Kamchatka Red King Crab
King Crab Clusters — 4L & 5L
A cluster is one shoulder with its walking legs and claw still attached, sold as a single in-shell piece and graded by size. It is the workhorse of a crab feast, and the most requested format.
- Format
- 4L · 5L grade, in shell
- Condition
- Cooked, frozen at origin, held at −18°C
- Origin
- Kamchatka fishery, North Pacific
- Servings
- Roughly 2–3 servings per kilogram; 400–600 g per person as a main
Pricing on request — availability confirmed against the weekly landing list.
What 4L and 5L mean
The L-scale is a size grade: higher numbers mean larger sections. Size alone is not quality. Leg diameter and meat fill — how completely the muscle fills the shell — matter more, and fill varies with the moult cycle.
Ask for the grade and the fill, and what the last lot graded. A supplier working from whole animals can answer.
Portioning clusters
Clusters are sold in shell, and shell is a large share of the weight. As a main course with crab as the hero, plan around 400–600 g of clusters per person; for six people that is roughly 2.5–3.5 kg.
As one element among several courses, order considerably less. Crab is rich, and guests eat less of it than hosts expect.
Best for
- —A crab feast where guests crack their own
- —Sharing plates
- —Kitchens with a use for shells and shoulder meat
Questions buyers ask
What is the difference between clusters and legs?
A cluster is the legs still attached to the shoulder section, sold as one piece and graded by size (4L, 5L). Individual legs or sections — merus, second phalanx — are cut from it.
How much king crab clusters per person?
As a main course with crab as the hero, around 400–600 g of clusters per person. Clusters give roughly two to three servings per kilogram because the weight includes shell.
Are clusters cheaper than merus?
Per kilogram as bought, yes. Per kilogram of meat you actually plate, not necessarily — you are also paying for shell. A kitchen plating at speed with no stock pot running often loses money on clusters.
Buyer’s guides
- How Much King Crab Per Person? A Host's Guide
- King Crab Cuts Explained — Merus, Clusters, Claw
- How to Store King Crab — Freezer, Fridge and After Thawing