The autumn months mark the peak in crab season, so here are some top tips on finding the best crab this September.
Though you might not necessarily associate crab with autumn, crab caught at this time of year are at their best because the waters are really rich in nutrients at this time of year. In particular, the brown crab meat is rich at this time of year, it firms up and becomes more solid which adds to the flavour. Crab is a really good source of protein and is high in Omega3, vitamin C and iron, also being low in saturated fat it makes for a tasty and filling alternative to a lot of other meats.
Before heading out to find crab, make sure to check our handy list.
Buying a live crab:
Always look out for a lively crab, you want to avoid any that are looking listless. Pick them up and check the weight, they should feel heavy for their size, this is how you can tell how much brown meat is within. Make sure the tail flap underneath is tight to the body and replace any where the tail is hanging.
Buying a cooked crab:
If you prefer to buy a cooked crab be aware that cooked crabs have a fairly short shelf life, so you need to buy one cooked that day. It is important to check when it was cooked and how. You will need to keep it chilled until you eat it.
Your fishmonger should be able to help with any questions you have, but don’t be afraid to ask if you can hold it first, though in cooking, the crab will lose a bit of weight, it should still feel heavy, you can also tip it up to check it isn’t full of water.
Buying picked crab meat:
Where possible, buy fresh, unpasteurised, hand picked meat. Avoid any that look too wet, as crab meat should be reasonably dry.
Whatever you choose to go for, find out where it is from and check whether it is sustainably sourced. Your fishmonger should be able to tell you where the crab was caught. Many of Dorset’s fishmongers pride themselves on their sustainability and several of them even catch their own stock – so they won’t mind talking to you about them.
If you choose to buy a whole crab, here are our tips on how to crack a crab.
- Lie the crab upside down in front of you and pull the legs and claws off.
- Using your thumbs, push up the body of the shell from the leg holes and pull the shell away.
- On the crown, look out for the feathery gills attached to each leg socket, remove these as they don’t have a pleasant taste, you might find some more of them within the brown meat, so remove them too.
- At the front of the shell, push down on the mouth piece until you hear a crack, remove this, the stomach will be attached – you can dispose of this.
- You can now start to pull out the meat, the brown and pink meat in the shell is edible and you can find white meat in the legs and claws which can be removed using a crab pick and a hammer. Break each one with a tap from the hammer and then pop into a bowl to enjoy. Just be aware that there might be shell and cartilage within the legs and claws.
