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Boiling crabs tips
Posted on 8/14/20 at 11:29 pm
Posted on 8/14/20 at 11:29 pm
I can boil the shot out of some crawfish but have never done crabs. I think we plan on doing a few dozen crabs tomorrow and just wondering on if y’all had any tips on the difference vs boiling crawfish. I saw a couple videos and as far as seasoning it seems the same but times and temps seemed different. Do I need to ice them before? Do I need to wait for the water to cool a bit before adding the crab? Seems to be an issue with them separating the claws.
Any tips appreciated.
Any tips appreciated.
9
Posted on 8/15/20 at 12:34 am to bigberg2000
Ice the live crabs into a coma and they won’t throw their claws. Most wont at least.
Boil in your regular crawfish seasonings but add a little vinegar. Boil till they float and soak till they all sink. The soak is usually 30 minutes. Very important
Boil in your regular crawfish seasonings but add a little vinegar. Boil till they float and soak till they all sink. The soak is usually 30 minutes. Very important
Posted on 8/15/20 at 12:45 am to bigberg2000
We stun the crabs with hot water over the faucet before they go into the pot. Or stun them in ice water, and never put them in without one or the other; otherwise, they'll be all over the place.
Posted on 8/15/20 at 4:23 am to lammo
Bring water to a boil
Dump crabs
Once water starts boiling again cook for 3 minutes then shut it off
Soak for 30 minutes
Eat
Dump crabs
Once water starts boiling again cook for 3 minutes then shut it off
Soak for 30 minutes
Eat
Posted on 8/15/20 at 7:02 am to bigberg2000
Ice them hard to where they fall asleep. I make a slurry in a big ice chest and dump the crabs in for about 10 minutes (it what crab houses do to grade them) after 10 minutes drain the water.
Bring water to a boil and add your seasoning let it boil a few minutes then dump in your cold crabs.
When they start boiling I let them go till they float, then cut my fire and let them soak till the sink.
If you getting females (most are packed with eggs right now) you will need to season the hell out of them.
ETA: Ita fine to have them in a slurry for a few minutes, they will go into a coma. Dont leave crabs in stagnant water or they will die pretty quick.
You can put cold crabs in hot water or hot crabs in cold water but you cant put hot crabs in hot water. They will drop thier legs.
Bring water to a boil and add your seasoning let it boil a few minutes then dump in your cold crabs.
When they start boiling I let them go till they float, then cut my fire and let them soak till the sink.
If you getting females (most are packed with eggs right now) you will need to season the hell out of them.
ETA: Ita fine to have them in a slurry for a few minutes, they will go into a coma. Dont leave crabs in stagnant water or they will die pretty quick.
You can put cold crabs in hot water or hot crabs in cold water but you cant put hot crabs in hot water. They will drop thier legs.
This post was edited on 8/15/20 at 7:05 am
Posted on 8/15/20 at 8:04 am to bigberg2000
Use more seasoning than you do crawfish
Posted on 8/15/20 at 10:11 am to bigberg2000
I've been eating crabs a few times per year my entire life but don't think I know the proper way to pick them. Any tips or videos for more efficiency and having to pick bits off shell off the meat less?
Posted on 8/15/20 at 10:15 am to Jake88
pull the carapace off
break off the mouth parts
pull off the gills
break the body into two
starting at the rear end (the shovel shaped leg), break the half crab in two across the body. The piece with the shovel leg is the lump, carefully peel away the shell and you will have the lump attached to the leg
take the other piece and do your best with it, there are numerous ways to get to the meat contained in chambers at the top of each leg.
Repeat with the other half.
crack the claw and the foreleg with a cracker or a knife or your teeth.
pull the meat out with a butterknife
break off the mouth parts
pull off the gills
break the body into two
starting at the rear end (the shovel shaped leg), break the half crab in two across the body. The piece with the shovel leg is the lump, carefully peel away the shell and you will have the lump attached to the leg
take the other piece and do your best with it, there are numerous ways to get to the meat contained in chambers at the top of each leg.
Repeat with the other half.
crack the claw and the foreleg with a cracker or a knife or your teeth.
pull the meat out with a butterknife
Posted on 8/15/20 at 10:48 am to cgrand
quote:Thanks. This is what i was looking for tips on. Getting the meat out of those leg chambers. The rest of what you posted is what I do.
take the other piece and do your best with it, there are numerous ways to get to the meat contained in chambers at the top of each leg
Posted on 8/15/20 at 10:52 am to Jake88
Back in the day when I lived in Chalmette we had crabs multiple times a year. Now it’s rare. I always just do my best but really work on getting that full lump.
Posted on 8/15/20 at 11:20 am to bigberg2000
If you boiled crabs the exact same way you do crawfish you’d be fine
Dump a bag of ice in the ice chest with the crabs before boiling. But really, even if they lose their claws, they’re still in the pot, it doesn’t really matter
Dump a bag of ice in the ice chest with the crabs before boiling. But really, even if they lose their claws, they’re still in the pot, it doesn’t really matter
Posted on 8/15/20 at 11:33 am to GynoSandberg
Do I run through water a bunch to clean like I generally do with crawfish? If I have an ice chest full of ice and crabs when ready to dump how do I separate the crabs from the ice? Sorry I know these are dumb questions.
Posted on 8/15/20 at 11:37 am to bigberg2000
No just keep them on ice. Right before they go in just scoop out as much ice as you can. It's ok if a little of the ice goes in.
Crabs are not muddy like crawfish.
Crabs are not muddy like crawfish.
Posted on 8/15/20 at 11:57 am to bigberg2000
Crabs will be incapacitated, you can grab them with your hands. Or tongs, or a gloved hand. I don’t want the ice diluting the water
And you don’t have to wash them
And you don’t have to wash them
Posted on 8/15/20 at 12:04 pm to GynoSandberg
Yeah that’s true. Over thinking the frick out of this. Ha.
Posted on 8/15/20 at 12:25 pm to Jake88
The best way to make crabs easier to pick is to buy the largest crabs avalible
Posted on 8/15/20 at 1:10 pm to Jake88
I tear each leg away along with the upper chamber then pick out the meat. Other people split the chambers across the top and pick. Some people use a crab knife
I know one dude that just gnaws down on it shell and all
as wick said larger and heavier crabs are far easier to eat
I know one dude that just gnaws down on it shell and all
as wick said larger and heavier crabs are far easier to eat
Posted on 8/15/20 at 10:57 pm to bigberg2000
Update?
Posted on 8/16/20 at 3:43 am to GynoSandberg
quote:
But really, even if they lose their claws, they’re still in the pot, it doesn’t really matter
This ^^^^^
I don't get the whole icing crabs down before you boil. You're going to break the claws off any way. Boil them and eat them. Nothing more to it.
Posted on 8/16/20 at 7:12 am to cgrand
I vaguely remember as a kid being told there was a way to pull off each leg and the meat would come out with it. I know I've had that happen on occasion but it's rare.
At least know I know I have the same issue at the same point with crabs as others. Thought I was overlooking something obvious.
At least know I know I have the same issue at the same point with crabs as others. Thought I was overlooking something obvious.
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