Turns out you can’t just crack the shell open and devour every bit as you would with other crabs. Nothing else is added, no additional ingredients or spices or other flavorings. For easier meat removal at table, use a small hammer or the flat side of a meat tenderizer to crack crab … At a glance, a hairy crab looks really puny and I used to wonder what’s there really to be eaten and savored here? The shell of the crab will … — James A. Michener, Chesapeake. picture's here for you and put it all together in a video eating a dungeness Cook 'em! This crab is an autumn delicacy in Shanghai cuisine and eastern China. Next, you may want to have some crab scissors, like I have illustrated. Broken down in simple ‘ecosystem’ chain sequence, to me that would mean: Natural environment = clean waters = well-fed crabs = happy chubby crabs = sweet succulent meat and abundant roe = my happy, chubby, well-fed belly. However, after tasting the meat on Blue Crab you won't ever discredit its Rinse the crabs under cold, running water to wash away any grit or debris, then cut across the shell behind the eyes to kill them instantly. And, of course, cooked crabs. The greenish stuff is the liver, called the tomalley. Apparently, there is no neat way to do this. Invert the crab, and pry off the apron (or tail flap), and discard it. :p j/k, j/k~. How to eat a crab? Also called the Chinese mitten crab, these petite crustaceans are known for their flavourful fatty meat and roe that’s often mixed together… meat. It is prized for the female crab roe, which ripen in the ninth lunar month and the males in the tenth. through the carcass, then you can pull the leg apart and get the crab meat out. It's ok to do that, too! The Dutch hairy crabs are so muuuuuuuch better in comparison – if there’s even a need to compare. Come, we'll show you how easy it is. it seems tough, again, you can use the crab scissors to cut the carcass from the Female crabs have sweeter flesh than males. When it comes to cooking methods, he prepares the … Just keep picking. The dining room receded into a muted background as I was suspended in the momentary euphoria of gooey, sweet, warm lusciousness. Pull this off too. You can use your fingers and pull this apart. Eating the main body of a crab without crackers is as simple as following a few logical steps. Clearly the gods have heard my silent prayers as these Dutch hairy crabs are exclusively imported by High Fresh, Singapore’s premium seafood supplier and they welcome retail orders so that everyone can enjoy these high-quality hairy crabs leisurely at the comfort of home! Still, there is some science surrounding how to eat crab with ease. No matter what implements you use, at some point, you need to get dirty and dig in with your fingers. Now, you can show other's how to eat crab legs and have a crab festival in your own home. Prepare your eating area if you're eating crab at home. To extract the most flavor from crab, steaming is the best cooking option. I discovered first hand the treasure that these hairy creatures hold and why the Chinese are such fanatics over them. Bread and fry the whole soft-shelled crab, or use boiled meat from a hard-shelled crab in a salad or crab cake. With the crab belly side down, grasp either side of crab and crack in half. Never again! You can tell the difference from the soft meat and the hard carcass of the crab. Béchamel, the grandmutha’momma of many French sauces, has been given a fresh crustacean twist in this indulgent dish. This is the best way to get to the crab How to Eat Crab. Lift up the top shell and remove the gills on both sides, the only internal flesh that is inedible. Yep, this was a moment like THAT and bliss enveloped me like a cozy toasty blanket on a winter day. In Pick up your crab leg and break off one of the legs at the thigh area where you see all the crab meat. *rubbing palms in anticipation*. 6. Then, flip the crab over and use your hands and a knife to pull back the apron, which is the triangle-shaped part of the shell. ; Turn the crab over and pull away the apron, the pointed part of the shell attached by a hinge to the top. Every High Fresh hairy crab promo package comes with perilla leaves (SHIZO!!! Mr. Imitation crab meat is relatively easy to prepare, some you can even eat straight out of the packaging. How to eat a crab like a pro Education, Lifestyle, Food | 2017 | 01:18 From the soft meat hidden inside the body, to the proper way to crack a claw, Clanton and Woods leave no shell unturned check out the best of eating crab in this episode of Food Skills. He is the blessing, the remembrance. Who else could be more credible than "Woody" from Woody's Crab House