What The Heck Does 'Jumbo Lump' Mean For Crab Meat Anyways?

Crab meat is impressive in that pretty much the entire body of a crab can be used in cooking. In fact, a properly prepared soft shell crab can be fully consumed, shell and all. Different portions of crab meat have different nomenclature, akin to how cuts of steak are named based on where they were taken from the cow. While terms like "flank" and "jowl" can be connected to body parts of other meat, what exactly does it mean to have "jumbo lump" crab meat? Turns out, jumbo lump also refers to a specific, muscular part of a crab that delivers a sweet but savory flavor.

Jumbo lump crab meat comes from the muscle that propels a crab's swimmer fins. Jumbo lump crab is often more expensive than other parts of the crab because of the scarcity of the resource. A crab only has two swimmer fins, so it requires much more extensive harvesting to obtain enough quality jumbo lump crab meat for a typical container's worth. It's recommended that jumbo lump meat be cooked without flaking it to let the distinctively sweet flavor of the crab shine.

Jumbo lump crab is typically considered a premium piece of crab meat due to its size and sturdy texture. When grocery shopping, if you intend to make a dish in which the crab needs to remain in large chunks, then be careful not to select lump crab instead of jumbo lump. Despite the similar names, lump crab is taken from the main body of a crab and is found in smaller chunks than jumbo lump, though it shares its white coloring.

If you want the texture of jumbo lump crab but are making a dish like crab cakes, look for lump crab for your recipe. Lump crab has a stronger flavor, meaning it won't get lost in a dish that contains a lot of spices. So break out that container of Old Bay seasoning, mix it with some lump crab, and you're on your way to a delicious meal.