Dungeness Crab - fresh in season - live vs supermarket cooked
kent
decided to make crab newburg today. We needed more crab. I went to our
local Prophylactic Emporium["SAFEWAY"] where crabs were on sale for
$2.99/lb. They were, as usua,l precooked.
The difference between steaming live crab in the home versus the
supermarket precooked crab wasn't like night and day. It was like
summer versus winter.
If you're anywhere near local Dungeness Crab search out your local
Chinese fish market, or 99 Ranch, and get live crabs. You can numb it
in the freezer before it hits the steam or the simmering pot.
About steaming: I bought a large 30 CM fish steamer, a double decker,
at 99 Ranch for less than $25 several years ago. Something similar at
William Sonoma would cost 4X that much. It's worth it for the
occasional seasonal crab, and of course lobster. It's also good for
dim sum.
Kent
Cindy Fuller
<5923dd45-e2ad-4816...@n32g2000pre.googlegroups.com>,
kent <lgb...@yahoo.com> wrote:
I agree. Central Market here (western WA) sells both live and precooked
Dungeness crabs. We keep it in the fridge until just before it goes
into the pot. The last one we cooked was particularly feisty.
Cindy
--
C.J. Fuller
Delete the obvious to email me
kent
wrote:
> In article
> <5923dd45-e2ad-4816-8de4-ed11b5d03...@n32g2000pre.googlegroups.com>,
>
> - Show quoted text -
Try steaming. You can get a bamboo steamer for a reasonable price at
most Chinese hardware stores. I bought a good sized metal steamer at
99 Ranch for about $25. The steamed crab is signifcantly better than
crab in the pot.
I didn't think of this until now. Steaming shrimp might make a
substantial difference in the taste compared to boiling.
Kent
Kent
kent
>
> - Show quoted text -
What's the longest you've kept live crab in the frig? How many hours?
I wonder what would happen if you left them overnight, though a slow
death isn't too cool.
As a humane gesture, probably more for me than the crab, I have
placed uniquely feisty crab in the freezer a few minutes before
plunging them into the steam or water.
Have any just freezed the live crab overnight and cooked the next day?
Kent
sf
wrote:
> As a humane gesture, probably more for me than the crab, I have
> placed uniquely feisty crab in the freezer a few minutes before
> plunging them into the steam or water.
>
> Have any just freezed the live crab overnight and cooked the next day?
Not me. I just plunge them into the hot tub and slam on the lid.
--
Never trust a dog to watch your food.
Steve Pope
> kent <lgb...@yahoo.com> wrote:
>> After our spectacular steamed live Dungeness Crabs yesterday, we
>> decided to make crab newburg today. We needed more crab. I went to our
>> local Prophylactic Emporium["SAFEWAY"] where crabs were on sale for
>> $2.99/lb. They were, as usua,l precooked.
>>
>> The difference between steaming live crab in the home versus the
>> supermarket precooked crab wasn't like night and day. It was like
>> summer versus winter.
>I agree. Central Market here (western WA) sells both live and precooked
>Dungeness crabs. We keep it in the fridge until just before it goes
>into the pot. The last one we cooked was particularly feisty.
I agree the sooner you eat'em after steaming the better, and that random
supermarket crabs were steamed too long ago.
But I have found you go to a respectable seafood shop, buy the cooked
crabs or even the cleaned crab meat, and it is superb. I tend to
believe it keeps for one to two days before it loses its flavor.
Steve
Motzarella
"kent" wrote in message
news:19daee09-7d13-48b5...@m20g2000prc.googlegroups.com...
Kent
Kent
At this time of the year, I can indulge my passion for cheap, tasty, fresh
dungeness crab, steamed in beer after I have carefully covered every square
inch of the crabs with Old Bay Seasoning (Costco Business warehouse carries
a very large plastic container of it). Delish! Accompanied by fries
sprinkled with Old Bay, and with a lemon aioli.
Alan
kent
> On Dec 6, 12:59 pm, kent <lgb...@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> > As a humane gesture, probably more for me than the crab, I have
> > placed uniquely feisty crab in the freezer a few minutes before
> > plunging them into the steam or water.
>
> > Have any just freezed the live crab overnight and cooked the next day?
