As we handle live Crab on a daily basis, we tend to forget that many
people have no idea how to handle them. This page is intended to be a brief
guide for the uninitiated. Our current prices are on theShellfish
page.
Our Crab are caught (in season) off the rough grounds of the
North coast of Cornwall, where they live in the clean Atlantic Ocean water. The
boats that supply us select the prime fish for us and store them at sea until we
need them. A small number are brought ashore for temporary storage in our tank
as needed to ensure a continuous supply if the weather is bad. We then cook them for sale as required each day. Live Crab are
increasingly being sent away or sold over the counter as freshness is then
guaranteed..
Storage
Live
Brown Crabs will stay alive for three to four days if they are kept cold and
damp, ideally in the bottom if your fridge covered with a damp cloth,
DO NOT put into fresh water. They do
need regular checking, so that if they do die they can be cooked immediately.
There is no need to panic, when cooked they can be treated as most other
cooked food and stored in the coldest part of the fridge for up to four days.
Spider Crab are a little more tricky, they sometimes seem to
die for no apparent reason and I would not suggest storing them alive, however
cooked the same applies as with Brown Crab.
Cooking.
We always dispatch our Crabs before cooking for the following reasons..
1. The method used is kindest to the fish and it cause no suffering.
2. If you put a Crab straight into boiling water it will shed its legs and claws
and it does suffer.
3. Not killing the Crab makes the meat tough and retains too much water in the
shell.
While it is true that fish in general
probably suffer more pain in their natural environment, being eaten alive for
example, we don't need to add to it, there is research in progress to find a way
of stunning Crabs, but in the meantime the following guidelines should be used.
Killing a Crab is very easy, first turn it onto it's back with it's legs
upward. Underneath towards the back of the shell you will see a small pointed
flap, lift this flap and you will find a small hole in the shell. Using a small
screwdriver pierce down through this hole, with a sharp tap on the top of the
screwdriver, until you feel it hit the other side of the shell. Move the handle
of the screwdriver sharply towards the back of the shell then withdraw it.
Finally turn the Crab right side up and allow it to drain.
An alternative method is to put them in fresh water and leave them for
about thirty minutes, by which time they should have drowned, however I don't
recommend this method.
Cooking the Crab is the easy bit
1. Using the largest saucepan/fish kettle you have, half fill with fresh water
and add plenty of salt, we use half a cup to a gallon of water ( 150g to 4 1/2
liters) and bring to a vigorous boil.
2. Drop the Crab in and bring back to the boil.
3. When the water comes back to the boil start timing. We use 20 mins for crabs
up to 2lb and add 5 mins per pound over that.
4. When the time is up, carefully pour the whole lot into your sink and wash off
the crab with fresh water to remove any surplus protein.
5. Allow time to cool then follow the preparation instructions below.
Step 1
Twist off the claws and legs and put aside. To remove the centre part.
hold the crab with the head pointing upwards and knock the bottom edge on
a chopping board. Lay the crab dark side down with the head pointing
forwards and use the thumbs to push the centre up and out of the shell.
Step2
Discard the small stomach sac situated just behind the crab’s mouth.
Pull away the soft gills which are attached along the edges of the centre
part and discard. Cut the centre part into four and with a skewer remove
the flesh.
Step 3
Using a teaspoon scoop out the brown meat from inside the shell. Open
the claws with a sharp knock from a rolling pin and remove the white
flesh. Repeat for the legs and use the crab meat as required
