So you’re planning for Costco crab meat at your dinner table tonight? In that regard, you must know, “What is the best crab meat at Costco, and what are the most lucrative deals over there?”
It’s simple to get into the actual crab meat at Costco. You can search for ‘Costco crab meat’ or any seafood type you’re looking for on the hunt website, and you’ll find plenty of options. This article focuses on Costco crab meat and how great it can be for you if you succeed in having the best!
Is the Crab Meat Sold at Costco Genuine Crab Meat?
The crab meat that you see at the store is often the best in the market, whether it’s frozen or real crab meat, indeed. Now the question arises, “is the crab meat sold at Costco genuine?”
Let’s find it out.
Crab meat sold at Costco can be real (natural) or imitation meat (minced fish with an added sweetness to imitate crab’s flavor). In either case, they label it on the pack according to federal law. Imitation or fake crab meat is called ‘krab’ or ‘surimi.’ This meat is used in many recipes like Kani salad.
How Can You Check Whether Costco’s Crab Meat is Real or Not?
Here is the answer. If you see “frozen crab” written on the packet and find “crab” listed as the first ingredient, that’s real. Yet, when the container says ‘blue swimming crab’ or ‘surimi,’ that’s not real, particularly when ‘crab’ is not listed in the ingredients.
You can also tell the difference by looking at the texture of the meat. The original crab is all white, while the artificial crab has white stripes. Fake crab meat has bigger chunks, and they sell it in long strips.
If you don’t find fake crab meat labeled on the container, it’s most likely to be the real stuff. Costco has a big name and would never break its customers’ trust.
Why Should you Get Crab Meat at Costco?
What is the best thing to know before buying Costco crab meat? Is it worth paying for and eating on a day when you have more time on your hands?
The main reason that you need to get Costco crab meat is that you can find lots of flavors and varieties of crab meat. Each brand provides crab meat. Hence, you can consider crab meat from any brand depending on your preferences for taste and your recipe.
Here are five valuable things you need to know about buying one of Costco’s many high-quality kinds of seafood.
1- Most of the Costco crab meat is real.
Yes, whether you buy a $$$ crab meat at Costco or a small pack of frozen crab meat, most of them are real. There are hardly 1-2 options that are exclusively labeled as imitation meat on the packaging. So, you don’t have to worry about the genuineness of crab meat at Costco.
Imitation crab meat packaging will list anything as ingredients except “crab” itself.
2- You can get Costco crab meat of different cuts from many brands.
Costco online stores sell many types of crab meat cuts available. Some of these are listed here:
King crab legs
King crab legs are famous for their taste. The large size of king crab legs, which usually come packaged or pre-packed, help you maintain your health because of their high-fat content.
This makes crab meat perfect for making smoothies and pastries and allows you to cut them into smaller pieces for cooking instead of chopping them in larger chunks for storing purposes or using one pound as compared to two or three pounds for a regular meal.
Most interestingly, at Costco, you can get the King crab legs in 10 lb packaging. No matter how much you buy from Costco, the fresh-smelling legs will welcome you when you open your delivered box— the card boxes take special care of your crab meat in the commercial freezers by preventing them from burning.
Snow Crab Legs
Another primary type of crab legs available at Costco includes snow crab legs. Snow crabs are easy to get and are somewhat cheaper than king crabs. They are also rich and have a kind of lobster taste.
Lump Crab Meat
Another excellent option is lump crab meat, available at Costco. It also comes pre-cooked.
The meat is remarkable for its delicacy and refined taste.
The frozen lump crab meat at Costco is ready to eat; you only need to reheat it.
Jumbo Lump Crab Meat as Crab Cakes
Yeah! You read it right; we’re talking about pricey Costco crab cakes. They are expensive, undoubtedly.
Yet, are they worth buying? Would they taste like crab cakes at restaurants?
The answer is, “Yes,” they taste like a crab; they taste fantastic. You can try them if you’re more curious to know what yours will taste like.