>
> PNW and SE AK clean Dungeness before boiling or steaming them. That
> entails taking off the top shell and breaking them in half (which
> kills them, I assume). Then you pull out the gills and guts, give
> them a quick rinse and drop them in the cooking pot. Nothing left to
> do but pick 'em when cooked (about 11 minutes later). -aem
If you butcher the crab first you lose the very tasty crab liver. I
haven't tried butchering live crab. I suspect cleaning off all the
body parts would be somewhat more difficult.
Kent.
blake murphy
i think the difference between boiling and steaming shrimp is less
significant than for crabs since shrimp have fewer spaces for the water to
creep in. it's a pretty common method for shrimp, though.
your pal,
blake
Steve Pope
>If you butcher the crab first you lose the very tasty crab liver. I
>haven't tried butchering live crab. I suspect cleaning off all the
>body parts would be somewhat more difficult.
The Sunset Seafood Cookbook describes how to do it. You kill it
first with a blow to the neck, using the blunt edge of your cleaver.
You do not remove the top shell from a still-living crab.
It's only really necessary for dishes like stir-fried crab legs.
Steve
sf
Pope) wrote:
> kent <lgb...@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> >If you butcher the crab first you lose the very tasty crab liver. I
> >haven't tried butchering live crab. I suspect cleaning off all the
> >body parts would be somewhat more difficult.
>
> The Sunset Seafood Cookbook describes how to do it. You kill it
> first with a blow to the neck, using the blunt edge of your cleaver.
LOLOL! I think I have that book. If I do have it, what page is that
on? I can't tell you how trollish this sounds - I'd kill this thread
if I didn't know you. Does Sunset have a chart to show you how to
find a crab's neck? Or are you talking about a crab that is molting?
That would be a lucky 24 hour (I think) period.
> You do not remove the top shell from a still-living crab.
>
Unless you have two or three other friends to help you hold it down.
> It's only really necessary for dishes like stir-fried crab legs.
>
It's possible to kill the crab without fully cooking it, if that's
what you want.
Julian Vrieslander
spo...@speedymail.org (Steve Pope) wrote:
> But I have found you go to a respectable seafood shop, buy the cooked
> crabs or even the cleaned crab meat, and it is superb. I tend to
> believe it keeps for one to two days before it loses its flavor.
I was in one of the QFC markets in Seattle yesterday, and saw that the
cooked Dungeness crabs were still selling for $2.97/lb. I bought one,
tossed it in the fridge, and used it for tonight's dinner. We made a
Chinese hot and sour soup with crab meat, shitakes, ginger, garlic,
scallions, etc. Stir fried mustard greens on the side. Cindy and I
split a bottle of Pliny the Elder. Damn fine meal, and cheap, too.
--
Julian Vrieslander
Sqwertz
> On Wed, 8 Dec 2010 03:20:22 +0000 (UTC), spo...@speedymail.org (Steve
>
>> The Sunset Seafood Cookbook describes how to do it. You kill it
>> first with a blow to the neck, using the blunt edge of your cleaver.
>
> LOLOL! I think I have that book. If I do have it, what page is that
> on? I can't tell you how trollish this sounds - I'd kill this thread
> if I didn't know you. Does Sunset have a chart to show you how to
> find a crab's neck?
Gee, why don't you just dig out the book and find it for yourself?
Ever heard of an "index"? You are an "Education Consultant" after
all.
Barbara loves playing the helpless little woman. Woe is her.
-sw
Steve Pope
>On Wed, 8 Dec 2010 03:20:22 +0000 (UTC), spo...@speedymail.org (Steve
>> kent <lgb...@yahoo.com> wrote:
>> >If you butcher the crab first you lose the very tasty crab liver. I
>> >haven't tried butchering live crab. I suspect cleaning off all the
>> >body parts would be somewhat more difficult.
>> The Sunset Seafood Cookbook describes how to do it. You kill it
>> first with a blow to the neck, using the blunt edge of your cleaver.
>LOLOL! I think I have that book. If I do have it, what page is that
>on? I can't tell you how trollish this sounds - I'd kill this thread
>if I didn't know you. Does Sunset have a chart to show you how to
>find a crab's neck?
Okay, I misremembered. It's in "Sunset Fish and Shellfish A to Z" (although
it may also be in the Seafood Cookbook). And the killing technique is
to use a mallet to strike a heavy knife, cutting the crab down the middle.
Page 28.
So, no mention of the blow-to-the-neck technique.
In any case, you kill the crab before removing its shell.
Steve
sf
Okay, that is much more plausible. Thanks for clarifying!
