CATDOLL : CATDOLL: When is the best time to eat crabs?

Every year when the autumn wind is cool, crabs rush to your tongue like a tide. Wang Chenghui said that the crab migration season (from the Cold Dew to early November) is the best season to eat crabs. The crabs during this period are thick, fat, tender, fragrant and bright, and are the most delicious of the year. This period is the mature edible period of Yangtze River crabs in my country.

We all follow the principle of "nine females and ten males". Simply put, female crabs are best eaten in September, and male crabs are best eaten in October.

Because in September, there are more female crabs and male crabs have not yet fully matured. In October, male crabs grow well and have abundant crab roe, which attracts people's attention.

Many people's perception of hairy crabs is nothing more than the proverb "When the autumn wind blows, it's time to eat crabs". Most people are keen on eating crabs during the Mid-Autumn Festival and buy crabs during this period. After this period, they feel that hairy crabs are out of season and their enthusiasm has dropped a lot.

However, when I went to Jiangsu, I specifically asked the crab farmers there. They told me that they just knew that the hairy crabs had just started to grow fat during the Mid-Autumn Festival. The real fattening time is after the Mid-Autumn Festival. The colder the weather, the fatter the crabs.

The eating methods and time of male and female crabs are also different. September and October are the best time to eat female crabs, while November and December are the best time to eat male crabs.

When the crab farmer talked to me about this, he said that it was a pity that many people did not know much about it for the time being, so it was a pity that after eating the crabs that had just been put on the market, they did not taste the truly plump hairy crabs. In addition to time, the selection of hairy crabs is also very special.

Generally speaking, the easiest way to choose is to weigh it. The heavier the hairy crab, the plumper it is.

In addition, there are other details. For example, hairy crabs are better than those that do not spit. Those with swollen abdomens are better than those with flat abdomens, and those with slightly yellow abdomens are better.

October is the best time to eat crabs. During this period, crabs have just matured, male crabs have claws, and female crabs have roe. This is when crabs are at their most delicious. Here are some of the most delicious crabs in October.

1. Blue Crab

Blue crabs grow fast, and September to October is the best time to eat blue crabs. Blue crabs are one of my country's precious aquatic products. Their meat is delicious and unique, and they are extremely nutritious. They are known as delicacies at banquets, and have high edible and medicinal value. Especially after mating, female crabs (red crabs, high crabs) with mature gonads are known as ginseng in the sea, and are high-quality tonics for pregnant women, the elderly, the young, and the weak.

In addition, crab roe refers to the female blue crab, which is larger in size, with thick and round claws, green in color, but reddish-brown in the abdomen, firm and sweet meat, obvious fibers, and full roe. Crab roe is rich in protein and vitamins, has the effect of removing blood stasis and promoting digestion, and can help recovery after illness and is also good for recovery from injuries. Crab roe is suitable for making dishes or porridge after being cut into pieces.

2. Swimming Crab

Swimming crabs, also known as "white crabs" in some places, are the most common marine crab species in northern China. They are large and meaty, and are in high season in summer and early autumn. Swimming crabs are named after their back shells, which are shaped like a swimming crab. They are grayish-green in color. They are delicious, rich in vitamin A, high in protein and fat, and rich in minerals such as calcium, phosphorus, and iron.

Swimming crabs have the effects of clearing away heat and detoxifying, replenishing bones and marrow, nourishing tendons and activating blood circulation, unblocking meridians, benefiting limbs, healing broken bones, nourishing liver yin, and replenishing gastric juice. They have certain therapeutic effects on diseases such as blood stasis, injuries, jaundice, back and leg pain, and rheumatoid arthritis. Swimming crabs are suitable for steaming or chopping into pieces to make other dishes.

3. Dungeness Crab

Dungeness crabs are found in the waters of Alaska, Northern California, Washington, and other places in the United States. They are large in size, and the weight ranges from 500 grams to 1,500 grams. Dungeness crabs have a very high meat yield, and the meat is firm, delicious, and slightly sweet. Dungeness crabs shed their shells in the fall every year, and enter the high-yield season in the winter. At this time, the Dungeness crab meat is abundant and the price is low.

Dungeness crabs are suitable for making dishes with meat or chopped into pieces and stir-fried. As Dungeness crabs are large and have more meat, they are suitable for cooking after being cut into pieces. Various cooking methods can be used and they are all delicious.

4. King Crab

Also known as king crab, stone crab or rock crab, red and blue king crabs are generally caught in the Bering Sea from September to October; red king crabs are caught in the southeastern waters of Alaska in November. King crab legs are rich in protein, trace elements and other nutrients, which are very nourishing to the body. Eating crabs is beneficial to the recovery of tuberculosis.

King crabs are not produced in China and the surrounding waters of Asia. Most of the king crabs sold on the Chinese market are imported quick-frozen products. After the king crabs are caught and brought on board, they are quickly frozen to an ultra-low temperature of -18 degrees Celsius using quick-freezing equipment on board, to ensure the freshness and taste of the king crabs to the greatest extent possible, and to facilitate storage and long-distance transportation.

5. Orchid Crab

The orchid crab is named because its claws and legs are blue and its appearance resembles an orchid. It is abundant in the waters near Hainan Island in my country. The back shell of the orchid crab is blue-gray with white spots, and the ends of each leg are bright blue. The orchid crab is suitable for steaming. Its meat is white, firm, tender and delicious.

There is a clear difference in body color between males and females. In males, except for the movable and immovable fingers of the chelicerae and the front segments and phalanges of each walking leg, which are dark blue, the rest of the body is mostly blue-green with light blue or white spots. The front of the female cephalothorax is dark green, and the back is mottled with yellow-brown spots; the ventral surface of the front segment of the stinging leg is light orange, extending to the base of the movable and immovable fingers, and the front end of the two fingers is dark red; the front segment and phalanges of the walking leg are light orange.

