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Stone Crabs: Restaurant vs. Market


annecros

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The hubby checked Delaware Chicken and some website called Fresh Seafood and he found this:

Delaware 8 Jumbo (2-3 claws per pound) for $187

FreshSeafood - the same costs $178

Billys are pricing at $228!

Now here's a better question. Are Jumbos worth the price difference or should we go for large? I am of the opinion that bigger means tougher.

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We went there two Saturdays ago, and it was fine. I'm pretty picky about seafood, and if a fish market smells in any way of fish I will walk out. We didn't do the stone crabs though - Apalachicola oysters and picked up a whole flounder to stuff. The oysters were really nice, but you expect that in January. If your stone crabs were mushy, they were not fresh. I probably would have complained.

As far as size goes, I usually stick with the large claws. The mediums are too much shell for me, and the Jumbos and Colossals just don't seem to be as sweet, but those are my taste buds and your mileage may vary. You will have more meat to shell on the larger sizes.

I have absolutely no experience with any of the mail order seafood here - so can't speak to that in regards to service, etc. I would make sure that the claws were not precracked from whomever I ordered from before shipping.

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The hubby checked Delaware Chicken and some website called Fresh Seafood and he found this:

Delaware  8 Jumbo (2-3 claws per pound) for $187

FreshSeafood  - the same costs $178

Billys are pricing at $228!                                      

Now here's a better question.  Are Jumbos worth the price difference or should we go for large?  I am of the opinion that bigger means tougher.

If price is no object, I would go with the largest I could. If you want the most for your money, go medium. At $19/lb, plus shipping ($85 Fedex overnight), you're around $120 at Billy's for 14-16 claws. Since I'm not familiar with mail-order from either of the other ones you mentioned, I won't comment. As you may realize, stone crab claws are sold by the pound, not the piece. So eight claws (as you stated in your OP) could be 3 pounds or four pounds. Big difference, at $42.99/lb. Incidentally, I now buy mine off the truck at the Upper East Side Greenmarket on Saturdays at $8/lb for mediums. Great market if you haven't been.

Edited by Miami Danny (log)
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