Nothing quite matches the full-sensory experience of dining on crab, especially those harvested from the pristine waters of Alaska. Whether you’re shopping for Alaskan King Crab, Snow Crab, or Dungeness Crab for your next meal, you’re in for an incredible treat. From the satisfying crack each time you extract a morsel of meat, to scooping out tender flakes and dunking them in melted butter, the entire meal is an engaging experience that’s every bit as fun as delicious.
However, choosing between popular varieties of Alaskan crab can be a tricky affair, even for seafood connoisseurs. Alaska’s main crab species of King Crab, Snow Crab, and Dungeness Crab offer subtle differences in flavor profile, texture, and meat yield — all important distinctions when making a decision for your next meal. Additionally, there are two other types of Alaskan King Crab, such as Golden or Blue King Crab, but Red King Crab is the most sought after and common variety. Note, when we refer to King Crab here, just know we’re talking about Red King Crab and not the other varieties.
In this comparison, we’ll break down three popular crab varieties caught in the cold, nutrient-rich waters of Alaska: King Crab, Snow Crab, and Dungeness Crab. Dive in to learn more about each Alaskan crab’s taste and ideal cooking uses, texture, and shell-to-meat ratio. After reading this post, you’ll be able to find the crab that best suits your tastes and cooking needs.
Taste Comparison: From Intensely Rich to Sweet and Delicate
King Crab: Exceptionally Rich with Abundant Sweetness
As its name suggests, King Crab meat is one of the most sought after on the planet, renowned for its exceptionally rich flavor and abundant sweetness. When compared with Snow Crab and Dungeness Crab, King Crab offers a more intense richness and savory flavor, making it highly coveted for those seeking a luxurious culinary experience.
At Wild Alaskan Company, we sometimes offer Red King Crab Split Pack (32oz), pre-split for easy dining — for those looking to savor this rich dining experience like royalty.
Best Uses: King Crab is excellent for steaming, grilling, or simply enjoying with melted butter or the squeeze of lemon. It pairs beautifully steakhouse-style sides, like a loaded baked potato or corn on the cob.
Snow Crab: Delicate and Sweet, with Subtle Saltiness
Snow Crab, also known as opilio crab, delivers a delicate, naturally sweet flavor with subtle briny undertones, appealing to a wide variety of palettes. Comparing Snow Crab vs Dungeness Crab, you’ll find it has a cleaner, milder flavor that’s not as complex.
Check out Snap & Eat Snow Crab (24oz) from Wild Alaskan Company, which is both pre-scored and pre-cooked for easier dining and ready to be the star of your next dinner party. As with all the crab we sell, it’s available in limited quantities and for limited amounts of time based on a finite seasonal harvest.
Best Uses: Great for adding to crab salads, rich pasta dishes, and crispy crab cakes, or in steamed clusters with lemon and melted butter.
Dungeness Crab: Mildly Sweet with a Complex Flavor Profile
Dungeness Crab meat features a mildly sweet flavor with rich, slightly nutty undertones. Comparing Dungeness Crab vs Snow Crab, this variety has a richer, more complex flavor profile. It pairs beautifully with bold seasonings and tastes amazing dunked in melted butter.
Both our Snap & Eat Dungeness Crab (32oz) and Dungeness Crab Meat highlight this exceptional, complex flavor, great as the centerpiece for dinner or as the star ingredient to a rich stew. The Snap & Eat version is pre-scored, so you can crack, dip, and dunk without fuss.
Best Uses: Best when cracked and served whole or used in seafood chowders, soups, and crab boils. Try pairing with classic seafood seasonings like Old Bay or a dash of garlic butter.
Texture Comparison: Firm, Flaky, or Moist?
King Crab: Firm, Succulent Meat
King Crab features firm, succulent meat that’s slightly chewy. The meat holds together beautifully when extracted, creating impressive presentation pieces — perfect for wowing your next dinner guests. The texture strikes an ideal balance between firmness and tenderness, never becoming tough when properly prepared.
Snow Crab: Tender, Flaky Meat
Snow Crab clusters offer tender, flaky meat that breaks apart easily into delicate strands. This soft texture makes snow crab ideal for dishes where the crab meat will be incorporated into other ingredients, such as crab cakes, pasta dishes, or salads. The meat's natural tendency to flake also makes it perfect for elegant crab cocktail presentations.
Dungeness Crab: Moist, Tender Meat
Dungeness Crab features moist, tender meat that's slightly firmer than Snow Crab but more delicate than King Crab. This medium-firm texture provides excellent versatility, holding its shape well for chunky preparations while remaining tender enough for easy eating. The meat maintains its integrity in both hot and cold applications.
Shell-to-Meat Ratio: Which Crab Offers the Most Meat?
King Crab: The Largest Bounty of Any Crab
King Crab offers the highest meat-to-shell ratio among all crab varieties, typically ranging from 60 to 75% meat content. Due to its impressive size, King Crab provides generous amounts of easily accessible meat with minimal effort for extraction. This exceptional yield makes King Crab an excellent value.
Snow Crab: Medium Yields of Delicate, Flaky Meat
The meat-to-shell ratio in Snow Crab clusters is approximately 25 to 30% of its total weight, depending on the cluster size and harvest conditions. While lower than King Crab, the delicate flavor, flaky texture, and moderate pricing of Alaskan Snow Crab make it an excellent choice for seafood lovers. Pre-scored shells in our Snap & Eat Snow Crab (24oz) maximize your access to this delicate, flaky meat.
Dungeness Crab: Smaller Amounts of Complex, High-quality Meat
Dungeness Crab typically yields about 20 to 25% of its weight in meat, with the percentage varying based on the crab's size and seasonal conditions. While the shell-to-meat ratio is lower than other Alaskan crab varieties, Dungeness Crab compensates with its unique flavor complexity, plus the fact that both leg and claw meat are equally delicious.
Cooking and Preparation Tips
King Crab: Best served steamed or baked to retain moisture and flavor. Additionally, you can throw King Crab on the grill for a smoky, summer-inspired flavor — pairing nicely with steak for surf and turf.
Snow Crab: Easy to prepare and great for beginner cooks. Simply steam and serve with butter. Because Snow Crab is so delicate, it’s easy to incorporate into succulent side dishes.
Dungeness Crab: is often boiled or steamed whole and best served with a classic butter or garlic butter dipping sauce. It can also be incorporated into rich, savory stews.
Preparation: No matter which crab you choose, always thaw frozen crab legs in the refrigerator overnight before cooking for optimal texture and flavor.
Choosing the Right Crab for Your Next Meal
Follow Your Preferences and Cooking Needs
No matter which Alaskan crab you choose, it’s hard to go wrong with any of the premium varieties we’ve covered: King Crab, Snow Crab, or Dungeness Crab. The differences in flavor profiles, textures, meat ratios, and best uses — all come down to your personal taste preferences and cooking needs.
From cooking an amazing surf-and-turf dinner with grilled King Crab legs to using flaky, delicate Snow Crab meat for pastas and crab cakes, there’s an Alaskan crab suited for a wide variety of meals and culinary types. The pristine waters of Alaska produce some of the world's finest crab, and choosing these wild-caught varieties ensure you're getting the very best in sustainable seafood.
