What Are The Differences Between Lobster and Crawfish? Here’s How to Tell Them Apart

The flavors of the sea are one of the most popular choices for large lunches and dinners, shellfish in particular are chosen for their delicate flavor and great versatility. There are many species of shellfish that differ in shape, size and habitat, but among the best known certainly stand out lobsters and crawfish, two delicacies perfect for creating refined and tasty dishes. Often, however, these two species are confused and not by chance, because they are really very similar. Despite the similarity, however, they are different animals with different characteristics both physically and in terms of taste. The duo also includes the spider crab, which despite being different often ends up being confused with the other two: here is everything you need to know to recognize them and enjoy them at their best.

What is a Crawfish?

The crawsifh is a crustacean characterized by a spiny, bright red shell, two very long antennae and the absence of claws. They are among the largest crustaceans in existence, they can measure 60 cm and weigh up to 10 kg, and are usually found on the rocky seabeds of the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea between 20 and 150 meters deep. The crawfish has become a symbol of refined cuisine because of its meat, very tasty but extremely delicate, firm but soft, with an enveloping and smooth taste. In the kitchen, crawfishes are best cooked in the oven or boiled, but they are also suitable for being prepared on the grill or used in salads, soups, pasta sauces. A trick for buying the perfect crawfish? When you buy it, it must be heavy, a sign that it has been caught recently, female because it is tastier and not too large, because over 2 kg means it is old.

What is a Lobster?

The lobster is a crustacean with a slightly different shape: it is more elongated, has a smooth carapace, ten legs, two of which have large claws, antennae and a smooth red-brown or blue-tinted shell. The lobster can also be quite large, measuring up to 60 cm and weighing up to 6 kg, and lives on the rocky ocean floor. In this case, two different species can be distinguished: the European blue lobster, extremely rare and valuable , and the American lobster, which are distinguished by the color of their shell and by some morphological and behavioral details. The latter is typical of Maine and has become a great specialty known as Maine lobster. The lobster is much loved for its delicate and tasty meat, especially that of the claws and head, but is considered less valuable than the spiny lobster because the meat is more fibrous and has a stronger flavor. In the kitchen it is very versatile, good in salads, combined for example with exotic fruits such as mango or avocado, as a sauce but also boiled, baked, grilled or stewed.

All The Differences Between Lobster and Crawfish

From the descriptions of each crustacean you will have understood the first differences between the two species, but here is a list of everything that distinguishes lobster and crawfish:

• The carapace. The lobster has a smooth carapace, equipped with claws and a color tending towards brown or blue in the case of the American species, the spiny lobster on the other hand does not have claws, is more tending towards a red-pink color and has a carapace equipped with a series of protrusions, a sort of spines that it uses for defense.
• Weight. Although both are very large crustaceans, the lobster tends to grow larger and there are specimens that reach 10 kg, while the crawfish remains smaller and grows up to a maximum of about 6 kg.
• The flavor. The lobster is considered more valuable because of its meat, very soft, sweet and delicate, while the crayfish has a more elastic, fibrous and compact type of meat, with a more intense flavor although still quite delicate.
• The cost. Precisely because of the meat considered more delicious, lobster tends to be a more expensive product and when it is fresh it is between $34.28 and $107.71 per kilogram, while crawfish costs around $3.75 per pound. Only the European lobster has the same price as the lobster, because it is very rare and difficult to fish.

What About the Spider Crab? What Is It? How Is It Cooked?

Some people confuse lobster and crawfish with a third type of crustacean: the spider crab, scientific name Maja squinado. In reality, it is quite easy to distinguish them because the spider crab is basically similar to a large brown crab with red hues, with a particular shape that resembles a heart. Very nutritious, low in calories and decidedly low in fat, the spider crab has five pairs of thin legs and two large claws, which can be much longer than the entire body. It lives on the rocky seabeds of the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea, at varying depths, and is usually fished using the ancient technique of traps. It is considered a prized product due to its very delicate and tasty pulp, similar to that of the lobster (this is probably where the confusion comes from). In the kitchen it is very versatile, you can eat it raw or cooked in various ways, including boiled, fried, baked or stewed, alone or as a condiment for a pasta dish, preferably long pasta like spaghetti.