Dungeness crab is part of the cooking of British Columbia and the Pacific Northwest. Boulevard lists a Dungeness crab louie, Blue Water Cafe a crab salad.

Wikipedia says Dungeness crab is an integral part of the cuisines of California, British Columbia and the Pacific Northwest, traditionally featured in dishes such as crab Louie. Boulevard's seafood tower lists a Dungeness crab louie, and Blue Water Cafe lists a Dungeness Crab and Matane Shrimp Salad and a Dungeness Crab Roll at its raw bar. At Granville Island Public Market, Longliner Seafoods, one of the market's original tenants, is known for its fresh Dungeness crab.

Where to eat Dungeness crab in Vancouver

3 editor picks for Dungeness crab in Vancouver, ranked by editorial score. All Vancouver signature dishes · Dungeness crab across every city.

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Make it at home

Serves Serves 2 to 335 minEasy

Ingredients

  • 1 whole Dungeness crab, 1 to 1.5kg, live or freshly cooked
  • 2 tablespoons salt for the pot
  • 1 lemon, halved
  • 100g unsalted butter, melted
  • 2 cloves garlic, grated
  • 1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley
  • Cracked black pepper
  • Crusty bread to serve

Method

  1. Bring a large pot of water to a vigorous boil. Add salt to taste the sea.
  2. If using a live crab, plunge it head-first into the boiling water. Cover and boil 15 minutes for a 1kg crab; 18 minutes for 1.5kg.
  3. Drain the crab and chill in iced water 5 minutes to stop cooking. Pat dry.
  4. Lay the crab on its back. Pull off the apron and lift away the top shell. Rinse the body cavity and remove the gills.
  5. Crack the legs and claws with a mallet or cracker. Split the body in half with a heavy knife.
  6. Melt the butter with grated garlic. Stir in parsley and black pepper. Serve the crab on a platter with the butter, lemon halves and bread for dipping.

Editor tip. Cook the crab the day you buy it, or buy pre-cooked from a reputable fishmonger. Live crabs should be lively in the tank and heavy for their size.

Common allergens: Shellfish.