and cool them down quickly immediatly otherwise they will continue cooking in the shell. It's best to use sea water but if not, use tap water with plenty of cooking salt. I use a splash of vinegar also but that's just my choice.
I ususally go about 6 mins and then under cold water to stop them cooking. Also add 2 tablespoons of salt and 1 tablespoon of sugar to my pot of water, oh and a bunch of lemon grass helps with the smell and adds a little flavour too.
is the best and 5 or 6 minutes on the boil . If you can't use sea water just remember that the salt content in sea water consists of about 3% so for every 1 ltr of tap water use 30grm of salt that way you would'nt taste the difference.
Steam, steam steam! Clean your crabs first (pull back off, rinse guts/mustard/gills out), snap in half and steam. There's next to no mess, none of that smelly scum on the water and they cook quickly. I do the same with crays but sometimes steam using wine instead of water.
I've finally sussed out that ice slurry is the go as soon as you catch them. We put them upside down in a homemade chick wire basket into water boiling away in the old metters wood fired crab cooker. We normally add a fair bit of salt. We give them 7 minutes after they come back to the boil then dunk them in a big crate of tap water to cool off quickly. The meat slides right out of the crabs every time. Usaully keep them upside down from the time we catch them until the time we've cleaned them. We have found that using the Ice slurry will stop the crabs from fighting each other and from limbs/claws dropping off while cooking. Works every time.
just size -5 mins,next size 7 min,bigg est 10 minutes,and yes i do the same as vince,add a dash of vinegar to salted water(makes crabs taste sweeter),but make sure you anaethesise them on ice or fridge before you cook them.or they will loose their legs or claws,these cooking times is what i used to cook them at kailis fish markets,when i worked for them a longtime ago,
yea i went for about 6 mins came up alright still not perfect tho your right just depends on size so its a bit of an art to cook them just right, and as for them fighting i use some electrical tape once they are caught aroound their claws stops them going at each other as well
Ice is heaps better. It's too easy then. Just put them in the esky. A nice slurry slows them right down within about 5 seconds. They are then really easy to handle cause they don't move, they keep fresh and are easy to count. Plus it's a bit more humane. They don't die of a slow suffocation.
for the first time yesterday. Had 16 crabs. Once the water came to the boil i dropped them in Legs upward.. Steamed them for 8 minutes, then cooled them down immediately. They were a bit mushy on the chew. I gather this must be from overcooking??? The crabs were all about 10-15mm oversize. Is about 6 minutes a better time? any suggestions would be appreciated.
UncutTriggerInWA
Posts: 2692
Date Joined: 05/09/08
About 5 Minutes
and cool them down quickly immediatly otherwise they will continue cooking in the shell. It's best to use sea water but if not, use tap water with plenty of cooking salt. I use a splash of vinegar also but that's just my choice.
Vince.
Work smart and fish often.
Member and die-hard supporter of the mighty West Coast Eagles.
till
Posts: 9358
Date Joined: 21/02/08
Steaming is better, its
Steaming is better, its faster because the water never goes off the boil.
Goodz
Posts: 2332
Date Joined: 20/07/09
I ususally go about 6 mins
I ususally go about 6 mins and then under cold water to stop them cooking. Also add 2 tablespoons of salt and 1 tablespoon of sugar to my pot of water, oh and a bunch of lemon grass helps with the smell and adds a little flavour too.
out wide
Posts: 1535
Date Joined: 30/12/08
Sea water to cook in
is the best and 5 or 6 minutes on the boil . If you can't use sea water just remember that the salt content in sea water consists of about 3% so for every 1 ltr of tap water use 30grm of salt that way you would'nt taste the difference.
HuggyB
Posts: 2515
Date Joined: 03/08/08
I'm with till
I steam mine now. And I lie them upside down and pull the shell off and all the much accumulates in it. Saves a bit of cleaning.
The Terrorist - coming to a fishing spot near you.........
Lucky Tim
Posts: 2536
Date Joined: 28/11/07
Steam, steam steam! Clean
Steam, steam steam! Clean your crabs first (pull back off, rinse guts/mustard/gills out), snap in half and steam. There's next to no mess, none of that smelly scum on the water and they cook quickly. I do the same with crays but sometimes steam using wine instead of water.
wazzbat
Posts: 977
Date Joined: 19/01/10
7 Minutes
I've finally sussed out that ice slurry is the go as soon as you catch them. We put them upside down in a homemade chick wire basket into water boiling away in the old metters wood fired crab cooker. We normally add a fair bit of salt. We give them 7 minutes after they come back to the boil then dunk them in a big crate of tap water to cool off quickly. The meat slides right out of the crabs every time. Usaully keep them upside down from the time we catch them until the time we've cleaned them. We have found that using the Ice slurry will stop the crabs from fighting each other and from limbs/claws dropping off while cooking. Works every time.
I fish for the future - Cause I can't bloody catch anything!
joe amato
Posts: 731
Date Joined: 21/12/08
depends on size
just size -5 mins,next size 7 min,bigg est 10 minutes,and yes i do the same as vince,add a dash of vinegar to salted water(makes crabs taste sweeter),but make sure you anaethesise them on ice or fridge before you cook them.or they will loose their legs or claws,these cooking times is what i used to cook them at kailis fish markets,when i worked for them a longtime ago,
millsy
Posts: 108
Date Joined: 04/12/09
yea i went for about 6 mins
yea i went for about 6 mins came up alright still not perfect tho your right just depends on size so its a bit of an art to cook them just right, and as for them fighting i use some electrical tape once they are caught aroound their claws stops them going at each other as well
wazzbat
Posts: 977
Date Joined: 19/01/10
Go the ice!
Ice is heaps better. It's too easy then. Just put them in the esky. A nice slurry slows them right down within about 5 seconds. They are then really easy to handle cause they don't move, they keep fresh and are easy to count. Plus it's a bit more humane. They don't die of a slow suffocation.
I fish for the future - Cause I can't bloody catch anything!
Big Fella fishn
Posts: 115
Date Joined: 04/05/09
Tried the steaming method
for the first time yesterday. Had 16 crabs. Once the water came to the boil i dropped them in Legs upward.. Steamed them for 8 minutes, then cooled them down immediately. They were a bit mushy on the chew. I gather this must be from overcooking??? The crabs were all about 10-15mm oversize. Is about 6 minutes a better time? any suggestions would be appreciated.
Cheers!