History

Rock crab has been commercially harvested from the Santa Barbara Channel for over a century, valued by local fishing families before the more glamorous spot prawn and sea urchin fisheries developed. The year-round availability makes it the reliable backbone of the Stearns Wharf seafood counters when spot prawns and swordfish are out of season.

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Common allergens: Crustacean shellfish

Make it at home

Yield Serves 2Hands-on 15 minTotal 30 minDifficulty Easy

Ingredients

  • 2 whole live rock crabs (1-1.5 lbs each), or 4 large rock crab claws
  • For steaming: 2 inches water in a wide pot, 1 tbsp sea salt, 1 lemon sliced
  • For drawn butter: 4 tbsp unsalted butter
  • Extra lemon for serving

Method

  1. Bring salted water with lemon slices to a boil in a large pot fitted with a steaming rack.
  2. Place crabs on the rack (or drop claws directly in steaming water), cover tightly, and steam 12-15 minutes for whole crabs or 8 minutes for claws, until shells are bright red-orange.
  3. While the crabs steam, clarify the butter: melt slowly over low heat and skim the foam from the surface. Pour the clear butter into a small bowl, leaving the milk solids behind.
  4. Transfer crabs to a board. Break whole crabs by twisting off the claws, then pressing down on the back of the body until the shell cracks. Remove the feathery gills and the stomach sac behind the eyes.
  5. Crack the claws with a mallet or the back of a heavy knife. Serve with clarified butter and lemon.

Tip from the editors. Rock crab claws have thicker shells than Dungeness; a mallet works better than a crab cracker for getting a clean break without shattering the meat.

Where to eat santa barbara rock crab

Santa Barbara Rock Crab in Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara Shellfish Company ★ 3.8

$$ SeafoodStearns Wharf

Fish-shack counter at the tip of Stearns Wharf since 1980. Same-day-landed Channel crab, sea urchin, and shellfish on a communal outdoor deck with bay views.

SignatureFresh sea urchin, Steamed rock crab, Lobster bisque

Directions

Brophy Bros. ★ 3.9

$$$ SeafoodHarbor

Third-generation family seafood house on the harbour dock since 1986. Award-winning clam chowder, garlic clams, bar overlooking the marina. No reservations.

SignatureNew England clam chowder, Garlic baked clams, Oysters on the half shell

Directions

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