3- You can find different crab meat ranges at Costco.
You can choose crab meat from Costco’s entire range. However, Costco’s expansive range of carb meat is only available in stores but not online—which may limit what you can choose!
Here are a few online crab meat options at Costco at different prices:
- Handy Crab claw meat 1 lb for $16.19 in summer 2023. Yet, it might not be available to buy online.
- Rastelli Market Fresh Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes 5lb packaging for $159.99 in summer 2023.
- Chicken of the Sea Lump Crab Meat 21 oz pack for $22.38 via Instacart, or you can get it at Costco Business Center for $19.19 price.
You can find some of the best crab meat options at Costco from October to January when the supply of crab is high.
- Alaska Bairdi Snow Crab Sections
- Northwest Fish Southern Red King Crab
- Whole dungeon crabs by North Fish 10 lbs pack
Some combo seafood options are also available at Costco.
Note: The crab meat sold at Costco is pasteurized (cooked) and ready to eat.
4- Costco has organic and frozen crab meat.
Costco sells organic (uncooked) and frozen (pasteurized) crab meat. However, the sole online option is pasteurized crab meat.
Organic crab meat will always be better tasting than frozen crab meat. It has no artificial sweeteners, no added coloring, and no preservatives. Yet, it’s also expensive. On the other hand, no one can tell us that frozen crab meat comes from organic sources.
5- Costco crab meat is healthy and rich.
The crab meat they sell at Costco is full of richness and genuineness.
Likewise, since it is a more natural source of protein than beef, it gets much sweeter. You don’t need to worry about trying to stick to your diet. Another advantage would be dealing with fewer antibiotics, hormones, etc.
FAQs
What is the difference between white crab and blue crab?
Blue crab is in the middle, whereas white crab is on the top. Blue meat has more natural fat, while white crab doesn’t have much fat and contains a higher protein level. White crab meat is also sweeter and has a somewhat flaky surface.
What is the best crab meat cut you can get at Costco?
Lump crab meat is the best option to buy at Costco. It’s available in 1 lb packaging. It comes cooked and delivered frozen.
Are Costco crabs farm-raised or widely caught?
The crab meat sold at Costco comes from trusted brands. You can get wild-caught crab meat over their form Northwest Fish.
How many king crab legs are there in one pound?
It depends on the crab’s size. If it’s bigger, a single crab leg can be one pound. On the other hand, the smaller ones can be 2-3 legs per pound.
Does Costco sell whole crabs?
Yes, you can get the whole Dungeness crabs at Costco. These wild-caught whole crabs will cost you about $20 per lb.
How many king crab legs to serve per person?
You usually need 3 to 4 crab legs per person if you don’t have many side dishes. If they’re a crab lover and prefer to eat crab only, I’d suggest about ½ pounds per person.
Do you cook Costco crab meat before eating?
No, cooking packaged crab meat can result in overcooking. Instead, you should reheat it if you’re adding it to some dish that needs to be served hot.
Or, you can add it directly from the can into your sandwiches or salads without reheating it. Since it’s pasteurized, eating right from the can or packet is also safe.
Can you get jumbo lump crab meat at Costco?
Yes, you can get it. Yet, it’s available in the form of crab meat cakes only when you’re buying it online.
Is crab meat expensive at Costco?
No, known as a wholesale market, Costco sells the meat at a lower price. If you do the math, you’ll save $5-10 per $100 purchase. The same goes for Costco’s crab meat.
Costco sells its crab meat in sections. These sections, leg, claws, or lump, prove less expensive if you buy a whole crab and get your favorite pieces from it.
Final Thoughts
Costco crab meat is indeed an attraction for seafood lovers. You can buy it from Costco without any doubts after checking the packaging. It’ll be real, be sure!
Note: This article only educates our audience to help them with their best experience at Costco. We don’t earn any commission from Costco.
