Blue Crabs (Live)

Product Info & Our Source

The Maryland Blue Crab (Callinectes sapidus) is the signature crab of the Chesapeake. We are a Maryland blue crab retailer based in Crisfield, Maryland, known as the Crab Capital of the World. We turned 30 in 2026 and were the first company to sell seafood online, back in 1996. Greg and his brother Matt grew up working as mates on crab boats and in local processing houses before starting the business.

We buy as many crabs as we can locally, out of the Little Boat Harbor in Crisfield where the watermen come in. We are True Blue Certified, which means more than 75 percent of our product is harvested or processed in Maryland. When Maryland goes through a shed and the crabs molt, we use our expertise to source the best heavy crab from the Carolinas, Florida, or Louisiana. Maryland first, then the best crab at the best time of year.

How We Grade

Crabs are measured point to point across the back of the shell:

• Colossal Male: 6 3/4 inches and up
• Premium Male: 6 to 6 3/4 inches
• Select Male: 5 1/2 to 6 inches
• Standard Male: 5 to 5 1/2 inches
• Large Female: 6 inches and up
• Regular Female: 5 to 6 inches

Because live crabs are not steamed, grading is a straight point-to-point measurement. As a quality check at the dock, we grade out light crabs (those with white, transparent belly shells that shed recently and have not refilled with meat). Only the heavy, well-filled crabs make it into your box.

Blue crab is a lean, high-protein seafood. Figures are for the steamed crab meat and are approximate, per a 3.5 oz serving.

Storage & Handling

These crabs arrive alive, so they need to be kept cool and steamed the day they arrive. Keep them in the coldest part of your refrigerator, ideally around 48 to 50 degrees, in their shipping cooler until you are ready to cook. Do not submerge them in water and handle them as little as possible. Stirring live crabs up makes them fight and pinch each other, which shortens how long they stay healthy.

Live crabs are perishable and there is natural mortality in shipping. By the time they arrive next day, you can expect up to 15 percent death loss. Many orders lose none at all. If your loss runs higher than 15 percent, we will issue a store credit to offset the additional loss.

Once you have steamed your crabs, refrigerate any leftovers and enjoy them within about 3 days. You can eat them cold straight from the fridge, or re-steam them briefly to warm them back up.

Cooking: How to Steam Live Crabs at Home

In Maryland we steam our crabs rather than boil them. A standard 19-quart atmospheric pot works great for a home cook.

1. In the bottom of the pot, add equal parts beer, vinegar, and water.
2. Bring the liquid to a rapid steam.
3. Add your live crabs to the pot and cover.
4. Steam for roughly 20 to 30 minutes, depending on your pot and heat. Keep checking them.
5. The crabs are done when they turn from a blue shell to bright orange (that blue shell is where the blue crab gets its name).
6. Remove the crabs and, once they are cool enough to handle, dig in.

Most people dip the meat in melted butter or vinegar. To reheat leftovers, re-steam with the same one part beer, one part water, one part vinegar for just 5 to 7 minutes, only long enough to warm and moisten the meat. Eating crabs is an experience to share. It is more than a meal, it is a memory.