Any Marylander will tell you: the blue crab occupies a very special place in their hearts. The delicate, sweet, lightly buttery meat of this crustacean is simply unmatched.

Because nature made the blue crab an often-painful challenge to handle and prepare, it's good to know that you can swing by our seafood department and get a tub of precooked, select pieces of your favorite meat. And while the brands may vary, you can be assured that blue crab meat is as succulent as it comes.

You can find 1 pound tubs of crab meat in these three forms:

• Jumbo Lump -- The premium grade crabmeat that consists of whole lumps of white meat from the body of the crab without shell or cartilage. Use it in recipes where appearance is important.


• Backfin contains large pieces of lump and some broken body meat. It's excellent for casseroles and baked dishes.


• Claw meat is darker in color and sweeter than the body meat. Use it in soups or to stretch crab cakes.

Tips:
Don't freeze this product, as freezing temperatures can ruin the flavor and texture of pasteurized crab meat.

You may notice a bluish tint to your crab meat; it is not unusual and is not an indication of poor quality.