Did you know that we take our lumps seriously?

Members of the swimming crab group of crabs (Family Portunidae of crustaceans), such as Maryland’s blue crab are considered to be the ideal choice for crab cakes. In these animals, the fifth (hindmost) pair of legs are flattened into paddles for swimming—that’s where the lump meat comes from!

“Jumbo lump” comes from the two muscles of a crab’s powerful swimming legs and is prized for its sweet taste and plump size.

“Lump” meat is made of slightly smaller white pieces picked from the base of the other legs.