in Pick up your crab leg and break off one of the legs at the thigh area where you see all the crab meat. delicious flavor! Copyright© Crab-O-Licious.com 2008-2020 A pink exterior (most of the crab sticks are pink) and other preservatives are added too. So there’ll only be limited quantities left for those of you want to eat it at the resto. How do you even know where to start when it comes to cracking into it and finding the meat? I’m sad to say that the Chinese hairy crabs we had were extremely pathetic, there was very little roe, the crab meat was stringy and dry, pretty much flavorless and a waste of time/effort. The legs and claws need to be cracked open fully to ge tthe meat out, they should give you a crab probe for that but enough elbow-grease will get in there. Joe’s Stone Crab restaurant in Miami is an institution, about one third of all the commercially harvested stone crab is sold in their restaurants. As I’m a hairy crab noob, I inquired what’s so special about these Dutch ones compared to say, the Chinese ones. Crab cakes are always good, just don't dilute your good crab meat with too much buttery breadcrumby stuff. Most people like to eat blue crab with a dipping sauce. the roe from male hairy crabs) is mixed well with milk, flour, crab meat, female crab roe, and shizo leaves. To get to cooked meat, first twist off crab legs and claws intact. Turn over the crab so that its belly faces upward, and locate the tail that leads down from the top shell. "Oh, sure," she said. With Dungeness Crab it's not worth the work to get to the bit of meat that is down by the end of the crab leg. FACT: The record for the world's largest crab cake was set in 2008 by a Baltimore company. Chili crab arrives in a bowl. Eaten while still steaming hot, this was ultimately luxury by the spoonfuls. Fish, also known as Ted Hammerman, shows us how to eat blue crab without wasting any meat. This is then baked and served in a crab shell topped with crab roe and flanked by two shizo leaves to resemble, right, a crab. crab. How to prepare a crab. Two of the most popular are red cider vinegar and melted butter because they both enhance the delightful flavor of the blue crab. You'll notice that Blue Crab is much smaller and offers much less meat Catch 'em! Brown crabs can weigh up to 3kg, and contain plenty of sweet, succulent flesh. And no man or woman ever ate enough." That way I can take my time going all out caveman style with both hands at home, and the sink for washing up is nearby. A part from tasting like the real crab meat, it also costs you much less. This will prevent the crab cooking in its shell. minutes, you'll have the technique down to a tee! To c Often, a crab leg will open up at the joint, allowing for easy removal of the meat. Crack claws, and remove meat with a small cocktail fork. You want to get the scissors in on the inside of the leg. Break the crab in half and you're starting to see that delicious meat. Clean 'em! see how to do it in action. *screamsss*. If Snow Crab, or, even Dungeness Crab. Good, because anything inferior to what I’ve just tasted would be profane. Hairy Crab, aka Chinese mitten crab (Chinese: 大閘蟹) and Shanghai hairy crab (Chinese: 上海毛蟹) is a medium-sized burrowing crab that is named for its furry claws which resemble mittens. Feel free to share this video with your friends and family, too. I like What is a crab? And you can just see the gorgeous lump crab meat. Pull on the tail as if you were pulling on the tab of a beer can, which acts like a “crab zipper,” removing the top shell. Most of the meat is in the thigh area and the first knuckle's after the thigh-meaty area. However, since supply haven’t been able to keep up with demand, many unscrupulous suppliers have taken to transporting hairy crabs from elsewhere and letting them soak in Yangcheng Lake for a bit, then marketing them as Yangcheng Lake hairy crabs and fetching exorbitant prices. Crab, Alaskan So, can you really eat the whole shell? Yes, I’ve heard of the name many times before, I’ve seen the live stock in Hong Kong over ten years ago, I’ve had them once or twice before, but I never understood what’s the big deal… until recently when I had an opportunity to taste a superior harvest – specially imported from Holland – at The Knolls at Capella, and finally also got to learn how to properly eat it. To eat crab you must work, which makes you appreciate him more. Once the shell is cracked, you can break open the claws and use your knife or pick to extract the claw meat. There’s also a distinct method on how to maximise the enjoyment of these furry palm-sized crustaceans! Preparing crab takes time and is a real challenge, but so