Before we learn this soft shell crab recipe, we must learn how to buy and store crabs so that we can make a delicious meal!
How to buy fresh crabs?
When we go to the market to pick, you can choose to buy by observing the external characteristics of the crab:
- Look at the claws: The silky skin between the elbows (elbows) on the claws is red or dark pink, then these are crabs with a lot of meat. Also, if the skin here is smooth, it’s a fat crab, and if it’s wrinkled, it’s a sick crab, which has shrunk for a long time.
- Crab Bibs: Delicious crabs will have a firm bib that is a little stiff when squeezed, then they are tough crabs. Soft, by comparison, it’s unlikely they’ll have less meat.
- Crab shells: Touch the crab shells with your hands, if they feel soft, they are crabs with bad meat, and the brick part is bad.
- At the same time, squeeze the top of the thigh of the swimming rod, if the crab is still moving, it is a fresh crab with delicious meat. If they are “drowsy” and unable to move, it means they are about to die.
How to store fresh crabs?
- Storing crabs is not the same as storing other meats and has to be prepared before being put in the refrigerator.
- Since the crab is alive, its squirming can make it difficult for you to handle. You’d better keep them on a cold surface to reduce their fussiness. Plus, it helps the crabs stay fresher and tastier.
- When storing live crabs, never put them in water immediately after purchase, as this can cause the crabs to go into heat shock and die. Dead crabs cannot be stored in the refrigerator and must be disposed of immediately, as dead crab meat no longer tastes as sweet when frozen.
- When handling the crab, flip the bib under the crab’s abdomen and poke the
hollow under the abdomen with a sharp knife. Separate the crab bibs and
remove the crab, keeping only the part containing the crab meat. Scrub the
crab’s body with a clean toothbrush. When it’s clean, then store the crab in the
refrigerator for preservation.
After you know how to buy and store crabs, you can start learning how to make crabs. Here are several soft shell crab recipes, all of which are very simple and easy to operate!
Deep–fried soft shell crab recipe
Ingredient list
- 4 shelled crabs
- 1 egg for fried crab and crab in the shell
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup breadcrumbs
- A pinch of salt and pepper
- edible oil for frying
Instruction
- Step 1:
Rinse each soft shell crab in cold water. At the crab shell, lift the pointed edge of the upper shell and pull the crab’s gills out. Continue to do the same for the bottom shell, twisting and pulling to make it easier to remove the rear wing. Scissors can be used to cut off inedible excesses of crabs. Then continue rinsing with clean water and drying or drying for a few minutes.
- Step 2:
Put the prepared cooking oil in a pot and heat the oil in the deep fryer to about 365°F (180°C). Continue whisking the eggs and milk together. Take a portion of the salt and pepper and mix well into the dough. Finally, the shelled crabs are lightly marinated, then dipped into the flour mixture, into the egg bowl, and back into the flour.
- Step 3:
After dipping the crabs into the flour and eggs, carefully place the crabs into the heated deep fryer. Continue to cook and wait 1 to 2 minutes or watch until the crab is golden brown on one side.
Then continue to turn the top of the crab upside down and continue to cook until it turns golden on the curved side. Once cooked, all you need to do is place the crab on a paper towel, drain the oil and let it cool. So we finished the fried crab dish quickly and easily.
