# How do you cook your crab?



## Junglefisher (Jun 2, 2008)

Reds lemongrass crab ravioli recipe got me thinking.... how do you cook your crab?
I used to be a chuck it in boiling salt water and cook it whole person, but that was for blue swimmers. I found it did not work so well for muddies.
So now I chuck the muddies into a salt water ice bath until they are dead.
Then I shell them and halve them. Clean them with salt water.
Into boiling salt water with 1 Tbspn of brown sugar added.
Cook for ~10 minutes.
Leave in the cooking water until cool enough to handle. Best to place pot outside with lid off to cool.
Shell and eat.


----------



## mangajack (Jul 23, 2007)

Whilst out camping i either clean, crack and douse them in golden syrup/water mix (50/50) ten sprinkle lightly with salt then smoke them in the hot smoker......pure bliss.
At home I generally clean and crack them and cook in a paella with some other seafood and plenty of onion, apple, persimmons and lemon and a small can of diced tomato.
The rice has to be brown long grain and I do not over cook the rice.


----------



## Barrabundy (Sep 29, 2008)

I've cooked more crabs than I care to remember over the years but am much like the junglefisher in that I've only ever boiled them in salt water. I've never even bothered shelling the first.

The only variation to this has been to cook them whole in the coals while camping. I've done this when I've caught crabs unexpectedly and haven't had a boiler to cook them in. I've just put them upside down on top of hot coals and guess the time until their done.

This is going to be an informative thread, lots of interesting new recipes to try. We often do chilli crab with leftovers but the original crab is always cooked the same way. Some of the posts here sound really different.


----------



## Batron (Mar 3, 2012)

The best way i have found to cook B/swimers. 
two tricks.
1. Take a container to collect sea water. cooking in sea water has much more flavour.
2. Place the crab into the boiling seawater. Upside down. the crap then drops into the shell and does not perminate through the crab.
and of course the fresher they are when cooked the better. :twisted:


----------



## redman (Jun 5, 2008)

I used to boil whole as well - but then they take longer to cool down 

Now I shell, clean, halve and then steam them for 14 minutes. In my opinion they taste slightly better and have the benefit of being ready to eat alot sooner without any buggerising around cleaning etc.

Also had my housemate cook Chilli Crab the other night - I was a bit concerned at first and wary of handing over some of my catch as I was of the opinion that anything done to a crab would ruin it - but boy was I wrong. Delicious! Just gotta chase up what went in there............


----------



## BIGKEV (Aug 18, 2007)

I'm not much of a master chef so will not have any new recipes for anybody to try but my advice is to cook them in the water you catch them in. i.e. clean seawater. A bit of sugar or even honey helps to sweeten the meat even more.

I also drop them into a sea water and ice slurry after cooking as this helps separate the meat from the shell.

Same deal for prawns.


----------



## kpac (Sep 27, 2011)

Big wok for me. 
Malay/singapore style. From ice, clock them hard on the nogg'n keep them from waking up. Take off main shell, split down the middle, rip off the 2 front legs. Stick all the Chilli crab ingredients into the wok, add the crab when smoking hot, cover. EAT


----------



## GT79 (Mar 4, 2011)

When boiling in seawater I use a decent splash of vinegar in the water . . .
Sweetens them right up and seems to take any muddy type flavour out of the Mud crabs, not that I've ever found one I couldn't eat.
Also, once they are cooked I take them out of the cooking water and place in cool water or shell and drain them.
Stops them from continuing to cook or steam in the shell meaning much firmer better tasting end result.

GT79


----------



## Smokeyr67 (Jun 12, 2012)

I take a very hot bath....

or boil them in brine with some grated ginger and lime slices.


----------



## AJD (Jul 10, 2007)

An of boiling in salted water as well as quartering and steaming.
When steaming the crab pieces wrap them n seaweed - kelp works fine. They come out super salty.


----------



## sarod420 (Sep 25, 2009)

Quarter them and deep fry until 3/4 cooked then heat a wok with some veg oil add some whole garlic cloves and ginger slices, 1 chilli sliced and 2 tablespoon salt and pepper mix ( 1 Tbs sea salt, 1 Tbs black peppercorn, 1 Tbs white peppercorn ground in a mortar and pestle).
Then add the crab stir in well squeeze the juice of 1 lime.
Serve with lime wedges and steamed greens.
My favourite way to eat mud crab!!


----------



## sbd (Aug 18, 2006)

sarod420 said:


> Quarter them and deep fry until 3/4 cooked


Say 5 mins in 170 degree oil?

Sounds pretty nice Saro, need to get me some crabs.


----------



## peterman (Jul 9, 2012)

Put the mud crab to sleep in sea water ice slurry. Then clean and halve it prior to cooking in boiling sea water for about 10 minutes. 
Put the cooked crab pieces back into the sea water ice slurry to cool down. I find the body meat of the mud crab tastes a lot nicer when it has been cleaned prior to cooking.


----------



## bunsen (Jan 2, 2009)

Once boiled in saltwater and chilled, picked crabmeat is unbeatable in a souffle.


----------



## Qyak (Sep 5, 2012)

Give the little buggers cold death in the freezer.
Ingredients;
1 bunch of shallots
25ml fish sauce
80ml coconut milk
1 table spoon sweet chilli sauce
1 lime
1 table spoon of palm sugar
1 bunch coriander
1 hot chilli
1 table spoon gallic
1 table spoon ginger

Partly cook in boiling water, run under cold water then crack shell and claws'n legs, dismember crab and

Mix wet ingredients in a bowl with palm sugar, stir until sugar dissolves

Chop chilli, garlic, ginger, shallots and coriander, in a wok fry off garlic, ginger and chilli (seeds too, don't go all girlie) now, when it starts to smell the business (and only until that time) add crab.

Cook off for 2 minutes, add half the chopped shallots and coriander (have yourself a quick glass of liquid inspiration, johnny is my friend)

Add wet mix and simmer for enough time for another drink, if there is excessive liquid, mix tablespoon of corn four in cup with water, just enough so it runs,pour corn four mix in (will thicken very quickly and amaze the hell out of you...depending on how many drinks you've had.

Garnish with shallots.

Best served with coconut rice,

Use left over contents of coconut milk one cup of water, boil add table spoon of palm sugar and lime zest (it makes a big difference)

Hope at least one person tries this recipe, because it was a pain typing via phone!

After I tired this recipe, I'm of the opinion boiling mud crabs is a waste of the critters, make it for the mrs...she'll love ya for it!


----------



## Dewalt (Nov 25, 2012)

Qyak said:


> Give the little buggers cold death in the freezer.
> Ingredients;
> 1 bunch of shallots
> 25ml fish sauce
> ...


This sounds awesome, i will have to give this a try


----------



## Qyak (Sep 5, 2012)

dewalt, glad to hear you'll give it a go 

Is one of those meals enjoyed with family and/or close friends, it is different to some other chilli crab recipes I've seen and doesn't included tomatoes (tomatoes and crab?) More of an asian tone with the freshness of the coriander.

Enjoy, you have validated the time it took to post the recipe.


----------



## Barrabundy (Sep 29, 2008)

Bugger, in sharing this thread with family about to converge for Christmas I think I may have volunteered my time to the procuring of fresh muddies.....bugger!


----------



## Barrabundy (Sep 29, 2008)

Barrabundy said:


> Bugger, in sharing this thread with family about to converge for Christmas I think I may have volunteered my time to the procuring of fresh muddies.....bugger!


Ooops, and they're probably going to read this post too :shock:


----------

