Imitation crab meat is a crab stand-in made from processed fish meat. Real crab meat can be very expensive, so restaurant chefs and home cooks often use imitation crab to mimic the flavor, color and texture of fresh crab meat without the high price tag.
Invented in Japan in 1975, surimi, as it’s known in Japanese, has become popular around the world.
You can find imitation crab in the refrigerated or frozen section of grocery stores labeled “crab sticks” or “surimi seafood.”