6. Red Flower Crab

The red flower crab is reddish brown and white in color, with an axe-shaped carapace and serrations at the front. It has a pair of long and strong claws. The red flower crab has thin skin and a lot of meat, which is white and delicious. The red flower crab is the most popular sea crab. It is produced in the coastal areas of southern my country, such as Yangjiang and Hainan. Because of its bright colors and clear and beautiful patterns on its carapace, the red flower crab is called the "beauty" among crabs.

The weight of red flower crab ranges from 0.3 catties to 1.5 catties, and the taste is firm and delicious. Because it is a genuine sea crab and cannot be cultivated artificially, it is the most precious. Red flower crab is suitable for making frozen crab or h crab dishes.

7. Sand Crab

The so-called sand crab refers to the female crab of this type of crab. The sand crab is small in appearance, with a gray-brown carapace, similar to the color of Haitian sand, a serrated edge at the front of the carapace, and small claws. It is the most common sea crab species in the market, suitable for cooking, with tender meat and so delicious that people can't help but want to swallow their tongues. October every year is the best season to eat this crab.

The meat of the sand crab is tender and juicy, and the crab roe is plump, making it suitable for steaming or using the crab roe to make crab roe dishes.

8. Chinese hairy crab

The best time to eat Yangcheng Lake hairy crabs is in September, October and November. After October, male crabs dominate the market. At this time, the navel of male crabs is pointed, the roe is sufficient and the meat is firm. It is the best season to eat crab meat. Hairy crabs are a type of river crab. The protein and vitamin A content of river crabs are higher than other species, and they are best eaten by steaming.

Yangcheng hairy crabs have a fresh taste, and steaming them can highlight their delicious original flavor. Diners should smell the crabs to determine their authenticity before tasting them. Yangcheng hairy crabs have a fragrance like clear spring water. Rinse your mouth with ginger tea before eating and eat with red Zhejiang vinegar to taste the most delicious hairy crabs.

September and October are the best seasons to eat crabs. In autumn, female crabs are eaten in September, and male crabs are eaten in October. "Nine females and ten males", "round navels in September, pointed navels in October" all refer to the time to eat crabs. In the ninth month of the lunar calendar, female crabs are full of eggs, and the crab roe is fresh, fragrant, and oily; in October, the male crabs have the best gonadal development, and the crab roe is yellow, fat, and white, and the taste of the crab roe is rich and smooth. It is said that "when the autumn wind blows, the crab's feet itch; when the chrysanthemums bloom, the crabs come." Every September to October is the time when the crab roe is full of oil, so some gourmets say that "eating crabs in autumn is the most solemn thing."

In autumn, when chrysanthemums are fragrant and crabs are plump, it is the best time for people to enjoy crabs. Crabs are tender and delicious, and are a top-quality and precious aquatic product. Crabs are also very nutritious, with protein content several times higher than pork and fish, and higher content of calcium, phosphorus, iron and vitamin A. Autumn crabs are delicious and nutritious, but if eaten improperly, they may cause health damage.

Eating dead crabs can cause poisoning: When crabs are dying or dead, the histamine in the crab's body will decompose to produce histamine. Histamine is a toxic substance. As the time of death increases, the amount of histamine accumulated in the crab's body increases, and the toxicity becomes stronger and stronger. Even if the crab is cooked, this toxin is not easily destroyed. Therefore, never eat dead crabs.

To buy fresh crabs, you should do five things when choosing crabs:

First, look at the color; second, look at the individual; third, look at the belly button; fourth, look at the crab hair; fifth, look at the movements. The crab should have a green back and a white belly, golden claws and yellow hair; the individual should be large and strong; the belly button should protrude outward; the crab legs should be covered with crab hair; and the movements should be agile and active. Only those that meet these five criteria are good to buy.

Crabs are the fattest and tastiest in September and October.

Although crabs can be eaten all year round, autumn is the best season to eat crabs. It is said that "when the autumn wind blows, crabs' feet itch; when the chrysanthemums bloom, crabs come to eat." September to October every year is when crabs are full of roe and oil, so some gourmets say that "eating crabs in autumn is the most solemn thing."

It is said that there are "four flavors" of crab since ancient times. "Thigh meat" has short and fine meat, tastes like scallops; "calf meat" has long and tender meat, as beautiful as whitebait; "crab body meat" is white and crystal clear, better than whitefish; "crab roe" contains a lot of nutrients such as protein, fat, phospholipids, vitamins and other nutrients necessary for the human body, and is rich in nutrition. For this reason, chefs have also taken great pains to come up with many creative "crab" delicacies, such as steamed hairy crabs, spicy crabs, ginger and scallion crabs, and salt and pepper crabs.

1. It is best to eat hairy crabs at noon.

Hairy crabs are cold food and are not suitable to be eaten in the morning or at night. Noon is the best time to eat crabs as the yang energy is strongest and it can be eaten with rice wine. If you eat hairy crabs at night, it is best to eat them with white wine to avoid excessive intake of cold air and affect sleep. It is not suitable to eat crabs in the morning as it is the time when the human body raises yang and it is not suitable to eat cold foods.

2. Hairy crabs are best eaten in late autumn and early winter.

There is a saying about eating crabs "nine females and ten males", which means that female crabs should be eaten in September of the lunar calendar, as female crabs at this time are fatter than male crabs, and male crabs should be eaten in October, as male crabs at this time are full of crab roe and have full and delicious meat. September and October of the lunar calendar, which is the end of autumn and the beginning of winter, are the most suitable months for tasting wine and crabs.