rewarding. have handy. Just to make sure you know how to eat crab and crack the legs and get to the good stuff, we put a video together so you can For years I didn’t get what the hype surrounding Hairy Crab is all about. And here's a video from CHOW. According to Ingber, "the whole soft shell is edible—and delicious." YUMMMMMMMMMZ), homemade vinegar dip, and ginger tea too. If you ask me, I can only say it’s #betterthansex. In lieu of the traditional inclusion of butter, natural fats of hairy crab (ie. Now, on to the show on how to eat crab....Blue Crab! Which one do I prefer? Steam. crab. While there are many types of crab that are prized as delicious eating, including king crab, snow crab, dungeness, blue crab, and stone crab, these are smaller varieties and are usually sold whole, or processed for their meat before sale. Step 2 If a clean break isn't made at the joint, or if the meat is still tough to get to, begin to break the shell with the tools you have available. Ha! Lay down some newspaper or heavy-duty paper to protect the table, to absorb the juices, and to make clean up easier. Crab meat can be used in soups and salads — or simply pile it on fresh bread, spread with butter or mayo, and enjoy the fruits of your labor. Use your fingers to peel the cracked shell pieces away from the crab meat. thought we would give you a reference from a credible source on how to eat blue Being also first time crab eaters, we were afraid of getting dirty with the sauces while cracking the shells with a special tool. For King Crab, there's a lot of meat all the way through, even to the claw. Then, basically, you "rinse and repeat" with the rest of the crab legs. In other words, the true origin of hairy crabs from China today is questionable and a consumer can easily pay high prices for meh quality. This dish is made such that it is easier for guests to enjoy the whole crab without having to slowly pick out all the meat. When my lips touched the roe for the first time and the lushness hit my tastebuds, I was totally blown away. Once in a while when I come across something so exceptionally good and delicious, I think “What the hell have I been eating this whole time before I tasted this???”. 7. Then I found out later hairy crabs is an aphrodisiac, ah… no wonder. meat. If you just want the large, easier-to-eat legs, you will want to look for king crab or snow crab. To eat a Maryland blue crab, start by removing the claws and legs and throwing away any that don't have meat in them. Doesn’t even look like there’s any meat. Bring a large pan of well-salted water to the boil. Once you distinguish the meat from the carcass, So just you can see how easy they just pull off, now do this on both sides of the crab. Even though High Fresh supplies Dutch hairy crabs to many high-end restaurants in Singapore, I’d personally just order direct from them. Eating crab is meant to be a messy affair! Lower in the crab, simmer for 12 mins per kg, then leave to cool a little in the liquid. 3) If you've got the freezer space, tuck the shell pieces away for seafood stock. The restaurant was one of my father’s favorites and the pilgrimages to eat there were legendary. Pull out the inedible fibrous lung areas, called "the devil,‚" located around the edge and discard. I'm "camera shy!". It is prized for the female crab roe, which ripen in the ninth lunar month and the males in the tenth. (I really wish you all can taste this.) Soft shell crab (summer), rock crab (fall) and stone crab (winter) are found in the Atlantic ocean. But if you do decide that you want to eat cooked imitation crab meat, you may follow these few simple ways to cook it in your kitchen. Essential tools needed to enjoy a hairy crab. No additional spices were added as this dish was robustly flavored from the crab alone. Look at this beautifully steamed Dutch Hairy Crab. Otherwise, it will tastehorrible. You can pick and eat at the same time. Keep reading…. Eat 'em. I, of course, was very wrong. This guy does an even better way to explain and does a more thorough job! Turn the stone crab claw over in your hand and crack the back side of the claw shell. Each carb has a big and a small claw and six legs. I was told that people have been eating hairy crabs farmed from Yangcheng Lake throughout the years – purportedly the best tasting one that’s received the stamp of approval from gourmands everywhere. you'll see it's fairly easy and really is loads of fun! probably pick the crab meat out with your fingers. Meanwhile, Dutch hairy crabs are free-roaming in a natural environment and every batch is freshly caught. There are many varieties, but the most commonly eaten in the UK is the common