King Crab
Also known as：Red king crab
Paralithodes camtschaticus
- Origin
- Russia, Alaska, Norway
- Season
- Oct–Mar
- Appearance
- Enormous: carapace up to 25 cm wide with long thick walking legs — the front three pairs especially developed. Brownish-red with purple hints; among the largest crabs on earth.
Content compiled by the Xian Mancang team
Introduction
品种介绍King crab is actually a relative of hermit crabs. Sourced from the cold North Pacific — Russia, Alaska and Norway lead supply. Tender, sweet flesh famous through its long-leg meat — a star ingredient of premium dining.
Season Oct–Mar; full cold-chain distribution, mainly frozen and cooked-frozen.
Holding Environment
暂养环境Xian Mancang holding advisor: temperature, salinity, water quality and density references per species — feel free to exchange holding experience.
Not held live. Cooked-frozen: store below -18°C (shelf life 12–18 months); live air-freight requires 2–4°C seawater transport and sale within 48 hours.
Thaw slowly in a 0–4°C refrigerator; never refreeze. Parameters above are reference values — adjust to cold-chain conditions.
Economic Value
经济价值Priced by size and form: cooked-frozen whole, raw-frozen legs and cooked-frozen legs differ widely; leg meat (fullest) carries the highest unit price. A signature of winter banquets and Japanese dining — several hundred to a thousand CNY per crab, generous margins.
Culinary & Commercial Use
烹饪与商业用途Thick leg meat suits steaming, salt-baking, cheese-baking and hotpot; whole crabs star in banquet 'crab feasts'; shells make golden broth.
Foodservice: the top-tier item of premium Japanese dining, seafood buffets and New Year's Eve dinners; supermarkets retail cooked-frozen legs and canned crab meat.
Buying Guide
选购指南Frozen: check ice coating and shell integrity; cooked-frozen should be plump after thawing with no hollow shells. Verify production dates and origin labels; buy through certified cold-chain importers. Whole crab and leg pricing differ — quote separately by form.
Market Reference
规格行情Reference price: cooked-frozen whole 200–400 CNY/jin by size; legs 300–500 CNY/jin. Winter and holiday premiums; prices track international catch quotas; importers' bulk pricing sits 30–40% below retail.
King Crab · FAQs
How do I pick the freshest King Crab?
Frozen: check ice coating and shell integrity; cooked-frozen should be plump after thawing with no hollow shells. Verify production dates and origin labels; buy through certified cold-chain importers. Whole crab and leg pricing differ — quote separately by form.
What are the live-holding requirements for King Crab?
Not held live. Cooked-frozen: store below -18°C (shelf life 12–18 months); live air-freight requires 2–4°C seawater transport and sale within 48 hours.
What is the current market price of King Crab?
Reference price: cooked-frozen whole 200–400 CNY/jin by size; legs 300–500 CNY/jin. Winter and holiday premiums; prices track international catch quotas; importers' bulk pricing sits 30–40% below retail.
How do I cook King Crab? What methods work best?
Thick leg meat suits steaming, salt-baking, cheese-baking and hotpot; whole crabs star in banquet 'crab feasts'; shells make golden broth.
King Crab · For stock availability and holding consultation, contact us