Kamchatka Red King Crab
King Crab Merus — First Phalanx
The merus is the first phalanx: the thickest leg section nearest the body, with the longest unbroken muscle fibre. It is the single cut that explains what king crab costs, and the one to buy when the crab is the hero of the plate.
- Format
- 10–12 cm sections, shell-free
- Condition
- Cooked, frozen at origin, held at −18°C
- Origin
- Kamchatka fishery, North Pacific
- Servings
- Shell-free, so a smaller weight plates the same servings as clusters
Pricing on request — availability confirmed against the weekly landing list.
What makes merus the prime cut
Dense, sweet, uniform meat in a straight 10–12 cm section. Because the fibre runs unbroken, merus holds its shape when sliced, grilled or butter-poached and plates as a whole piece.
It is the most expensive king crab cut per kilogram. It is also shell-free, so you buy no waste: per serving, the gap to clusters is often smaller than the price list suggests.
How to check you are getting merus
Substitution is normal in a wild, quota-managed fishery; what matters is that it is disclosed before delivery. If a merus quotation arrives far below the market, the likeliest explanation is that it is not merus.
Ask which phalanx, ask for a photograph of the actual lot, and ask what it graded. Leg diameter and meat fill matter more than the label.
Best for
- —Sashimi and fine plating
- —Grilling and butter-poaching
- —A plated main where the crab is the hero
Questions buyers ask
What is king crab merus?
The merus is the first phalanx — the largest, thickest section of the king crab leg, with the longest unbroken muscle fibre. It carries dense, uniform white meat and is the section most often served as a standalone hero piece.
Is merus worth the price over clusters?
When you are plating and want no waste or labour, usually yes. Merus costs more per kilogram but carries no shell, so the cost per serving is often closer to clusters than it looks. For a feast where guests crack their own shells, clusters are the better buy.
How should frozen merus be stored?
At −18°C or below in its original packaging until the day you serve it. Once thawed in the refrigerator, keep it at 0–2°C and use it the same day or the next, and never re-freeze.
Buyer’s guides
- King Crab Cuts Explained — Merus, Clusters, Claw
- How to Cook King Crab at Home
- King Crab Price in the UAE — A Buyer's Guide (2026)