Julian Vrieslander
spo...@speedymail.org (Steve Pope) wrote:
> So, no mention of the blow-to-the-neck technique.
Where is the neck on a crab?
--
Julian Vrieslander
Steve Pope
> spo...@speedymail.org (Steve Pope) wrote:
>> So, no mention of the blow-to-the-neck technique.
>Where is the neck on a crab?
It must have a spinal nerve connecting its head to its body.
That would be the target, wherever it is...
Steve
>--
>Julian Vrieslander
blake murphy
> In article <idn0hr$7ih$1...@blue.rahul.net>,
> spo...@speedymail.org (Steve Pope) wrote:
>
>> So, no mention of the blow-to-the-neck technique.
>
> Where is the neck on a crab?
right below its head.
your pal,
blake
Julian Vrieslander
spo...@speedymail.org (Steve Pope) wrote:
> Julian Vrieslander <MY_FIRST_NAME@MY_LAST_NAME.com> wrote:
>
> > spo...@speedymail.org (Steve Pope) wrote:
>
> >> So, no mention of the blow-to-the-neck technique.
>
> >Where is the neck on a crab?
>
> It must have a spinal nerve connecting its head to its body.
> That would be the target, wherever it is...
Crabs are invertebrates - they don't have a spine. And they don't have
much of a brain, if any. Their nervous system is pretty simple, and the
controlling parts of the circuitry are more distributed throughout the
body than in vertebrates.
When I was a child, my parents would buy lobsters right off the boats on
Long Island Sound. Lobstermen would prepare the critters for sale by
plunging a knife into the central underside of the thorax. Probably
targeting the abdominal ganglion. The reaction is pretty striking: all
the legs go straight simultaneously. Is the lobster dead right after
that? Hard to know. But they are no longer able to run away or grab at
the cook, and that's all that matters. Back in those days, we could get
huge lobsters, so getting the fight out of them was a useful service.
As for Dungeness crabs, Cindy and I don't bother with any ritual
executions - we just rassle them into the pot.
--
Julian Vrieslander
Steve Pope
> spo...@speedymail.org (Steve Pope) wrote:
>> It must have a spinal nerve connecting its head to its body.
>> That would be the target, wherever it is...
>Crabs are invertebrates - they don't have a spine. And they don't have
>much of a brain, if any. Their nervous system is pretty simple, and the
>controlling parts of the circuitry are more distributed throughout the
>body than in vertebrates.
Correct, crustaceans are not chordates, however a pair of nerves connects
the brain down to the limbs, in a ladder-like topology, different from
the single cord a vertebrate would have.
Blunt force to something like a neck area may still work.
I have not tried it myself.
Steve
Sqwertz
> Julian Vrieslander <MY_FIRST_NAME@MY_LAST_NAME.com> wrote:
>
>> spo...@speedymail.org (Steve Pope) wrote:
>
>>> So, no mention of the blow-to-the-neck technique.
>
>>Where is the neck on a crab?
>
> It must have a spinal nerve connecting its head to its body.
> That would be the target, wherever it is...
It's right next to the thorax under the carapace.
-sw
sf
<MY_FIRST_NAME@MY_LAST_NAME.com> wrote:
> As for Dungeness crabs, Cindy and I don't bother with any ritual
> executions - we just rassle them into the pot.
That's the only way to do it. ;)
Cindy Fuller
sf <s...@geemail.com> wrote:
> On Wed, 08 Dec 2010 23:26:34 -0800, Julian Vrieslander
> <MY_FIRST_NAME@MY_LAST_NAME.com> wrote:
>
> > As for Dungeness crabs, Cindy and I don't bother with any ritual
> > executions - we just rassle them into the pot.
>
> That's the only way to do it. ;)
The last live one we cooked was quite feisty. I don't take no for an
answer from an invertebrate, and from very few vertebrates. My first
degree was in animal science, after all. (I'll spare the boys on the ng
descriptions of the procedures we performed in reproductive physiology
and endocrinology lab back in the day ;-)
Chemo the Clown
I think boiling shrimp pretty much boils out the taste. Steamed is a
great way to go or of course, sauteed.
Julian Vrieslander
Cindy Fuller <cindySP...@cindyjfuller.com> wrote:
> In article <6hr1g6d0qm3ggoci4...@4ax.com>,
> sf <s...@geemail.com> wrote:
>
> > On Wed, 08 Dec 2010 23:26:34 -0800, Julian Vrieslander
> > <MY_FIRST_NAME@MY_LAST_NAME.com> wrote:
> >
> > > As for Dungeness crabs, Cindy and I don't bother with any ritual
> > > executions - we just rassle them into the pot.
