Hardshell Crabs prices - updated 10-30-2024
- Thread starter Agoodnap
- Start date
Anyone got a good place they used for Old Bay steamed crabs in the Philly Burbs? Not just by the dozen, but by the half or full bushel?
You're saying that all of us here in PA should meet at your place for great crab cakes?
I'm well past the age of sitting and picking crabs. I will devour heaping quantities of soft shell crabs and crab cakes, but picking is for young'uns who fill up mostly on hushpuppies and fries in-between itsy-bitsy little bites of crabmeat and shell shards, for about 2 hours.
You just don't get it. It's not a meal, it's an event.
I'll let the board experts reconcile this:
https://baltimore.cbslocal.com/2021...ab-meat-blue-crab-population-down-30-in-2021/
What...there is no soft shell season. In the Chesapeake crabs molt every 4 weeks or so when not hibernating. The Maryland watermen cull their catch for what are called peelers (crabs about to molt within a day or so) and place them in a tank until they actually molt. Since crabs usually come out of hibernation during April the peelers start showing up, and thus soft shells are available.
Yes way up. Here in bmore they started telling us about a month ago to expect really high prices. They said it’s a low yield this year but not why🤷♂️.The price of crabs is way up this year.
I thought some fungus or disease hit the Bay crab population hard a couple years ago. Is that gone? Or hasn't the population rebounded yet?
Here is the winter dredge survey. Certainly down from recent years but the number of females is a good sign for next year. I suspect inflation (gas, etc.) has a lot to do with the prices. Also, when you throw $4 trillion around everyone has their hands out.
That sounds kind of familiar but I think that was a while ago.
And either last year or the year before (I'm thinking 2019) was supposed to be a really good year. Unless your a local doing it for the family I'm not sure how many restaurants
use crabs that actually come from the bay. I think a lot come from the Philippines and Indonesia.
Also, last year and now this year, they have had a very, very hard time finding crab pickers (I think a lot were probably illegals, not judging) So thats really jacked up the price of shelled crab meat.(this is also true of the local Oysters).
If its in a can it probably (99%) came from indonesia or the Philippines. If its in a clear container its usually local.
Last edited:
Main Line Seafood in Paoli that's where I got them last week. Call ahead and place order. Guys are awesome.
Yea it looks like they changed their mind. But that WBAL piece did say it remains to be seen what will happen.
Absolutely. Amazing how well and how many ice cold beers go down as an intergal part of the event
2 of the best places I"ve been to for crab cakes (in baltimore area) are Costas Inn
and believe it or not (its true) Box Hill Pizzeria in Abingdon, MD.
I prefer mine broiled but I had a friend do his on a charcoal grill and they were pretty awesome.
Last edited:
What I’ve read is that blue crabs molt in July/August.
this article says seasonality, but much longer
As I understand it, quality is not the issue. Harvest and picking capacity is. Our club was recently put on supply allocation as restaurants were reopening creating demand pressure.
btw, go to cap’n John’s on Cobb island.
btw, go to cap’n John’s on Cobb island.
Taste?
Lots of joints in Philly have little filler, but it's Asian crab, no flavor.
I love hearing the description of a good crab cake as "no filler". Without any "filler" it wouldn't be a crab cake as it wouldn't be able to "hold" together and therefore would be a pile of seasoned crab meat. If that's what you want order crab meat with a side of spices.
Crab cakes require some breading (bread, crackers, etc) and some eggs to bind the crab meat together.
Crab cakes require some breading (bread, crackers, etc) and some eggs to bind the crab meat together.
Oh hell, screw this thread ..................I only read first couple posts had to go somewhere . I am coming back to SE PA early July. Been many years. Beginning of thread talks of bumper crop got me ALL excited , end of thread says prices way up and shortages !!!!!
Both older brothers had sailboats when I was a teen thru college Perryville and Havre de Grace . Ate many a crab accompanied with bucket of Rolling Rock.
Will sail farther south with another friend when I get back , will there at least be oysters ???????
!!!!!Both older brothers had sailboats when I was a teen thru college Perryville and Havre de Grace . Ate many a crab accompanied with bucket of Rolling Rock.
Will sail farther south with another friend when I get back , will there at least be oysters ???????
Eastern shore st michaelsOh hell, screw this thread ..................I only read first couple posts had to go somewhere . I am coming back to SE PA early July. Been many years. Beginning of thread talks of bumper crop got me ALL excited , end of thread says prices way up and shortages
Both older brothers had sailboats when I was a teen thru college Perryville and Havre de Grace . Ate many a crab accompanied with bucket of Rolling Rock.
Will sail farther south with another friend when I get back , will there at least be oysters ???????
Eat Bertha’s Mussels
Good memories of that place
Last edited:
An "event" is a Michelin 2* or 3* meal with a bottle of incredible wine. A meal is crab cake in Annapolis or a soft shell crab at Le Bernardin.
Yes. You don’t eat crabs when you’re hungry. You eat crabs when you’re thirsty.
Don't see anything about crabs or oysters .......but This pops up for eastern shore St Michaels
Awful Arthur’s and a ton of other placesDon't see anything about crabs or oysters .......but This pops up for eastern shore St Michaels
Rethinking the crab cake: Baltimore-area restaurants grapple with sky-high crab prices, even from abroad
Customers visit South Baltimore’s Papi Cuisine from far and wide to feast on their crab cake egg roll, an indulgent, Instagram-ready concoction that packs in around half a pound of crab meat …
www.baltimoresun.com
Today's ad.
For some reason the picture wouldn't show, but they are $30/dozen this week.
For some reason the picture wouldn't show, but they are $30/dozen this week.
Last edited:
I like the general locavore sentiment, but the best cheesesteak I ever had in my life was in Delaware, and the best crab cake I ever had in my life was in Washington DC, but I certainly get the sentiment.
By the way, only eat Italian food in New Jersey. Don't ever violate that rule.
Sorry, in this household it's only eat Italian food in my wife's kitchen!!