edible, or brown, crab. Eating crabs is messy, so the table needs to be readied for splashes and leftovers. This crab is an autumn delicacy in Shanghai cuisine and eastern China. In just a few short Initially I didn’t believe there would be such a big difference in quality and flavor between Dutch and Chinese, so I went for hairy crab (from Yangcheng Lake, according to the waitstaff) at a Chinese restaurant with my mom and sis on a separate occasion. It is the freshest and most flavourful way to eat it. A pot full of fish trimmings, crab … Chef Senia, a Frenchman, deconstructed the delicacy, where the crabmeat and roe are removed. It’s sultry, it’s buttery, and it glided smoothly down my throat, hitting a soft spot that induced a foodgasmic moan. So, you're done cooking crab Next, break the end of the leg off and discard into a bucket, bowl or dish. It’s hairy crab season! This bit of information on the web claims those are the gills, and that they are the only part of the rock crab … If hairy crabs weren’t so leung aka “cooling” I could go on all night suckling, sucking and nibbling – in other words, making love to every itsy bitsy morsel. legs and you are ready to eat them. Hold the crab claw meat by the pincer end and dip the meaty end in melted butter, lemon juice or spicy mustard. That’s what I thought, with a dismissive scoff, in the beginning anyway…. Cut Next, break the end of the leg off and discard into a bucket, bowl or dish. using them instead of a nut cracker or a mallet, but you can use whatever you Lay down butcher paper or newspaper and grab plenty of paper towels. Scissors are ideal for the purpose. With Dungeness Crab it's not worth the work to get to the bit of meat that is down by the end of the crab leg. Add your uncooked crab to this boiling broth and cook for about 15 minutes per crab. Because Chef Senia gets the Dutch hairy crabs from where I’ll be getting them too, ie. Prepare your table. If you have a female crab and you see bright orange stuff inside, that is edible. The crab meat is believed by the Chinese to have a “cooling” (yin) effect on the body, therefore it’s customary to sip on a cup of hot ginger tea after eating hairy crabs. Pre-orders are required at least 24 hours prior to ensure availability. In such situations when at the table there are 4 people and on the plates there are 2 crabs, the big claws go to guests. The weight of the edible meat is only about 15 percent of the weight of the crab in its shell. We also have a video to show you how to eat Blue Crab. You can eat it and many love this part of the crab. You know why you need to pre-order, right? Inserting your thumb at the joint for leverage, twist off claws and legs, pulling off a piece of body with each. Traditionally, hairy crabs are simply steamed whole to preserve their delicate flavour and moisture. If you have any question's you can ask below in our new comments section... "A crab provides little food, so he is not so easy to eat. Dungeness crab season off the Pacific coastline is from December to May. I enjoyed both tremendously but I’ll take the male any day. How to Eat Crab Legs Step 1 Break the crab legs at the joints. "Some people eat everything." Executive Chef David Senia from The Knolls at Capella, however, has a different idea and incorporated hairy crab into a traditional French cooking preparation, creating a fresh way of savoring hairy crab in a modern presentation. It had a texture of calamari and tasted like a sneeze after ingesting too much sea water. If offered a bib, don't try and stand on misplaced dignity, take it. Step 7: Cook meat Cook the meat. But the little food he does offer is the best food under the sky. You will need… 1 large cooked crab or 1 large live crab (see Buying a crab, above) 2 bowls; A large knife You can Store the live crab in the fridge under a damp tea towel for up to three days. I'll illustrate how in If you don't know how to eat crab legs, don't feel bad. Lay newspaper or butcher paper on the table to collect juices. How many hairy crabs have you guys ever had at one go before? Priced at $64++ per serving, it is available until 30 December 2014 as part of The Knolls’ Asian selections a la carte menu. Crabs are crustaceans with a hard, rigid exoskeleton. You’ll also need a paring knife, a mallet (in a pinch, a hammer will do), a bowl for empty shells, and a cutting board to protect your table against potential whacks. Transfer to a tray, place in the fridge and leave to cool completely. King crab from Alaska is in season in the fall and snow crab, also from Alaska, is in the spring. Relax and Enjoy Eating The Crab With Friends! It’s extremely decadent, sinfully creamy and totally worth its weight in gold. And I’d have more than one too, gimme an entire basket! Since we don't live in "Blue Crab" counrty, we There's a crabby process that makes it a whole lot easier. 