> >
> > That's the only way to do it. ;)
>
> The last live one we cooked was quite feisty. I don't take no for an
> answer from an invertebrate, and from very few vertebrates.
For those who have not seen it, Cindy's mug shot on the RFC web site
shows her giving last rites to one of these critters:
http://www.recfoodcooking.com/mug/shot/Cindy%20Fuller.jpg
--
Julian Vrieslander
notbob
> For those who have not seen it, Cindy's mug shot on the RFC web site
> shows her giving last rites to one of these critters:
>
> http://www.recfoodcooking.com/mug/shot/Cindy%20Fuller.jpg
.....then hit 'em over the head(?) with the bottle of French Champagne
you're going to drink with 'em. ;)
nb
DS655932
TO BE HONEST WITH ALL OF YOU, IT SEEMS THAT NONE OF YOU KNOW HOW TO COOK
CRAB, ESP DUNGEES...LOL
I catch them all day here in washington state. 1st think you do when
you are clean them is to rid it of its shell, GUTS, and lungs. When you
talk about boiling a crab live, that means you are cooking all the guts
and lungs...lol
Lets see, show of hands who cooks their fish with the guts in it? And
the fish bought store crab is alreaye precook with the guts too and
believe me, I wouldnt touch that ....! lol
Plus, when you pay for c4rab at the store, you're paying for
everything, so you are actually getting ripped off, plus all the water
in a crab. Boy, a pound of crab cost you 7 bucks, but you are only
getting abour 2 dollars worth
here is a suggestion. Buy only legs of a crab, and if you do infact
buy a whole crab that is still alive, crack the midle part of the bottom
of the crab until it splits, then take both legs and fold then. this
will seperate the crab body parts which are good to eat, and todd away
all the guts and stuff. The boil in salt water for 11 minutes. You'll
never buy a store crab again!
--
DS655932
Message origin: TRAVEL.com
Doug Freyburger
>
> I catch them all day here in washington state. 1st think you do when
> you are clean them is to rid it of its shell, GUTS, and lungs. When you
> talk about boiling a crab live, that means you are cooking all the guts
> and lungs...lol
>
> Lets see, show of hands who cooks their fish with the guts in it? And
> the fish bought store crab is alreaye precook with the guts too and
> believe me, I wouldnt touch that ....! lol
Lobsters are cooked whole. Shrimp are deveined before cooking which is
an abbreviated cleaning of that sort. Soft shell crabs are cooked
whole. So it does depend on which crustacean it is whether it's cooked
whole or cleaned.
My wife was born in Seattle and grew up in Portland so she had fresh
dungeness all the time growing up. She always orders it cleaned first
so that's the way to have that type of crab.
> here is a suggestion. Buy only legs of a crab, and if you do infact
> buy a whole crab that is still alive, crack the midle part of the bottom
> of the crab until it splits, then take both legs and fold then. this
> will seperate the crab body parts which are good to eat, and todd away
> all the guts and stuff.
I like the body meat of duneness better than the leg meat. Probably
because of the amount of work involved in separating it from the shell.
> The boil in salt water for 11 minutes. You'll
> never buy a store crab again!
Unless you live well away from the ocean! I take it any way I can find
it here in Chicago metro.
notbob
> My wife was born in Seattle and grew up in Portland so she had fresh
> dungeness all the time growing up. She always orders it cleaned first
> so that's the way to have that type of crab.
Excuse me!? I've been eating D-crabs fer 60 yrs and have never ever
heard of cooking cleaned fresh D-crab. Ya don't even wash the ocean
water off! Ya cook 'em whole, then clean 'em.
nb
notbob
> I was first shown how to do that in 1954 and it's still true in
> 2011. -aem
Never seen such a thing in CA. Live n' learn. :\
nb
notbob
> That was in Southeast Alaska, where many people put out crab pots a
> lot. -aem
If I ever make it back to the coast during crab season, I'll give it a
try. I usually go to the coast and get D-crab live off the boats.
OTOH, I have had good D-crab pre-cooked ....and cleaned!.... from the
mkt. Gotta be a mkt you trust, though.
