- Mar 20, 2000
- 102,393
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Originally posted by: paulney
That was a dungeness crab. I have to say, they cooked it quite well - I was all over those long legs :lips:
Well, if you can't eat the lungs, and there's nothing else inside the shell (which weighs a ton compared to the legs), I wasted 10 bucks.
I'll get just the legs next time
uh, no.
there is a ton of meat inside the main body. most of the meat you buy in cans comes from the main body of a crab (that is what lump meat is). so, you just threw away about half your crab meat. congrats.
Vic
Elite Member
- Jun 12, 2001
- 50,422
- 14,337
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Uhh... the lump meat in the carapace is the most and the best. Yeah, you want to throw out the "lungs" and entrails, but all that big juicy meat directly adjoining to each leg/claw is edible.
I don't like pre-cooked crab, nor do I boil them live and whole. I go crabbing on the Oregon coast several times a year for dungeness, and it is my experience that the meat is much sweeter if you clean them first. A warning though... make sure to put the live crab on ice or in the freezer for at about 15 minutes before you crack and clean them, because crabs have no actual brain per se and can continue to "live" for a few minutes even after being beheaded, cracked, cleaned, and split in half. It's not something you want to see if you're squeamish. Crabs are cold-blooded, so the short freezing process puts them to "sleep" so you can dispatch them quietly.
Then you boil the cleaned halves for about 15 minutes, serve with melted butter. Oh yeah.
I don't like pre-cooked crab, nor do I boil them live and whole. I go crabbing on the Oregon coast several times a year for dungeness, and it is my experience that the meat is much sweeter if you clean them first. A warning though... make sure to put the live crab on ice or in the freezer for at about 15 minutes before you crack and clean them, because crabs have no actual brain per se and can continue to "live" for a few minutes even after being beheaded, cracked, cleaned, and split in half. It's not something you want to see if you're squeamish. Crabs are cold-blooded, so the short freezing process puts them to "sleep" so you can dispatch them quietly.
Then you boil the cleaned halves for about 15 minutes, serve with melted butter. Oh yeah.
Mermaidman
Diamond Member
- Sep 4, 2003
- 7,987
- 93
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Actually, the reproductive organs are very delicious. Some of the female crabs have lots of roe (reddish color), but most local laws prohibit the harvesting of female crabs. And of course, the gonads of both sexes are yummy too, located under the carapace along the edges. See picture here:
http://www.sms.si.edu/IRLFieldGuide/CrabBiol.htm
The only parts I don't eat are the gills and stomach.
ponyo
Lifer
- Feb 14, 2002
- 19,688
- 2,811
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That's why I usually only eat dungeness crab, king crab legs, or lobster tails. I do love blue crabs but it's too much work to eat them.
I'm waiting for November/ December to roll around so I can start eating some good size dungeness and king crab legs. Right now, the selection is poor and king crab legs are tiny.
You are totally missing out. The sweetest, tastiest meat comes from the body. I'll occasionally go to a crab feed and will be mystified why people will go for the legs instead of the body. The legs/claws require much more effort to open up and the meat isn't nearly as good.
This is the way my mom taught me to cook and prepare crab:
Cooking
1. Bring a big pot of water to a boil, add some salt
2. Take LIVE crab and gingerly place in water
3. Attempt to ignore crab as it scrapes/claws/attempts to escape
4. Cook for 20-30 minutes
Preparation
1. Remove crab from pot and place under running water
2. Flip crab around so that it is facing away from you and look for spot where the top shell and the body meet at the tail. Stick your finger for leverage and pull the two halves apart.
3. Save the roe if you wish (eew)
4. Clean out lungs and guts under water
5. Tear off the legs
6. Take a cleaver and cut the body into quarters, exposing the body flesh (The best part)
7. Enjoy!
My mom's crab sauce recipe:
Sorry, I don't know the proportions...I just eye it.
Soy sauce, sesame oil, finely chopped green onion, cilantro and ginger
Oh, and the best place to buy fresh live crab is at your local chinese grocery store. I can usually find Dungeoness crab selling as low as $2-2.50/LB at the height of the season here in Sacramento.
All right, I'll give a whole crab another try!
Costco, here I come (yeah, I'm too lazy to mess with cooking my own live crab)
Costco, here I come (yeah, I'm too lazy to mess with cooking my own live crab)
I think it ran me about 20 bucks, but I forget the price for the pound, sorry.
It was more of a curiosity item - I just wanted to play with the shell and claws
They also sell legs of some giant royal crab - those are nice as well.
It was more of a curiosity item - I just wanted to play with the shell and claws
They also sell legs of some giant royal crab - those are nice as well.
InflatableBuddha
Diamond Member
- Jul 5, 2007
- 7,416
- 1
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silverpig
Lifer
- Jul 29, 2001
- 27,703
- 12
- 81
Definitely. Most people miss this and it's too bad.
I usually barbeque my crab. You have to kill/clean it first though.
With your right hand, hold down all the legs (not the claw) on the right side of the body with the crab facing away from you. With your left hand, reach and grab the rightmost point of the crab's shell and in a quick motion, rip the top of the shell off. Mash the inside with your hand to kill the crab.
Flip it over, and rip off the central under piece of it's shell (it's about the size of a quarter... maybe a bit bigger). Then snap the crab in half along the midline and shake out any guts. Clean off any gut hanger-ons.
Then twist off all the legs and the claws, and you'll be left with two pieces that were once inside the shell. These are very good to eat as well. Slap some butter on it all, throw it on the grill for a few minutes and you're golden
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