Crab cooker / Copper
Submitted by Comrad on Fri, 2015-12-18 13:00
Just wondering whether you guys have dedicated crab cookers or just use pots and whatnot around the house.
The guys at work are obsessed with the idea of the old copper crab cookers, thinking they're the ducks nuts, but it doesn't blow my hair back - I'm not really a fan on antiques. What do you all reckon?
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Anyfishwilldo (not verified)
Posts: 23
Date Joined: 01/01/70
They work awesome... when
They work awesome... when you could catch 48 per boat. Now I use a deep saucepan and cook 5 at a time.
hezzy
Posts: 1519
Date Joined: 27/11/09
best bit of gear going imo
best bit of gear going imo
stick a 4 ring gas burner under it and it will boil anything ,
that includes home made preserves,/bottling etc as well as your 20 crabs or a few jumbo crays
take the gas ring away and their not abad fire pit either lol
my parents had one as kids we used to stand around it on cold satdy washing day mornings sticking small bits of wood in the front door of the copper ,
long piece of broom handle with anil in the end was used to lift the washing in and out of it lol
iv still got 2 at home , one is a spare that at some time has got to go as the one in use will probably out live me lol
hezzy
OFW 11
evil flourishes when good men do nothing
duncan61
Posts: 375
Date Joined: 21/11/14
braemar
The old chip hot water unit can be cut down and they have a copper cylinder and you can put the origional top back on cut around the cylinder and dressed in so no sharp edges and still use the flue out the building.holds about 40 litres.they were 120 litres when made.takes about 10 minutes to boil and holds 40 crabs.I had one in yarloop for 13 years and had the luxury of having hot fresh marron and crab and chilled marron and crab at the same time.cold blue manna crabs are the best.Duncan
just do it.
ranmar850
Posts: 2702
Date Joined: 12/08/12
Oz Trail make one
40 litre with a removable bin and handle. Cook 16 crays at once, so you can do the bag-out
members price at Getaway $120. Also do a 60 litre model. I got tired of cooking 4 at a time.
perth fisher
Posts: 132
Date Joined: 02/06/11
this is an interesting old
this is an interesting old cooker, but ive still found that steaming crabs gives them a far sweeter flavour than boiling....
Jackfrost80
Posts: 8047
Date Joined: 07/05/12
I'm keen to give steaming a
I'm keen to give steaming a crack. How long do you steam them for?
Officially off the Pies bandwagon
crasny1
Posts: 6986
Date Joined: 16/10/08
Jack
I steamed them for 8 minutes but didnt add the top until the water was boiling very well. As mentioned below sweet as.
"I would like to die on Mars. Just not on impact!!" _ Elon Musk
crasny1
Posts: 6986
Date Joined: 16/10/08
Went out yesterday
with 3 nephews crabbing in Bouvard. Only caught 4 size (heaps +++ little ones including 6 in a pot!!).
Tried steaming them first time ever and Im sold. So easy and the crabs taste sweeet!!
"I would like to die on Mars. Just not on impact!!" _ Elon Musk
Jackfrost80
Posts: 8047
Date Joined: 07/05/12
Cheers mate, did you clean
Cheers mate, did you clean them first?
Officially off the Pies bandwagon
crasny1
Posts: 6986
Date Joined: 16/10/08
Nope
I didnt but dont know what others do. Just plopped them in and as soon as the 8 minuted was up in ICE water. Then peel and clean.
"I would like to die on Mars. Just not on impact!!" _ Elon Musk
Broome lad
Posts: 191
Date Joined: 16/11/15
Steaming
I haven't tried blue manners but I've been steaming mud crabs fo years only way to go and I always clean them first when there done no messing around just cool and eat or eat them warm . Yummo
top notch
Posts: 29
Date Joined: 05/09/11
I know a bloke who had one
I know a bloke who had one of these in a very similar condition and was going to give it to his mum to use a planter box. I tried telling him he was crazy and should be kept in pride of place and used for things like crays and crabs but i just couldnt get the message through to him. I guess it didnt blow his hair back either.
Jackfrost80
Posts: 8047
Date Joined: 07/05/12
You guys have encouraged me
You guys have encouraged me to fork out and get a 4 ring burner now. Sick of stinking the house out and waiting forever for water to boil
Officially off the Pies bandwagon
woftam
Posts: 63
Date Joined: 06/04/14
That is a blast from the
That is a blast from the past ,awesome condition . My grandmother had one ,made jam and did the washing in it .
petermac
Posts: 2946
Date Joined: 03/03/10
i have a burner
I have a companion single ring burner I bought from complete angler in rocky it sounds like a jet engine once it is lit up it gets the water to the boil in no time at all and once the crabs or crays are in its quickly back on the boil , it was well worth the money
Jackfrost80
Posts: 8047
Date Joined: 07/05/12
Should be great for cooking
Should be great for cooking your 4 crabs
Officially off the Pies bandwagon
petermac
Posts: 2946
Date Joined: 03/03/10
thats good mate
we got our quota on Saturday , at mandurah , hard work but took about 5 hours , oh yeah can fit in about 20 crabs at a time into the boiler the top ones get steamed and yes they are better than the boiled 1s , wifey also does a nice thai style chilly crab feed , a splash of oil, very hot wok about 8 birds eye chillys, about 5 garlic cloves, rip up some coriander leaves , chop up some lemon grass , and fry it all up add about about 2 liters of coconut milk slowly bring to the boil add a few halfed cleaned crabs simmer for about 6 minutes bloody beautifull
Ashen
Posts: 1042
Date Joined: 22/03/13
That is a very traditional
That is a very traditional recipe and I can vouch for how good it is. Only thing I might add is a splash or 2 of fishsauce. Also, garnish it with chopped vietnamese mint. Helps bring out the aroma!
A fish in the hand is worth 10 in the water!
petermac
Posts: 2946
Date Joined: 03/03/10
your right
no thai feed that I know of dosent have a splash of fish sause also forgot the teaspoon of raw sugar bloody nice if your thai wife is doing it for you been married to her 15 years on the 28th of this month got me through the hard times when I got blown up on the burrup she worked 3 bloody jobs what a girl and is still a good looker too
hezzy
Posts: 1519
Date Joined: 27/11/09
8 birdseye chillis is a
8 birdseye chillis is a fairly hot recipe pete
unless your birdseye are tame that would be hot as hell !!!
I only ever use 4 of ours from the garden in anything max , including chilli mussels , crabs etc and that makes it firey ,
hezzy
OFW 11
evil flourishes when good men do nothing