I haven't tried 'em, here, in CO. I did run across some live D-crab
in Colo Sprngs, in an Asian mrkt with tanks, but I don't trust those.
Tried that once in CA, but thought I was gonna die. If it wasn't full
blown dysentery, it was damn close.
nb
Marcella Peek
notbob <not...@notbob.invalid> wrote:
That's the only way I've ever seen it done here too. Cooked whole then
cleaned.
marcella
Landon
Same in Florida for the past 35 years that I have witnessed. Show me a
restaurant that cleans their lobsters before cooking them. I've never
seen one. They are served intact and whole at the table...everywhere
that I've seen.
Obviously, the guts of the crab do not contaminate the meat. If it
did, it would be forbidden to serve it in that manner.
Try cooking a pig whole and uncleaned. The contamination of the meat
by the guts would more than likely not only make the meat nasty
tasting, but would kill you if you ate it.
Or a cow.
Or a chicken.
We're not discussing pigs, cows or chickens.
We're discussing the cooking of crabs. Only crabs.
sf
Yes, and it's not at all like cooking a fish or pig with guts inside
because they are separated from the body meat by cartilage, so it's
*very* easy to clean them after cooking.
--
Today's mighty oak is just yesterday's nut that held its ground.
Chemo the Clown
> On Thu, 02 Jun 2011 10:39:48 -0700, Marcella Peek
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> >In article <94ps1gFbk...@mid.individual.net>,
> > notbob <not...@notbob.invalid> wrote:
>
> >> On 2011-06-02, Doug Freyburger <dfrey...@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> >> > My wife was born in Seattle and grew up in Portland so she had fresh
> >> > dungeness all the time growing up. She always orders it cleaned first
> >> > so that's the way to have that type of crab.
>
> >> Excuse me!? I've been eating D-crabs fer 60 yrs and have never ever
> >> heard of cooking cleaned fresh D-crab. Ya don't even wash the ocean
> >> water off! Ya cook 'em whole, then clean 'em.
>
> >> nb
>
> >That's the only way I've ever seen it done here too. Cooked whole then
> >cleaned.
>
> >marcella
>
> Same in Florida for the past 35 years that I have witnessed. Show me a
> restaurant that cleans their lobsters before cooking them. I've never
> seen one. They are served intact and whole at the table...everywhere
> that I've seen.
>
> Obviously, the guts of the crab do not contaminate the meat. If it
> did, it would be forbidden to serve it in that manner.
>
> Try cooking a pig whole and uncleaned. The contamination of the meat
> by the guts would more than likely not only make the meat nasty
> tasting, but would kill you if you ate it.
>
> Or a cow.
>
> Or a chicken.
>
> We're not discussing pigs, cows or chickens.
>
> We're discussing the cooking of crabs. Only crabs.
It's called getting off topic...happens all the time.
Mike
"aem" <aem_...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:9d98076c-8447-4aa9...@s41g2000prb.googlegroups.com...
> On Jun 2, 9:28 am, notbob <not...@notbob.invalid> wrote:
> in 2001:
>
> "the world divides between those who clean them first and those who
> clean them after. My half says, don't you take the guts out of other
> animals before you cook them? Why would crab be different? So,
> here's the
> procedure.
>
> "[In the interest of completeness, even though I completely disagree,
> there
> _are_ folks who think if you cook the beast whole then you may choose
> to
> eat some of those disgusting innards and call them "butter" the way
> some
> people do with lobster.]
>
> "Put a large pot of water on to boil. When it's already boiling,
> prepare the
> crabs. Grab the legs on the left side of the crab with your left
> hand, so
> they don't grab you, and pull off the top shell. Grab the legs on the
> right
> side with your right hand. Break the crab in half. Now pull out the
> gills
> and the loose innards, rinse each half and throw in the pot. Cook at
> least
> nine minutes at the full boil, up to eleven if they're huge. Remove,
> drain,
> eat. This whole procedure is best done on the boat at lunchtime after
> you've pulled up your crab pots that morning.
>
> "Drawn/clarified butter, and lemon wedges are all that's needed. "
>
> I was first shown how to do that in 1954 and it's still true in
> 2011. -aem
I live on a Island in Puget Sound and either Crab from a boat or off of a
pier . Your method is pretty much how I do it. If you grip both legs at the
same time you can twist them away from the body in 2 sections. usually just
the gills need to be picked off. after this.
Nothing stinks up a house like cooked crab guts