-after taste is not the only explanation for stone crab’s pr high price tag. The expense of stone crabs derives from how the crabs experience harvest.

Different Types of Crab for Every Occasion

Eating crab and cooking crab can be a delightful experience. There is such a wide variety; dozens of different types of crab to eat. Each array contains its traits.

Softshell crab is great for an upscale dinner party (less mess) while snow crabs are fun for kids and families. Think of this as dinner and an experience!

Stone crabs are fantastic to come across. They are one of the more expensive items on our list—and for good reason. Stone crabs are great if you are creating a special dish.

This is the most delicious variety of crab.

Snow crabs are easier to find. Soft-shell crabs are only around for a limited season.

Use the information you have gathered here to make your adventure to find your favorite seafood easier. You should feel empowered. You now know what you are looking for.

Rest assured you can make the perfect dish and impress all your guests.