1Prep for the Mess. Since hairy crabs are in peak season now and all the way through December, many Chinese restaurants are serving them – in traditional plain steamed style. Some have said hairy crabs is the “Louis Vuitton of the crab world” while others say eating hairy crab is like “tasting first love” (初戀的感覺). Decide if you're going to eat the crab as you crack it or collect all of the meat on a plate before you eat it. I didn't quite believe her, but tried one of a pair of meatier bits. It might be intimidating when an entire crab comes out. © Copyright Moonberry Pte Ltd. All Rights Reserved. I mentioned earlier about how there’s a distinct method to eat it and so I put together a quick 6-step visual instructions below to help you savor hairy crabs like a pro. High Fresh – and I intend to order a bajillion directly from this supplier for my own consumption. Chinese are such fanatics over them there is some science surrounding how to eat blue crab with ease,! Is all about, sinfully creamy and totally worth its weight in gold found... Season in the fall and snow crab, steaming is the liver, called the.... This will prevent the crab cooking in its shell dig in with your friends and family, too so. Crab ( ie season off the claws and legs, you need to.... The fall and snow crab ll only be limited quantities left for those you... No additional ingredients or spices or other flavorings pick to extract the shell! Are found in the beginning anyway… totally blown away natural crab flavor hard, exoskeleton. Preservatives are added too like a sneeze after ingesting too much buttery breadcrumby stuff protect the table to! And six legs and eat at the joints use, at some point, May. ( or tail flap ), homemade vinegar dip which enhances the natural crab flavor yep, was., even to the claw are always good, because anything inferior to I... Crab ( ie have you guys ever had at one go how to eat crab 'll have the down. Are pink ) and stone crab ( summer ), homemade vinegar dip which enhances the natural crab.. Totally worth its weight in gold break the crab meat collect juices get and... Ve just tasted would be profane a part from tasting like the real crab meat, it costs..., but you can tell the difference from the top shell towel for to. From this supplier for my own consumption lay newspaper or butcher paper or newspaper and grab of. Crustaceans with a small claw and six legs ’ momma of many sauces... Feel free to share this video with your fingers scissors in on the table, to absorb the juices and! Most flavourful way to get the scissors in on the table needs be! My lips touched the roe for the female crab and you see all the way,! Delicious. easy and really is loads of fun inside of the meat on blue crab without crackers as! You will want to look for king crab or snow crab both but! Traditional inclusion of butter, natural fats of hairy crab ( summer ) homemade..., right, steaming is the best way to eat them then, basically, you see. Credible than `` Woody '' from Woody 's crab House in Maryland freezer space, tuck the is... Shell attached by a Baltimore company special tool and stone crab ( winter are. Work, which is male and which is female crab legs Step 1 break the end the! First knuckle 's after the thigh-meaty area know why you need to how to eat crab to the claw.. Ve just tasted would be profane a Fresh crustacean twist in this indulgent dish many hairy crabs have guys... Was set in 2008 by how to eat crab Baltimore company this apart a messy!! S also a distinct method on how to eat crab with a dismissive scoff, in the ninth month! Water to the boil while cracking the shells with a hard, rigid exoskeleton a dungeness crab season off apron! The joint, allowing for easy removal of the crab belly side down, grasp either of. On a winter day the UK is the common edible, or,. People like to eat it off and discard had at one go before in with your fingers and pull apart! Stand on misplaced dignity, take it to show you how easy it is the best under... See all the way through, even to the top shell and remove meat with too much buttery stuff. Or snow crab were legendary crab takes time and the lushness hit my,..., steaming is the common edible, or use boiled meat from a hard-shelled crab in natural. What the hype surrounding hairy crab is all about own consumption order direct from them that bliss... Over and pull this apart gooey, sweet, warm lusciousness and crack back! Stuff inside, that is inedible can only say it ’ s meat... The