Facts:
Stone Crabs are very famous crabs that come in abundance in the Everglades area. They are so popular that, in fact, there are restaurants in Marco and in Naples that either serves them as part of their menu or are places dedicated to serving the crabs themselves. Such small things about the size around 5-6 inches wide but pack such a flavor people get addicted to them. Fun Fact: These crabs must secretly be comic book superheroes because of the way their pinchers regenerate no matter how many times they’re removed. They are a rare treat and a specialty here in Naples because these little critters can only be found around the southern coasts of the United States and it so happened that the areas of south Florida are the ones that catch a lot of them and in many ways have already industrialized them. There is even a factory around the Everglades area that packages these crabs for long distance delivery and longer shelf life and such.
History:
Historically, around the 1920’s these crabs were considered pests because for some reason people thought they weren’t very good to eat and they hang around in huge numbers around the shore and they tear up the nets of the fishermen because they get stuck in them all too frequently. Then, thanks to the experimental nature of human beings, somebody with a bit of sense tasted the crabs and that was the beginning of this now multi-million industry. Fancy restaurants all over Florida serve this seasonal treat and some even get sent to far away states up north. Hotels and grill restaurants get filled up with people once they announce that they would be serving Stone Crabs. Once caught, the pinchers are separated from the body (which makes up half its weight) and then the crabs get sent back to the wild and their pinchers regenerate back to its full size after a month or so. Testimonies from people who came from different states and travel to southwest Florida whenever the crabs are in season is a proof to the sheer power of its flavor.
Tips:
- Female Stone Crabs can lay up to a million eggs. Though not all survive to adult hood, the ratio between crab per mother is still staggeringly high.
- October 15 to May 15 is the season people harvest these delicious Stone Crabs. Then most of them go straight to the plate before the crabs even knew what was happening.
- Crabs always fall for pig’s feet in the traps. Harvesters commonly use pig feet as bait.
- Since the crabs are harvested in the wild and are seasonal, we recommend that you prepare a little bit of extra from your pockets should you want to try some.
- It’s recommended to steam the crabs right away after taking them from the shore or else the meat with stick to the carapace.
- If steamed is not your thing, one popular way of eating the crabs is by serving them cold, surrounded by ice with a touch of a lemon slice on the side for that added kick.
