King crab legs are a delicious and indulgent seafood treat that many people love. Their sweet, flaky meat and large size make them a showstopper at any meal. But high demand and limited supply means that king crab can be hard to find and expensive to buy in stores. If you’re wondering where you can buy high-quality king crab legs for a reasonable price, this guide has all the information you need.
A Bit About King Crab
King crab refers to several species of large crab found in cold, northern waters such as the Bering Sea near Alaska The most common types caught for food are the red king crab and the blue king crab
Red king crab have a reddish-brown shell and can grow up to 24 pounds, though 10-15 pounds is more common. They have a sweet, succulent meat that is snow white. Blue king crab have a blue-gray shell and tend to be smaller at 5-15 pounds. Their meat has a slightly stronger flavor.
King crab meat comes from the legs and claws, which are thick and meaty. The body meat can also be used, though it’s less desirable. King crab is low in fat and calories while high in protein, making it a healthy seafood choice.
Why Get King Crab Legs Online?
Trying to find king crab legs at your local grocery store can be frustrating. Selection is usually limited to frozen legs or claw packs. Prices are high often $30-$60 per pound!
Shopping online opens up many more options for purchasing king crab:
- Wider selection of products – whole legs, pieces, sections, claws, lump meat
- Better quality – ships overnight to arrive as fresh as possible
- Larger leg sizes up to 2-3 pounds each
- Buy direct from distributors for best price
- Frozen and shipped overnight to your door
Buying king crab legs online makes them more accessible and affordable for home cooks.
Top Online Retailers for King Crab
We’ve rounded up the top online retailers that offer excellent selection, quality, and prices for king crab legs and other products:
Maine Lobster Now
With a major focus on quality and customer service, Maine Lobster Now has a great reputation in the seafood industry. They offer a wide range of king crab products including red and golden king crab legs, sections, claws and lump meat.
Their selection includes multiple size options from Jumbo to Colossal legs weighing 1 pound to over 3 pounds each. Legs are pre-cooked, blast frozen and overnight shipped. Use code “KINGCRAB10” for 10% off your first order.
Seattle Fish Company
A family-owned provider of premium seafood for over 100 years. Their king crab is wild-caught in Alaska and pre-cooked before freezing. Choose from red or blue king crab legs, claws, or splits. Legs range from 1/2 pound up to 3 pounds. Order online for delivery right to your door.
Lobster Anywhere
This fast-growing online seafood market offers free overnight shipping on frozen king crab products. Choose from red king crab legs, sections, and claws. Options range from 1 pound legs up to extra colossal 4 pound giants. Use code “CRAB10” to save 10% off your order.
Great Alaska Seafood
Specializing in wild seafood sourced from Alaskan waters, Great Alaska Seafood has king crab freshly frozen at peak flavor. Select from whole red king crab legs up to 3 pounds or grab a combo pack of legs, knuckles and claws. Free shipping is included on orders over $199.
Newport Seafood
A major East Coast supplier with a large online seafood store. They carry pre-cooked Alaskan red king crab legs and claws. Size options range from petite to jumbo. Use code “CRAB15” to take 15% off your first order.
How Much Does King Crab Cost?
As a premium seafood, king crab is one of the more expensive items on the menu. Pricing depends on the specific product and size:
- King crab leg clusters (per pound) – $25 to $60
- King crab leg sections (per pound) – $35 to $50
- King crab claws (per pound) – $50 to $90
- King crab lump meat (per pound) – $95 to $150
When buying whole king crab legs, larger sizes are always the best value. A three pound leg will cost less per pound than a one pound leg. Buying direct from retailers eliminates middleman markups so you pay less compared to restaurants and grocery stores.
Look for special offers like free shipping or percent-off discounts from online retailers to help save on the overall purchase price.
While not cheap, king crab remains a worthy splurge for special occasions like holidays, birthdays and anniversaries. When cared for properly, the legs and meat can last for several months in the freezer.
How to Prepare and Cook King Crab at Home
With some simple preparation, you can cook restaurant-quality king crab in your own kitchen. Here are a few tips:
Thaw – Thaw frozen legs overnight in the fridge or for a few hours in cold water. King crab can go from frozen to cooked, but thawing helps prevent splitting.
Clean – Use kitchen shears or scissors to cut off any soft shell patches from the legs. Give them a quick rinse.
Steam – Steaming is quick and easy. Use a large pot with a steamer basket. Add a couple inches of water to the pot below the basket. Steam legs for 8-12 minutes until heated through.
Boil – Boil a pot of salted water. Carefully add legs and boil for about 8 minutes. The shells will turn bright red.
Grill – Place legs on a hot grill for 4-5 minutes per side. Brush with melted butter for extra flavor.
Crack and Eat – Use crab crackers, hammers, or mallets to break open the shells. Enjoy dipped in melted butter!
Satisfy Your Craving for King Crab
Treat yourself to sweet and succulent king crab in the comfort of your home. By buying king crab online, you can get premium wild-caught Alaskan crab overnight shipped and at a better price than local stores. Use this guide to find a reputable retailer with excellent selection and prices on king crab legs, claws, sections, and meat. Thaw, cook, crack and dip the tender meat in butter for a delicious experience that will satisfy your king crab craving!
Do you want to try cooking with Alaskan king crab instead of ordering it at a restaurant in your town or while you’re on vacation? Don’t worry—crab meat can be a great replacement for a lot of different foods. Say you want to make seafood-inspired spaghetti, why not add crab meat to your pasta sauce? Or, maybe you could add king crab meat to your grandmother’s tuna fish to make it more fancy. Or perhaps you should think about including Alaskan king crab in your holiday turkey stuffing. Once you get used to cooking with crab meat, you’ll find a lot of creative ways to make everyday meals stand out. Adding a little red king crab meat to your scrambled eggs or omelet for brunch can make the whole family’s meal experience better. Be creative and try something new this week after your king crab claws or legs are delivered.
No time to travel to Alaska to buy your own crab legs? No problem. At Maine Lobster Now, we offer Alaskan king crab legs shipped overnight and delivered right to your home. Our crabs are wild caught in the cold waters of Bristol Bay and Norton Sound. About 100 boats fish in the area, and over the course of two to three months, they catch millions of pounds of red king crab. The meat is snow-white with bright red highlights from the orange shell. It’s interesting that the brown shell only turns red when it’s cooked, just like a lobster! Alaskan crab can’t be any fresher—unless you go to Alaska and catch them yourself! If you live in the US, our home delivery service lets you experience Alaska like never before. Choose the exact date you want your crab to be delivered to your front door. Shipping is free on orders of $100 or more, so you don’t have to worry about spending too much to get jumbo king crab brought to your door. Order your Alaskan jumbo king crab legs for home delivery today through our secure website now.
