How to Cook Stone Crab Claws

Co-authored by Abyssinia Campbell and Sophia Latorre

Last Updated: November 10, 2022 References

Especially along the East Coast, stone crab claw meat is considered a delicacy that’s prized for its subtle and rich flavor. Making stone crab claws for guests or just for a quiet dinner at home is sure to be impressive, but how do you do it? Boiling or baking the crab claws is easy and convenient, but some traditionalists think that steaming crab preserves the best flavor.^{[1]
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Research source} No matter what your preferred method is, we’ll walk you through it, along with making tasty dipping sauces, in this complete guide on how to cook stone crab claws.

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

Boiling Stone Crab Claws

1
Fill a pot with salt water. Add a pinch of salt for every 12 cups (2.8 litres) of water in a large cooking pot. The salt will add flavor to your crab as you cook it.^{[2]
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- To measure a pinch of salt, grab as much salt that will fit between your index finger and thumb.
2
Bring the water to a rolling boil. Place the saucepan or pot on a large burner and turn the burner up to high. Wait until large bubbles begin floating to the surface or the water, which gives the surface of the water the appearance of rolling.^{[3]
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- The time this will take will vary depending on the amount of water you use, the surface area of the pot, and how much salt is in the water. However, expect 12 cups (2.8 litres) of water to take about 7 to 10 minutes to boil.
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3
Boil the crab claws for 6 minutes. Use tongs or oven mitts to grasp the claws and gently place them in the pot of hot water. Once the claws are in the water, cover the pot and let them cook. Don't leave the claws in the hot water for more than 6 minutes or the crab meat will get tough.^{[4]
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- Quickly throwing the crab claws in could create splashes that could potentially burn the skin.
- Keep in mind that every 2 lb (0.91 kg) of crab claws will give you about 1 lb (0.45 kg) of meat.
- Crab claws that float to the top of the water are called floaters—they tend to have less meat, but are still delicious.
4
Remove the claws from the hot water. After the 6 minutes are up, use your tongs to remove each crab claw and place it on a cutting board or plate. If you prefer to eat the crab claws cold, place them on a bed of ice for about 45 minutes before serving.^{[5]
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5
Crack the claws and scoop the meat out with a spoon or fork. To access the meat, place the claw in between the 2 metal arms of a crab cracker. Then, squeeze the two metal arms together until you feel and hear the shell crack. Repeat this process until you can open the claw completely, then scoop the meat out with a fork or knife.^{[6]
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- Instead of a crab cracker, you can also break through the shell by tapping it with a crab mallet or a heavy spoon.
- Depending on the dish you are preparing, you can choose to leave the meat in large chunks or break it up into smaller pieces for a shredded look.

Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

Steaming Stone Crab Claws

1
Boil 2 inches (5.1 centimetres) of water in a large pot or saucepan. Bring the water to a rolling boil by placing it on the stove over high heat. You can also put a pinch of salt in the water to help bring it to a boil slightly faster.^{[7]
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2
Place a steamer basket or metal strainer in the pot. Suspend the basket or strainer over the water rather than submerging it in the water.^{[8]
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- Don't use a plastic strainer, which could melt.
3
Place the claws in the strainer and cover the pot. Carefully set the crab claws in the strainer with tongs, then use a lid or aluminum foil to cover the pot tightly.^{[9]
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- There will be hot steam rising out of the pot, so be careful—you don’t want to accidentally burn your hand.
4
Leave the crab claws in the pot for 5 minutes. You don't have to cook the claws for long—you just want to heat them all the way through. If you leave them in the hot water for too long, you'll overcook the meat.^{[10]
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5
Crack open the claws with a crab cracker and scoop the meat out. Remove a claw from the strainer, then place it in between the 2 arms of a crab cracker. Squeeze the two metal arms together until the shell cracks. Keep cracking the shell until you can open it completely, then scoop the meat out with a fork or knife. Do the same for the other claws.^{[11]
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- Depending on the dish you are preparing, you can choose to leave the meat in large chunks or break it up into smaller pieces.

Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

Baking Stone Crab Claws

1
Preheat the oven to 350 °F (177 °C). You could prepare your dipping sauce or sides while the oven gets up to temp.^{[12]
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2
Put the claws on a large baking sheet. Lay the claws flat on the sheet in a single layer.^{[13]
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- Depending on the number of claws you want to cook, you may need to use multiple cooking sheets.
3
Bake the crab for 8 to 10 minutes. Most seafood merchants sell the claws precooked. So, you're actually re-heating them, which is why you want to be careful not to leave the claws in the oven for too long.^{[14]
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4
Crack open the claws with a crab cracker. Remove the claws from the oven, then open them one by one with a crab cracker. Squeeze the two metal arms of the cracker together until each shell cracks. Slide the cracker to a new spot on the claw and squeeze it together. Keep going you can open the claws completely, then remove the meat from the claw with a fork or knife.^{[15]
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Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

Preparing a Dipping Sauce

1
Dip the crab claw meat in melted butter. Simply place half a stick of butter in a bowl and heat it in the microwave, then add a small amount of garlic sauce to taste. Stone crab claws are so delicious and fresh, they’ll taste great even with this simple condiment.^{[16]
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2
Serve the crab with a mustard sauce. A traditional dip for stone crab claws is a mustard sauce. To make it, mix together 1 c (240 mL) of mayonnaise, 2 US tbsp (30 mL) of light cream, 2 tsp (9.9 mL) of Worcestershire sauce, 1 tsp (4.9 mL) of A-1 sauce, and salt to taste.^{[17]
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3
Serve cold crab with cocktail sauce. To make your own cocktail sauce, you can mix the following ingredients together in a bowl, then cool it in the fridge for 30 minutes before serving:^{[18]
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- 1 c (240 mL) of mayonnaise
- 2 tsp (9.9 mL) of Sriracha or another hot chili sauce
- 1 tsp (2 g) of grated fresh ginger
- 1/2 tsp (1.4 g) of minced garlic
- 1 tsp (2.2 g) of minced green onions
- 1 tsp (4.9 mL) of lime juice
- 1 Tbsp (1 g) of chopped cilantro
- 1/2 tsp (1.2 g) of white pepper
- 1/4 tsp (1.5 g) of salt

Community Q&A

Question

How long does it take to cook stone crab claws?

Drew Hawkins1

Community Answer

If you want to boil them, it only takes 5 minutes to cook the claws. Fill a pot with water and bring it to a boil. Remove the pot from the heat and let the water stop bubbling. Then submerge the claws in the water for 5 minutes, until they turn bright red. To steam the claws boil (2 in (5.1 cm) of water in a large pot or saucepan. Place a steamer basket or strainer in the pot, place the claws in the strainer, and cover the pot. Let them steam for 5-10 minutes, then take them out with a pair of tongs.
Question

How do you tell if Stone crab claws are cooked?

Drew Hawkins1

Community Answer

You can tell if they're fully cooked by inspecting the shell. If they're bright red, then the meat inside is likely fully cooked. To be extra sure, crack the claws open. Take a pair of crab crackers and crack open the middle of the claw. If the meat is white, then it's good to go. If the meat is transluscent, cook it for another minute or so until it turns white.
Question

How do you bake stone crab claws?

Drew Hawkins1

Community Answer

Start by preheating your oven to 350 °F (177 °C). Lay the claws flat in a large, shallow pan. Add about 1⁄2 c (0.12 l) of water, or enough to cover the bottom of the pan. The water should not be boiling hot. Cover the pan with aluminum foil. Bake the crab for 8 to 10 minutes and then take the pan out of the oven. You can serve the claws immediately or let them cool down.