Basic Technique 4

Cooking and Picking Fresh Crab

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By Liam Tomlin

Published 2005

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Buy live crab as the flesh deteriorates very quickly once they are dead. Fresh crab is also easier to clean and pick and will give a larger yield of meat. Check that both claws and all the legs are still attached to the body. The crab should feel heavy in relation to its size.

Mud crab is preferable as it is large and consequently easy to pick, giving a higher yield of meat. Many recipes call for a court bouillon in which to cook crab, however, to cook them in simmering salted water is acceptable as the flavour of a court bouillon does not necessarily penetrate the thick shell of a mud crab and is more suitable for cooking soft-shell crabs.