Chesapeake Crab Connection proudly accepts the title, “Best Maryland Blue Crabs 2020-2021.”  We received perfect scores in speedy delivery, traditional steaming, and great taste.  Shipping Blue Crabs requires a specialty cooler with gel packs that keep the crabs refrigerated during their trip to your house.  For four decades, our crew have perfected this process for consistency and guaranteed freshness.  As far as steaming, our crab houses use the same time-tested process known throughout the Chesapeake Bay crab house culture.  Large cast iron steamers pressurize at exact levels with evenly sprayed steam.  Each pot receives a keen eye on time and spicing according to customer’s online ordering requirements.  Finally, when crab feasts unload bushels from the famous orange and black Chesapeake Crab Connection logo’d cooler, they know these crabs taste salty-sweet with a perfectly peppery spicing from JO Spice #2.  What gives these crabs the best taste?  They are USA Blue Crabs, caught and spiced and steamed that day for your online order.  That’s Fresh!

What should you serve with steamed crabs? 

Captain Jim suggests 8-10 meat-filled USA Blue Crabs per hungry adult; but if you serve sides, you may want to keep it at 6 crabs.  You may desire also to ask your fellow crab fans what they like as sides, but here are a few options.  Steamed artichokes with garlic butter offer a slightly nutty flavor as a side to the salty-sweet crab.  Maybe you want some finger food?  Fry-up some cottage fries for a starchy filler to the feast.  No problem with adding a bit of sophistication to your meal with twice-baked garlic mashed sweet potatoes.  Complement the hint of sweetness of these potatoes to the popular sweetness of USA crabs.  Sharing butter between the two make for a rich meal that washes down perfectly with a cold one!  Just a fun fact, a 3 oz. serving contains about 17.2 grams of protein (according to our dietary online experts), so eat with a healthy assurance!  As far as reheating, try these steps:  Fill your handy large pot with water and add some beer and spice and stir.  Position a basket right above the water and bring the contents to a boil.  Carefully, position the crabs on the grate (You don’t want to lose a claw.) and season with JO spice #2 (We ship some extra spice for you, or check out our spice category and order authentic Chesapeake Bay spice).  Allow crabs to steam for 5 minutes and serve for a explosively fun crab feast!

Get more FREE crab recipes here. 

We grade with the Traditional Bay Grading Scale!

Supers: 7+ inches

X-Large:  6 ½ -7 inches

Large:  6-6 ½ inches

Mediums:  5 ½ -6 inches

Small:  5-5 ½ inches

Half-Bushel Stats: 

The crabs come straight from our own crabbing boats and delivered directly to you. 

 Chesapeake Crab Connection 1/2 Bushels sell in 3 sizes.

* Bay Crabs consist of Small and Medium Crabs from 5 to 6-inches.

    - Approximately 3 1/2 to 4 dozen per half-bushel.

* Jimmy Crabs consist of Medium and Large Crabs from 5 1/2 to 6 1/2 inches.

    - Approximately 3 to dozen per half-bushel.

* Jumbo Crabs consist of Large, Extra-Large and Behemoth Crabs from 6 to 7+ inches.

    - Approximately 2 ½ dozen per half-bushel.

* Female Crabs consist of Small, Medium, Large, Extra-Larges from 5 to 7+ inches.

    - Approximately 3- 4 dozen per half-bushel.

Count your hungry eaters and decide your bushel size. 

Bay Bushels* hold about 96 Small & Medium Crabs from 5” to 6”. 

Jimmy Bushels contain about 72 Medium & Large Crabs from 5 ½” to 6 ½”. 

Jumbo Bushels number about 60 Large & Extra-Large Crabs from 6” to 7”. 

Female Bushels hold about 72 Small through Extra-Larges Crabs from 5” to 7”. 

(All overnight orders require crabs to ship with gel packs. Orders shipping 2-Day or more require crabs to ship fresh with gel packs & some dry ice. The dry ice may cause the crabs to partially freeze but can easily thaw in the refrigerator and then serve. If you do not want any dry ice, choose overnight delivery. Please note, if crabs freeze due to dry ice being used, no refunds or reshipments of the product will occur.