Canned crab meat

[Crabber Ron]

Hi everyone,

I just purchased a one pound can of Phillips crab meat at costco. I saw it and since I am desperate for some crab couldnt pass up the price $10.00 . Anyhow after getting home I noticed on the can that it was hand picked and harvested from southeast Asia   . Anyhow fearing the worst I oped it up and had a taste. You know what it tasted great. Now my question what kind of crab does it come from? Not to be sacriligious but it was pretty close to Blue Crab, and made 4 beautiful crab cakes.

Any ideas about this?

Thanks,

Ron

Anyone have any ideas

[Kodi]

I believe that the crab that the meat came from is the "Portunus Sanquinolentus", or sand crab or blue swimming crab.  At least that's the name I came up with on my first web search.  

Some efforts are being made to force the sellers to label the meat by it's proper name so consumers know it's not the American blue crab.

I've had it and it's pretty good, just not as good as the blues from the Chesapeake.  Also I don't like to buy it and take work away from the people in this country.  

Still it's something to buy if you want crabmeat and you can't afford the price of the regular.

I wonder how you're getting it for $10 bucks though.  At the costco near me it's going for $13 or $14.

Kodi

[Crabber Ron]

Kodi,

I would take blue crab meat any day over this, but was at least happy that it tasted good. I figured Phillips wouldnt sell anything but Maryland Blue Crab, so I didn't even look at the can. The price was $10 and change, don't know why the difference in price, but I did buy it up near New York City so maybe it's a volume thing.

Does Portunus Sanquinolentus look anything like the Blue Crab?

Thanks for the reply,

Ron

[Steve]

Have a look here:

http://www.ncwaterman.com/crabs/

(click on the "Problem" link)

[Kodi]

Or for a quick look at one without watching the 5 minute movie that Steve linked us to you can go here:

http://www.phillipsfoods.com/html/bluecrab.html

I liked that link tho' Steve!

Kodi

[Crabber Ron]

Thanks Guys

[LindaP.]

I bought a can at the Walmart and whoa was it gross.   Tossed it, made me appreciate a 5 1/2" Delaware mudder.  How can they have Phillips on the can,  packed in Berlin MD with a product of Indonesia inside?

[Crabber Ron]

Linda,

That wasn't the same stuff that I had. The Crab in this can was extremely close to fresh Blue Crab, not as good but close enough to be enjoyable,

Ron

[Steve]

The stuff that Linda had was probably found in the refrigerated section. It's packaged by Philips and comes in a black 16 oz. can. This stuff is pretty good and is a close match to fresh blue crab meat, especially for recipes.

The stuff you found at Wal-Mart was probably found over by the canned tuna. This stuff is most definately mushy and tasteless.

[Crabber Ron]

Steve,

I think you have that backwards. I had the canned 16 oz in the black can. I think linda had that mush. The stuff that I had tasted great in a crab cake, lots of big white lump meat.

Thanks for the reply,

Ron

[Steve]

Whoops... yes, I had that backwards!  

Sorry about that!

[Crabber Ron]

Steve,

No problem, thanks for the help,

Ron

[cw4340]

i thougt this stuff was cheap  2lbs 99 dollar woww

[ran_c]

a friend of mine just bought 50 pounds of crabmeat from venezeula or somewhere like that. he bought it here in louisiana and paid $3.00 a pound. the resteraunts are paying $2.25 a pound. this is why our crabmeat is not selling now. around here the plants are already freezing meat. not good.