How to cook and open crabs. Seafood recipe

How to cook and open crabs . Very marked dates arrive and the consumption of seafood shoots up in Spain. The seafood recipes become the most sought after , especially the word nécora. We have completed this entry with your questions by email, about how to cook them and especially how to open and present this seafood.

Nécoras are a delicious crustacean with a very fine and very tasty meat, with a great taste of the sea. In Galicia there can be no party without shellfish and in my house there can be no parties without crawls. Many of you will think, these guys are rich, no, just farsighted. At this point in the film we know that you have to buy them a few months before Christmas. Cook and freeze to eat better and cheaper.

Many people get stuck when they have a chance to eat a crab. Especially if you find these tasty bugs for the first time before. With its white meat, it is one of the seafood that I like the most. To make it clear, we have even recorded a video where you can see how to open a crab. Also how to leave it presented if you have guests, to stay as gentlemen. Read this tutorial and I assure you that the seafood will be perfect for you. There will be no more excuses for not enjoying them from time to time.

How the crab is cooked

1. The seafood is cooked in plenty of salted water (about 60 gr. Of salt per liter). We choose a casserole or a large pot. If you are lucky to live near the sea, you can use sea water to cook them.
2. We always grab this type of seafood from the back, taking care with the “tongs” so that they do not hurt you. We put them in a pan with cold water so that their legs do not fall off.
3. If the crabs are dead we put them directly in hot water. Your legs will not fall off because they are no longer moving.
4. Add the coarse salt and 2 bay leaves and cook for 7 minutes. Let cool and then we can either taste them or freeze.
5. In summary. If they are alive: put the water on a strong fire and add the crabs. If they are dead: they lie down when the water begins to boil.
6. I advise you live Galician crabs. If they are already dead you will not know if they are fresh and when they are cooked the legs may fall off.
7. To cook the crabs we must take into account the size. When bigger, longer and vice versa. According to the sizes the times are:

• Small crab from 80 to 125 gr .: 4 minutes
• Fat crab from 130 to 300 gr .: 6 minutes

Remember that cooking times start from when the water boils. To enrich the cooking I advise you to use 1-2 bay leaves, although it is optional.

Differentiates males from females

• The crests on the back have a shell of different shapes for the male and for the female.
• Males have a triangular shape and females have a more rounded shape.

The female crab are richer than the male, it is usually fuller, that is, it brings more meat. And of course, the best nécoras are the Galician ones, which I have to throw at home.

How to prepare it to eat. Explanatory video

How to Freeze Nécoras

• Once cooked, we can freeze. It is best to cut the cooking with a pan with cold water or with some better ice cubes.
• We will immediately stop cooking. The seafood is left with that special shine and the perfect point to taste them.
• We put in a plastic bag, close tightly and in the freezer.
• Maximum 1 to 3 months, otherwise they will begin to lose flavor and the meat will dry out.
• To defrost, we take them out the night before and always defrost in the fridge. Before serving, we leave them at room temperature for an hour covered with a cotton cloth.
• Take advantage of the fact that its best consumption season runs from May to September. They will be cheaper and last perfectly 3 months in the freezer. Although they are until the end of the year without effort.