Jumbo Cray on Line
Headed out Tuesday night, as you do when conditions allow. New ground, new burley, new rigs, fully serviced boat so why not give it a go? It was a bit touch and go as to whether the wind would settle down as predicted (yeah, better wait and actually see), but at 4pm it was dropping off and as it turned out there was almost no wind between 6-9pm.
We got a heap of “garbage fish”, including 4 Port Jackson, rays, and the variety of other undesirables. We did get some nice sized skippy and slimeys for the bait and burley freezer however (alas no size pinkies but worthwhile trying new ground). But, the catch of the night was when I felt a fairly normal, if not prolonged bite which I managed to snare. This thing was weird and I picked it for a small Dhu due to the “tail slaps” as it was coming up. WTF is that, when it got to the surface, then the cry of “cray” and the net was hastily shoved under. A male jumbo by any measure. 160mm carapace length and just about 3kg, snagged and brought to the surface.
We have enough crays in the freezer but with a fresh jumbo, the better half ordered lunch. The family told me they were getting sick of boiled crays (give me a break!) and I needed to cook some differently. I read and interesting post about “mushy crays”, and issues with jumbos, the other week so the BBQ was the order of the day.
Took out the tail, cut the legs off and cut the tail in half. Made a garlic, salt, pepper and olive oil paste and spread it over the tail meat. On to a hot plate to sear and partially cook the flesh side (thanks Rob H, your right those crusty bits are quality). Place shell down on the BBQ grill (a bit hotter) and close the lid for 10-15min. Add in the legs wrapped in foil for good measure.
Make a garlic cream sauce and pour it on the hot cray just before serving. Garnish with, well nothing other than a few weeds as the cray will do the job.
It all turned out great. No issues with it being a jumbo as it was tender the whole way through and I have “orders” to BBQ more. Nice little by-catch really.
Ability is what you are capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it - LH.
uncle
Posts: 9474
Date Joined: 10/02/07
Fair bit of that
Happening at dusk time
all aggressive fish love bigjohnsjigs
tassy
Posts: 372
Date Joined: 30/06/14
Nice cray mate....
Nice cray mate....
Five bream an counting
One tree
One fooone hand
One jetty.
hezzy
Posts: 1521
Date Joined: 27/11/09
MICK have seen one caught
MICK
have seen one caught the same way years ago at cosy corner , good effort in getting him up to the boat
to cook them differently ...try cutting the green tails in half , then each half into sections with the shell still on ,about a good bite size piece .. marinate them in a little fish sauce , garlic and oil, then melt 50/50 butter and oil in a deep base frying pan , get it hot, throw in the cray , saute it until it is half cooked , shell and all ,
then add in 2-3 cleaned anc cut up spring onions as well as 150ml of cream , cook it out for about another 3-4 mins , then serve with whatever you like ,
our crew love crays this way , sometimes ill add in, cut up seafood , like atlantic salmon , garlic prawns , or scallops , just a few to mix up the flavours , and at the last add in some cooked pasta , or noodles to absorb the cream ,
we usually , put the whole pan on the table and serve from it , with fresh sourdough cut up and a salad
goes down well !!
hezzy
OFW 11
evil flourishes when good men do nothing
Mick C
Posts: 607
Date Joined: 26/12/13
Awesome Recipe
Hezzy,
Thanks mate, much appreciated. Have still got a few jumbos vac packed in the freezer so wil definetely give it a go.
Cheers.
Mick
Ability is what you are capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it - LH.
Rosie
Posts: 159
Date Joined: 13/01/13
Good one Mick!
He's a biggin'
Seek & Deploy
Mick C
Posts: 607
Date Joined: 26/12/13
Ramp
Good to see you at the ramp and hear that you, not Tim-o, picked up a nice pinkie.
Ability is what you are capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it - LH.
dw72
Posts: 139
Date Joined: 19/02/15
nice jumbo
terrible to see it come up and realize i forgot the net!
deckie still reminding me..
Rob H
Posts: 5796
Date Joined: 18/01/12
tasty!
tasty!
Try some ginger to the garlic/olive oil and cheese on top
Give a man a mask, and he'll show you his true face...
The older you get the more you realize that no one has a f++king clue what they're doing.
Everyone's just winging it.
Notorious
Posts: 914
Date Joined: 23/02/12
Great cray!As a side note -
Great cray!
As a side note - I wonder what Fisheries would have said if they saw you at the ramp. Would they let it slide or drag you across the coals for inadvertantly piercing the cray shell.
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