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Beche De Mer
(Sea Cucumber - Trepang)

Cooking Mud Crab:

Mud Crabs are also swimmer Crabs, are found mainly on the muddy bottoms of shallow coastal mangroves. A number of closely related Mud Crabs, are differentiated by colour, but the Giant Mud Crab (Scylla serrata), with its dark blue-green to mottled brown shell, is by far the major species in Australia. Most common in Queensland, where only the males are caught, they are available year round. Supply peaks from January to April in Queensland and NSW and from May to August in the NT.

Mud Crabs have large front legs and developed claws and generally weigh 500g-1kg. They’re mostly sold live (as they can live out of water for days) but are also available cooked. It is best not to buy dead uncooked Mud Crabs as it’s difficult to determine their quality. They yield about 25% meat, largely from the front claws, and are high priced with sweet flesh that has a slightly stronger flavour and firmer texture than that of other Crabs.

The mud crab is one of the best crustaceans you can eat. Its moist meat, mostly found in the body and claws, has a marvelous distinct and sweet flavour.

The mud crab is one of the best seafoods for presentation, with graceful legs and ornate claws that can be kept whole and used as a garnish. A crab claw protruding from a bowl of hearty mud crab bisque can be very appealing to the eye.

One of the best cooking methods is to steam, boil or poach mud crabs in salted water (25 g of salt per litre), then season with lemon, black pepper, garlic and onion. The crab can be finished off for the final dish by a variety of methods including barbecuing or pan-frying. Be careful not to overcook the crab in the initial stages, when adding a little vinegar will make the meat easier to remove.

Mud crab is delicious in soups and bisques, or as a filling for seafood tortellini. In a salad, dress with light vinaigrettes using flavoured oils such as walnut, and cascade the flesh over a mound of curly endive with a selection of citrus fruits. Mud crab can also be served whole on a platter, often feeding a number of people.

Never put live crabs directly into boiling water or the meat will toughen and the legs or claws may fall off. The most humane way to kill the crab is to put it to sleep in the freezer for about one hour before cooking.

Mud crabs are mostly sold live due to their ability to survive out of water for days. Live mud crabs are tied with a cord and should be handled with care if released as the powerful claws can inflict serious injury.

How to humanely kill a Crab for cooking:
It is recommended that all crustaceans are immersed in a salt water/ice slurry for a minimum of 20 minutes before boiling, broiling, pithing or cutting. This ensures the animal is immobilised before procedures that may cause pain are carried out.

The salt water/ice slurry is made by first filling a suitable container (such as an esky) with normal crushed ice, then adding salt water (sea water salinity). The ratio of normal ice to salt water should be 3:1, which will give the consistency of wet concrete and a temperature of –1°C. It is important that enough ice is provided to maintain the temperature of the slurry.

Cooking Tips: For live crabs allow 10 minutes per 500g to cook. Steam or boil in salted water.

Pan Fried Soft-Shell Crab BBQ Shrimp w Crab Meat Stuffing Singapore Chili Crab Crab Cakes

See Also:
Mud Crab Photos & Information
Catching Mud Crabs
Cooking Mud Crab and Crab Recipes
Mud Crab (Scylla serrata) Commercial Fisheries
Mud Crab Pictures & Photos