Crab Season In San Francisco: The Bay Area Crab Season Begins (PHOTOS)

PHOTOS: Dungeness Crab Season Has Officially Arrived!
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Late November may mean turkey, stuffing and mashed potatoes for the rest of the country. But for those of us born in the Bay Area, it wouldn't be Thanksgiving without a crisp glass of prosecco and a platter of cold, fresh crab. Fortunately, this year's crabbing season starts Tuesday.

We couldn't be more excited for the Central California Coast to open up for crab season. While a price debate between buyers and fisherman is still at large, Zeke Grader, executive director of the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen's Associations in San Francisco, told SFGate that he expects a settlement in time for Tuesday's catch. "And these crabs looks great," he said. "It'll be a nice crop this year.

To celebrate the season, Annette Yang at Nettie's Crab Shack sent HuffPost her recipe for the restaurant's famed oven-roasted Dungeness crab, "a specialty of the house and a nice alternative to the traditional steamed crab," according to Yang. On November 21, the restaurant is even hosting a Local Crab Kickoff Dinner.

Get Yang's crab recipe below, and then check out our slideshow for the best spots to celebrate crab season in the Bay Area:

Nettie's Crab Shack's Oven-Roasted Dungeness Crab

* start with a live local Dungeness crab (about 2 lbs)
* boil crab in a large stock pot with salted water (make sure the crab is fully submerged in the water) for 14 minutes
* cool and clean the crab
* preheat oven to 450 degrees
* in a large sauce pan, mix 2 Tablespoons chopped parsley, 1 teaspoon chopped garlic, zest of 1/2 lemon and 1/4 cup of olive oil
* warm oil mixture over medium heat for about 1 minute
* add the crab
* coat the crab with the oil mix and add the juice of 1/2 lemon
* place saucepan in oven and let roast (uncovered) for about 8-10 minutes
* remove crab and place on serving platter, pouring remaining oil mixture over the top

San Francisco Crab
Pillar Point Harbor (01 of05)
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When it comes to crabbing, Pillar Point Harbor is the real deal. Located in Half Moon Bay, the gorgeous harbor comes alive during crab season. While the street is full of restaurants and market, adventurous crab-lovers can hop a boat and go get their own catch. Photo by AGrinberg. (credit:AGrinberg)
Fish(02 of05)
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Sausalito restaurant Fish gets points for both its mouthwatering menu and its die-hard commitment to sustainability. And bonus points for option number five on the restaurant's voicemail menu: a dramatic reading of Tina Turner's "What's Love Got To Do With It." (Not a bluff.) Try any of the amazing plates in the restaurant, or take the day's fresh catch home from their fish market. Photo by blindmike. (credit:blindmike)
PPQ Dungeness Island(03 of05)
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PPQ Dungeness Island is deep local spot and a favorite of HuffPost San Francisco Editor Carly Schwartz. The Outer Richmond Vietnamese restaurant is perhaps best know for its peppercorn crab and garlic noodles. Just make sure you don't skip the fried bananas and coconut ice cream for dessert. Photo by mariachily. (credit:mariachily)
Sun Fat Seafood(04 of05)
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This place may be no-frills, but Mission locals know that Sun Fat Seafood is the best spot in town for fresh crab. The prices are low and the seafood is always fresh. Photo by Michael Ashley. (credit:Michael Ashley)
Swan Oyster Depot(05 of05)
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For nearly a century, Swan Oyster Depot has been serving some of the city's best fresh crab in crab salads and seafood cocktails, or whole and cracked with drawn butter on the side. Photo by cchen. (credit:cchen)

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