Soft-Shell Crabs- Prices? Live vs Frozen? Domestic vs Import

I'm just wondering what people are paying for their respective soft-shell crabs depending on size (hotels, jumbos, whales), live vs frozen product, domestic vs import (SE Asian). If people don't mind sharing...

SE Asian and Chinese markets seem to price by weight; Japanese and Western markets by size.

I'm trying to figure out if it's worth buying the frozen SE Asian product vs domestic from someplace like Dirk's, WF or I&S. I understand taste in itself may be a whole other variable...

Jay,

To me, it's a no brainer. Fresh is the way to go and you'll pay dearly for them. Six bucks per crab at Fox and Obel last week for jumbos.

There's no way in the world I'll eat the frozen during the season as long as fresh are available live. A large percentage of the Handy soft shell crabs (considered to be among the best of those harvested on Maryland's Eastern Shore) are flown live to Japan.

Would it be worth it to you to choose frozen because they might be cheaper?

(Isaccson and Stein only carries the dressed and frozen.)

HI,

This evening I was at Captain Porky's in Zion. They were selling imported frozen soft shell crabs uncooked for $2.50 each and cooked as part of a dinner around $3. each.

Closed early June, 2010:
Captain Porky's Inc
39210 N Sheridan Rd
Zion, IL
Phone: (847) 872-4460

Open June, 2010:
Captain Porky's - established 1984
US 41 & Wadsworth Road
38995 Route 41
Wadworth, IL
Phone: 847/360-7460
Fax: 847/360-7461
http://www.CaptainPorky.com

I paid $6 apiece at Dirk's a few weeks ago. They were big but I'm not sure whether they'd be considered jumbos. They were delicious.

I find soft shells do not hold up well to freezing at all...getting watery, mushy and often fishy as a result. Tho much cheaper than fresh this is one case where there is really no comparison.