Cooking Sand Crabs - Info Please

[thedeckie]

Hi all,
Could someone give me some info on the best way to cook sand crabs?

We intend to chase a few up at Pumicestone passage this weekend coming.

I have cooked mud crabs before and assume you would apply the same principals??????

1) Is it best to take a bucket of water to cook them in from where they were caught?

2) Is cleanig them out at the waters edge before being cooked the way to go?

3) How long would you generally cook sand crabs for?

Any tips or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers

Paul

[Noelm]

all of those things are OK to do, but I prefer to not clean them before cooking, though a lot of people do, salt water is best, if you don't mind carting home a bucket of water then go ahead, I cook mine after they have come back to the boil for 8 minutes, others do them more, some less, but I find that to be just right, have plenty of cold or ice water to cool them after taking them out of pot (though I love a couple of hot crabs straight out of the pot) and of course make sure they are good and dead so they do not drop their legs/nippers and your done!

[hungry6]

Noel is on the money there. Also if you have to refridgerate for a cuple of day, put them in a plastic bag, so they don't dry out

[fishphile]

Daves "Chilli Crab"

Chilli and Garlic - Fresh is best but the Maggi stuff is good

Tomato Paste or sauce

A couple of Egg whites

A bit of water

A touch of Cornflour - If the sauce is too runny

Make the sauce in the pot first pretty much to taste, So Chilli & Garlic, Tomato sauce and water. Stir it around a bit ( you want enough to coat the crabs)
Quickly stir in the egg whites so there is white bits throughout.
Only add a touch of cornflour if the sauce is too runny.
Chuck in the crabs (cleaned and cut in half, And crack the claws first if you can)
About 10 minutes if green and a couple of minutes if the crabs are cooked first.

Old Singaporean recipe my Grandmother taught me.

Cheers Dave.

[tiny_tinny]

I usually clean them before cooking - remove the shell, cut them in half (they fit in the pot better), clean out the gills and all the crus, drop them into boiling salted water and cook them for just 5 minutes (after the water has returned to the boil).

I know there will be many who disagree, but I reckon that sandies taste better than muddies. That said, you geat a lot more meat out of a muddie. It's lucky you usually get more sandies in a crabbing trip.

Mike

[RCG008]

Im a bit more partial to the Blue Swimmer crab of the muds as well. Though I cook then clean. I cook them in tap water but I add salt. This does taste very scrumptous.

[trueblue]

A dash of vinegar in the salt water is good as well...

Cheers

Mick

[stark]

trueblue-

Does the vinegar soften the shell? or is it for taste.

Cheers
John

[trueblue]

Can't say i've noticed about it softening the shell... it might do that marginally. I know vinegar is used when cooking salmon and tuna for canning to soften the bones.

I just put the dash of white vinegar in for taste - maybe a quarter of a cup or so into the pot. You don't taste the vinegar as such in the crab, but I reckon the crab just tastes better doing it this way.

I learned it from an old man, and I've just always done it that way ever since.

Cheers

[striking]

My Fiance`s Pop cooks them in the microwave he is a real keen fisherman,
I tohught he was crazy when he told me... but I tried and it was nice,

whack it in a microwave safe dish add a bit of water enough to create some steam, not submerge the crab.. then if you have a shelfish button on a sensor cook micrwave press that and cook for aroun 3-5 minutes. simple and you dont boil out the flavours

[Tangles]

Personally, i like the Sandies body meat better, and the muddies claws,, so ideal crab, a sandy with mudcrab claws.... simple, now that would be the perfect crab,,,( look kinda tough too) good luck deckie with the sandies ;D
mike

[Wayne_Red]

I clean and halve the crabs and crack the claws. Finely chop up one onion and 2 red chillies and 3-4 cloves garlic. Fry this up in a pan with some of oil for a few minutes. Add the crabs. Sprinkle 2-3 teaspoons of salt over the crabs and turn every few minutes until cooked (about 8-10 mins) Serve hot. Simple and tastes great.
Regards Wayne