Dont throw back those ugly crabs!

[Mr. Adventure]

Went out friday night with some BWE members hooping and fishing out of newport/ CDM. Fishing and bugging was slow, no lobster what so ever but I pulled up one of those big ugly spider/ sheep crab (they seem to use the names interchangeably.)

It looked like something out of my nightmares but I'll be damned if I was going home skunked.

Boiled him up (that's a 12" pizza pan)
http://i1089.photobucket.com/albums/i345/redstarg/tasting/crab.jpg

then spent about AN HOUR extracting the meat (with a hammer, vice grips and a chopstick to poke the meat out)

Then mixed up some crab cakes, the best crab cakes I've ever had (saffron really set it off.)

http://i1089.photobucket.com/albums/i345/redstarg/tasting/crabcakes.jpg

A lot of work, but would have made an awesome valentines dinner had I had one this year. So, practice for the next time I nab an ugly crab and need to cook some girls pants off.

[Mr. Adventure]

and yes I scrubbed as much stuff off before cooking. Maybe need a wire brush next time

[ctrujillo]

nice!!at least someone came home with something to cook up.nice meeting you luke i wonder how benny blanco ended up doing:confused:

[Mr. Adventure]

I dunno I didn't hear back. I hope he landed something awesome.

That one crab was enough to make 4 hockey puck sized cakes.

[lowprofile]

i took a bunch home a few years back. not alot of meat but they sure taste good.

[Bennyblanco]

Hey Luke good night out there.im glad that at least one of us cought dinner,josh and I came back dry.we went all the way to Newport pier without a bite.then went back in the bay josh hook up on some small calicos.i was tired from the trip back from the pier,so I just drop my rig to the bottom and laid back.i don't know how long I was out,but josh called me on the radio and woke me up.at that time I was floating without lights,because the battery died.woke up quick and headed out.when I got to my truck I check the time and it was 2:30am.
Good seen you guys out there.next time it will be Dana point ( the pipe):you_rock:

[jorluivil]

Someone told me that people are know to use pressure washers to clean those things up and those some people told me these are almost as good if not better than lobster.

[Mr. Adventure]

Dang! That late? I've got to get a wet suit, I had to get out I was freezing. I've been guilty of nodding off on my kayak before.

I've never done Dana point but would be down to give it a go.

[Mr. Adventure]

Pressure washer would be a good idea. I used a hog pressure nozzle and it didn't do much for the outside, but when I took the carapace off it worked great for the nastiness inside.

[bubblehide]

I've always called them spider crabs. I would suggest pulling off the legs to cook, Then you can pull off the carapace (kinda like a skull cap) and clean the insides before boiling. But they do make some good eats.

[jbara]

I had coveralls, waders, and confidence in the lifevest to stay warm. Pretty hilarious when you have to get that stuff off to take a leak in open water though! The tide started rolling out when benny called it quits and the bites started picking up in the bay on plastic. Caught a few small ones quick on the paddle in. Nice to meet you all out there. I'll have a cold one waiting for you all next time.:cheers1:

[T Bone]

Try steaming,then they are not sitting in that funky algae.

The Legs seem to catch up to the body when they get bigger...

[Bennyblanco]

The way you hook up those crabby patties ,makes me wonder if you're a professional chef?:you_rock:

[Mr. Adventure]

Nah, just been working fine dining for a good number of years with really talented chefs to the point where I can't half ass food presentation hah hah

[DocHaole]

I've heard that those things can seriously mess you up if you aren't careful. There's not enough room on the yak for the 2 of us.

[Mr. Adventure]

yeah he didn't look to happy, I had to call johnny over to give me a hand

[h2ofishfo]

ANHOUR FOR 2 CRAB CAKES???????UUH NO THANKS BUT LOOKS GOOD

[JohnnyCope]

yeah he didn't look to happy, I had to call johnny over to give me a hand


He feared me! I saw it in his eyes!
:the_finger:

[Hunters Pa]

When I was a kid we'd put the legs & claws on the grill. Algae burned off & when they were red they were ready.

But they were nowhere near that big.

[Mr. Adventure]

I've read you can just yank a claw or leg off and toss them back and they'll grow a new one. If I kept pullin them up it seems like a dick move but I think I'd pop off one claw and toss them back. The claw had a bunch of meat in it.

Of course you have to rip the pincher off a pissed off crab on a kayak while it has the other one so there's that

[Saba Slayer]

Mr. Adventure you can not legally yank a claw off of a crab and toss it back minus the claw. it's like taking the tail off of a lobster and tossing the carapace. The DFG warden will not have anything to measure to make sure it was taken from a legal size crab or lobster. It's true the crab will grow a new claw or leg if it's removed and in some states in the southeast it is legal to remove the claws....but not in Southern California! So save yourself a big ticket and take the whole crab not just a claw.
Here's a great crab recipe from my book "Hoopin It Up".
3/4 cup cooked rock crab meat
1/2 cup cabbage, minced
1/2 cup raw bean sprouts, chopped
2 tablespoons canned bamboo shoots, chopped
1-2 teaspoons pickled ginger, minced
1 tablespoon green onion, chopped
2 tablespoons grated carrot
1-2 teaspoons celantro, chooped
Spring roll (lumpia) wrappers
Plum Sauce for dipping

In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients and mix well.
Put 3 tablespoons of filling on the front section of the spring roll wrapper.
form the filling into mounds about 3' by 1 1/2". Fold one end of the wrapper over the filling. Next, fold the two sides toward the middle, then roll the wrapper up and place the seam side down on a platter.
Once the rolls are all completed they are fried in hot oil. Drain them and place on paper towels to dry. At this point the rolls may be cut in half and served on a garnished plate with the dipping sauce.

ENJOY
Jim / Saba Slayer