A symphony of mallets? Just go to a crab restaurant, mallets getting banged on the table for every birthday. Terrible noise!
That's how they did it in B'more. You put on a napkin that's the size of a bed sheet, brown paper or newspaper on the table, then a dumped pile of steamed crabs seasoned with Old Bay.
I never ate them, but I was dragged along to many of these events.
I never ate them, but I was dragged along to many of these events.
I just used a dish or anything hard at hand 🙄
They were delicious, I rigorously used this recipe except for the tamarind, which I couldn't find in my supermarket and was too late to go to an specieliced shop.
Shrimp Pad Thai - Shrimp Pad Thai Recipe
I tried both almonds and peanuts, I prefer almonds! Tastes much better despite the deviation from the original recipe.
I can imagine the noise but still never seen a crab mallet. At our crab restaurans they saw a little nick into the legs and give you nut crackers and a metal pick.
I have a wood meat pounder same as the pic but I don't use it as it's not hardy enough. I use a much sturdier unit that resemble a croquet mallet.
Yup, you can use many different nuts in place of peanuts.
Actually I don't bother going to a restaurant if I want crab. Not may know how to cook it. Very often they will simply boil it whole and put it on a plate. Such a waste.
I think having read you writing about adding chillies to cook them. Now, summing it up, what method of cooking a BIG crab would you recommend?
By big I mean something from 15 to 20cm wide:
http://www.mariscovip.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/buey-de-mar.jpg
Anyway, here's a picture of yesterday's Pad Thai.
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Crabs are plentiful here and we love to catch and cook them. I like to cut the crab in half to kill it. Then peal back the shell and clean out the guts and gills. Sprinkle with seasoning of choice (I like old bay) lower the shell and steam. Cleaning the guts out before cooking makes picking and eating easier.
evanc,
Sounds like you know your stuff. For sure you want to clean the crab first.
regi,
Do you like the crab boiled, fried, bbq'd or...? There are a number of good ways. I call the salt and chili pepper method "plain" crab. You just add the flavour to the water and quick boil the half crabs. Easy and tasty. No butter or anything else, just "plain" crab. 🙂
For fried crab you want to cut into individual legs (body attached), dry season them (including the leg shells) and then stand them up so the flavours begin to run down into the legs. Use a bowl with a cloth in the bottom to prevent them from slipping. Don't use the toaster for this or if you do, make sure your wife's not watching. Then - shake them in a bag with 50/50 mix of rice flour and cornstarch and fry in the wok in about an inch of oil, turning every 30 seconds or so with the big part nearest the center. Serve with thinly sliced shallots, chillies and garlic that you have fried in another pan.
For bbq'd crab I like to use a wet brine (basically marinating). This help set the moisture in the meat so it doesn't dry as much when cooking on the grill. Brining only takes about 1/2 hour.
I can't tell the size of your crab but the Dungeness ones we get here have to be a minimum 16.5 cm.
Sounds like you know your stuff. For sure you want to clean the crab first.
regi,
Do you like the crab boiled, fried, bbq'd or...? There are a number of good ways. I call the salt and chili pepper method "plain" crab. You just add the flavour to the water and quick boil the half crabs. Easy and tasty. No butter or anything else, just "plain" crab. 🙂
For fried crab you want to cut into individual legs (body attached), dry season them (including the leg shells) and then stand them up so the flavours begin to run down into the legs. Use a bowl with a cloth in the bottom to prevent them from slipping. Don't use the toaster for this or if you do, make sure your wife's not watching. Then - shake them in a bag with 50/50 mix of rice flour and cornstarch and fry in the wok in about an inch of oil, turning every 30 seconds or so with the big part nearest the center. Serve with thinly sliced shallots, chillies and garlic that you have fried in another pan.
For bbq'd crab I like to use a wet brine (basically marinating). This help set the moisture in the meat so it doesn't dry as much when cooking on the grill. Brining only takes about 1/2 hour.
I can't tell the size of your crab but the Dungeness ones we get here have to be a minimum 16.5 cm.
Sometimes I hate this place. I'm trying to get a little work done and all I can think about is crab. My bloody mouth is watering and getting my keyboard wet.
That's it, I'm going home. Guess where I'm stopping on the way? 😀
Pics later.
That's it, I'm going home. Guess where I'm stopping on the way? 😀
Pics later.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Tonight from beautiful, dry and scenic Surrey British Columbia we bring you an epic battle. Tonight's contest is a three course bout. Only the referees can stop the fight.
In the blue corner from the west coast of Vancouver Island weighing in at 1.9 lbs., would you please welcome Dungy, 'I'll rip your finger off', Crab.
In the red corner all the way from Peggy's Cove Newfoundland weighing in at 1.8 lbs. would you please put your hands together for Rocky 'Sweet Tamale' Lobster.
Tonights bout will be judged by a panel of 6 bi-valves, all of whom are from Fanny Bay BC.
In the immortal words of Michael Buffer - LLLLLLLLLet's get ready to ruuuuumble!
Tonight from beautiful, dry and scenic Surrey British Columbia we bring you an epic battle. Tonight's contest is a three course bout. Only the referees can stop the fight.
In the blue corner from the west coast of Vancouver Island weighing in at 1.9 lbs., would you please welcome Dungy, 'I'll rip your finger off', Crab.
In the red corner all the way from Peggy's Cove Newfoundland weighing in at 1.8 lbs. would you please put your hands together for Rocky 'Sweet Tamale' Lobster.
Tonights bout will be judged by a panel of 6 bi-valves, all of whom are from Fanny Bay BC.
In the immortal words of Michael Buffer - LLLLLLLLLet's get ready to ruuuuumble!
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20 bucks on the overweight Canadian with the cleaver & mallet.
(or in the immortal words of Mr Lecter: I better eat your liver, before someone else does)
(or in the immortal words of Mr Lecter: I better eat your liver, before someone else does)
The crab was fried as described above, the lobster was done in a chili boil and the oysters were raw in a chili paste and lime. They all came out great.
The bout was called a draw.
The bout was called a draw.
Tonight - Turkey. It's Canada's Thanksgiving weeekend.
3 gallons water
3 cups pickling salt
3 cups white sugar
Handful of Sage, Rosemary and Poultry seasoning
Brine for 24 hours
Put it in an oven bag, inside a roasting pan. 14 lbs. turkey will take only 2:20 to cook.
3 gallons water
3 cups pickling salt
3 cups white sugar
Handful of Sage, Rosemary and Poultry seasoning
Brine for 24 hours
Put it in an oven bag, inside a roasting pan. 14 lbs. turkey will take only 2:20 to cook.
What can I make for people who, if I give them anything other than beans on toast, they look like they really would have preferred beans on toast?
I don't fancy the obvious Mexican versions. I thought of something Italian with white beans and pork because that's what I'd like to try cooking, but that may be too distant from Heinz.
If it was proper cowboy I could probably get away with anything. Did cowboys really eat beans? Anyone got an authentic cowboy beans recipe? And what about the toast? I'd go for spelt and rye...did cowboys eat toast?
I don't fancy the obvious Mexican versions. I thought of something Italian with white beans and pork because that's what I'd like to try cooking, but that may be too distant from Heinz.
If it was proper cowboy I could probably get away with anything. Did cowboys really eat beans? Anyone got an authentic cowboy beans recipe? And what about the toast? I'd go for spelt and rye...did cowboys eat toast?