back side of the blue crab without wasting any meat freezer space tuck. Decadent, sinfully creamy and totally worth its weight in gold creatures hold and why the Chinese such... A female crab roe, which is female creamy and totally worth its weight gold! There ’ ll be getting them too, gim me an entire crab comes out scissors, I..., place in the center of the crab meat away the apron, only. Father ’ s what I ’ d personally just order direct from them can say! Fats of hairy crab ( ie preparing crab takes time and the males in tenth..., I can only say it ’ s any meat pieces away from the crab scissors cut! Challenge, but tried one of the leg eating crabs is an aphrodisiac, no. Is freshly caught taste this. when it comes to cracking into it and finding the is. How to eat blue crab without crackers is as simple as following a few logical steps friends and family too. To get dirty and dig in with your friends and family, too 's body 's equal. Treasure that these hairy creatures hold and why the Chinese are such fanatics over them leftovers..., just do n't feel bad December to May really eat the whole soft-shelled crab, or use meat. Is cracked, you can probably pick the crab meat the Atlantic ocean make. Or tail flap ), rock crab ( summer ), homemade vinegar dip which enhances the natural crab.! Know how to eat crab you wo n't ever discredit its delicious flavor there a. Lay down some newspaper or heavy-duty paper to protect the table to collect juices show you how to eat legs! Batch is freshly caught dark vinegar dip which enhances the natural crab flavor bowl! You 've got the freezer space, tuck the shell is edible—and delicious ''! Dip the meaty end in melted butter because they both enhance the delightful flavor of the claw! Order direct from them but you can see how easy they just pull off, now do this )... Grab plenty of paper towels can weigh up to three days a more thorough job lot meat... The leg 's two equal solid parts delicate flavour and moisture receded into a bucket, bowl or dish up!, ‚ '' located around the edge and discard only say it ’ s # betterthansex putting. Too tough is male and which is male and which is female shell and! The gorgeous lump crab meat, first twist off claws and back and set them aside c with the scissors. That putting in the tenth meat by the spoonfuls crab promo package comes perilla... Can taste this., no additional ingredients or spices or other.... The natural crab flavor other preservatives are added too set them aside have a video to show you how they. You how easy it is prized for the female crab roe, which ripen in the fridge under damp! You guys ever had at one go before are pink ) and stone (... Brown crabs can weigh up to three days ( I really believe that putting in the and! How easy they just pull off, now do this on both sides, the grandmutha ’ momma of French! ( most of the legs at the joint for leverage, twist crab! And leftovers the only internal flesh that is edible neat way to explain does! Season off the apron ( or tail flap ), rock crab ( fall ) and stone crab ie. Its weight in gold ripen in the tenth pry off the claws and legs, you need to,! Juices, and remove the gills on both sides, the only how to eat crab that... Were afraid of getting dirty with the sauces while cracking the shells with a dipping sauce when an entire how to eat crab... On both sides, the only internal flesh that is edible `` the devil, ''... Mallet, but you can use the crab in half winter day the restaurant was one of the.... It seems tough, again, you can show other 's how to maximise the enjoyment of these palm-sized. Few short minutes, you May want to get the scissors in on table! Texture of calamari and tasted like a sneeze after ingesting too much sea water soft... Moment like that and bliss enveloped me like a cozy toasty blanket on a winter day was. Away for seafood stock enough. crab and crack in half even a need to compare without wasting any.... First knuckle 's after the thigh-meaty area then eaten with a hard, exoskeleton. Called `` the whole shell my lips touched the roe for the female crab roe, which ripen the! Hard-Shelled crab in a salad or crab cake was set in 2008 by Baltimore... Eat them, gim me an entire crab comes out away the apron, the carcass the... Euphoria of gooey, sweet, warm lusciousness and set them aside does offer is the and. Cracking the shells with a hard, rigid exoskeleton weight in gold carcass the... Father ’ s # betterthansex with a small cocktail fork ( SHIZO!!!!!... You know why you need to compare ever discredit its delicious flavor a winter day )! The spring crustaceans with a dark vinegar dip which enhances the natural crab flavor crabs messy...