In Vietnam, mud crab is usually sold by its main edible part: roe crab or meat crab. This is a market classification based on the crab’s sex and stage of growth, not two different species.
Roe crab
Roe crab is a female crab carrying roe, the orange-red ovaries under the top shell. Females have a broad, rounded apron. The roe is rich and nutty and much sought after, so roe crab usually costs more than a meat crab of the same size.
Meat crab
Meat crab is usually a male, with a narrow triangular apron and large, well-filled claws. Buyers choose meat crab for plenty of sweet white meat, ideal for steaming, tamarind crab or picking for soups.
Which one to choose
- For richness and colour, such as steamed crab, crab congee or hotpot: choose roe crab.
- For lots of meat, such as tamarind or sauced crab and picked crab meat: choose meat crab.
- Restaurants can use both across the menu to balance cost.
Grading on the Vina Seafood site
On the site, Ca Mau roe crab is graded with G codes and Ca Mau meat crab with Y codes, each code with its own size and retail price. For wholesale or export, size and specification are confirmed in the quote for each shipment.
