cooking cleaned crabs in pieces

[trueblue]

I have always cooked my crabs whole before, 10 - 13 minutes depending on size, and pretty much till a minute or so after they start to float in the cooking pot.

how much cooking time is necessary when they are cleaned and broken in half? must be less time with the carapace off.

would appreciate other peoples feedback on what they do

cheers

Mick

[Pete62]

Hey Mick, no same time frame mate, salted or preferably fresh salt water, bring to the boil, crabs in, back on the boil,start timing, crabs out into ice slurry.

Bestest seafood sauce..................3,2&1..............3 tablespoons fresh cream, 2 tablespoons tomato sauce, 1 tablespoon wostershire sauce.

Just add 6 stubbies of Extra Dry, a loaf of fresh bread, under the tree in the back yard, shirt off and go mad..................

Cheers, Pete.

[bermo82]

True Blue,

Ive always broken my crabs up and cook them for 12 minutes from when they go in the water which needs to boiling like crazy. Take them straight out after 12 and get them chilled. I tend to use fresh water with a small amount of salt added, i find they don't need as much salt as people tend to use and i've never had a complaint in the 15 years of doing it this way!! (Ive actually converted people to this form of cooking)

Oh and as Pete says, add a six pack for good measure.

Bermo

[Blista]

TrueBlue,

I only cook mine for seven minutes, even the big ones. I chill them straight after, but as a general rule the water should hot and deep enough so it does not come off the boil when you dump the crabs in. I cook em in a beer keg cooker so i can really get a heap of boiling water going.

Hope it helps.

[trueblue]

I cleaned and cooks some in pieces today. Never cleaned them and cut them up previously. Also cooked some whole as a control batch like normal. I tried eating the pieces tonight and they were great. I'll compare to the whole ones tomrrow to decide if they are better in pieces, cleaned.

cheers

Mick

[Noelm]

that's the way, try for yourself, always the best way to do anything, get advice/ideas and try them, same goes for sauces and stuff, I prefer mine without any dipping sauces at all, but the rest of my family use a mix of Tartare and Thousand Island, or a home made similar to Pete, so all methods are not right for everyone, which I guess is a good thing!

[Pete62]

Hey Mick, how did the comparison test go for you?

Cheers, Pete.

[kevin jackson]

we have always cleaned them before we cook them, the taste is so much cleaner, as a general rule we use is, boil salt water, put crabs in and bring to boil again, then boil for 3 minute, on ice and you have some great crad to enjoy. only other thing is if you get some big muddys, crack the claws.

[trueblue]

Hey Mick, how did the comparison test go for you?

Cheers, Pete.

I preferred the pre cleaned ones, cleaned and broken in half. never done that before, but now will be the way I always do it.

I used some vinegar in the salt water as usual (got told about that 20 years ago).

cheers

Mick

[Pete62]

Good to hear Mick, what's the go with the vinegar??

Cheers, Pete.

[trueblue]

no idea what it does really. they just seem to taste good. just chuck a dash into the water.

The father in law told me about it a long time ago, and I've done it ever since. You don't taste the vinegar, it just seems to bring out some more flavour.

Maybe it helps them keep a bit longer as well. Possibly the same theory as the old cotton ham bags, wash them out in some water with a dash of vinegar and wrap up the ham, and it lasts longer in the fridge.

cheers

Mick

[choppa]

try them with a bay leaf thrown in as well,,,,,, it doesn't overpower the meat,,,, just gives a mild hint of extra flavour,,,,,, i think the vinegar trick is the same,,,, adds a bit of tartness but doesn't over power the taste

choppa