Florida Stone Crab Claws

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Y’all, I am so tickled. It is Stone Crab Claw Season.  It is one of my favorite times of the year here in Florida.  Last week the sign outside of my favorite seafood shop on the Gandy Beach started a countdown to Stone Crab Season.   I drive by this seafood shop everyday on the way home from work, just before crossing Tampa Bay.  So today I stopped and got some of the most beautiful stone crab claws. I hadn’t decided yet what I was making with them, but y’all look at these beauties.

Earlier this morning these beauties were swimming in the Gulf of Mexico, and tonight they’re going to be on my table. Best of all, it is one of the seas best renewable resources. When harvesting stone crab claws, only one claw is removed from each crab and then the little stinker will grow a new claw and  4 to 5  more claws in its natural lifetime.  They can even drop one if it is injured or they need to make a quick get away and need to abandon a claw.  You gotta love that y’all.

Now once you get your hands on these little beauties, you can steam tjhem or boil them as I did today.  They have such a succulent tender meat that is almost buttery on its own.  You can make them into so many different dishes, but they are best on their own with  a variety of sauces and mustards.

Now as I said before,  the ones I bought today were raw, fresh off the boat only moments before I pulled in.  They were still bringing them and other delights from the Gulf. But most often raw claws are cooked on the boat or more commonly at dockside.  When you buy them already cooked you need to do nothing more than refrigerate them and then eat this amazingly delicious crab meat.  If you prefer your stone crab meat warm you can heat it (not boiling) to the desired temperature in a microwave, oven or better yet steamed.

Now if y’all don’t mind, I am going to wrap this up and get back to the kitchen to enjoy me Florida Fresh Stone Crab Claws.  If y’all ever the the chance to get your hands on these beautiful stone crab claws, don’t pass them up.

Directions: (For Raw Claws)

Keep them on ice with lid loose on container till ready to use. They should be cooked within 24 hours, and then have a refrigerated life of 5-7 days. Mine NEVER last that many hours.

Bring a large pot of water to  a boil and then add the claws. Bring the water back to a boil and then heat for ten minutes before removing from boiling water. If you like them cold, drop them in a bowl of iced water.  This will not only cool them quicker, it will also help the meat shrink just a bit and pull away from the shell.

To crack your claws, do not bother with shell crackers.  Simply place the claws in a plastic bag (helps catch the shattered/broken shells,  and place on a cutting board, black tip angled down. Hit the claws with a wooden mallet or meat tenderizer right at the “knuckle” where the claw attaches to the arm.  This will make a clean crack and keep the meat from shredding when you try to remove it.

Below is a great sauce for dipping your crab meat in.  I am also sharing this link to the Florida Seafood and Aquaculture website with some amazing other recipes for Stone Crab Claws.  I hope y’all enjoy.

Mustard Sauce

• 3 1/2 ts dry mustard
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 2 teaspoons worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon A-1 Steak Sauce
• 1/8 c light cream
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
• 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder (optional)

Preparation

Blend the mustard and mayonnaise. Beat for about 1 minute. Add the remaining ingredients and beat until the mixture reaches a creamy consistency.