Domromer
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« on: April 19, 2012, 10:14:37 PM » |
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Last week i bought some crabs from my local fish shop. When I got home and steamed them I noticed some felt hollow. I opened them up and there was almost no meat. I think they were all males. Is this something to do with the time of year, or were they crabs that had been sitting in the shop for too long?
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registereduser
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« Reply #1 on: April 19, 2012, 10:39:28 PM » |
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sounds like a poor cull, you can tell a meaty crab before cooking
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he who talks much says little
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crabbywaters
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« Reply #2 on: April 19, 2012, 11:30:49 PM » |
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To avoid this again do the pinch test. If a place won't let me cull the crabs Im buying, i don't buy.
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I wish i was a crab.
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Mr. Breeze
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« Reply #3 on: April 20, 2012, 04:48:53 AM » |
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Last week i bought some crabs from my local fish shop. When I got home and steamed them I noticed some felt hollow. I opened them up and there was almost no meat. I think they were all males. Is this something to do with the time of year, or were they crabs that had been sitting in the shop for too long?
You got ripped off. The reason for the crabs being empty is purely biological. A crab has a hard shell, which cannot expand. In order for the crab to grow, it must shed it's shell. A crab will do this up to 27 times in its life cycle. The crab fills up with meat until there is no more room inside. It then turns into what is known as the peeler stage, (some call them shedders) The back of the shell will seperate from the bottom and the crab will back out of the old shell. It will grow significantly during this process. When it completes the shed, it is what is known as a soft crab. Very vulnerable in this stage in the wild. A true epicurean delight on the table. The shell will harden over the next couple of days. When hard, if you remove the top shell, you will find alot of water and very little meat. In layman's terms, the reason for this is that the full smaller crab just grew, and all that packed meat is now spread out to create a larger crab. My opinion as one who responsibly harvests crabs for a living, is that taking the crabs in this stage is a waste of the resource. Hope this helps. I would suggest to you that yo scroll to the bottom of any page on this forum and click on the small crab icon you'll find there. This will take you to more information about crabs and crabbing than you'll ever need to know. Here is a link to one of the pages in that wealth of information. http://www.bluecrab.info/molting.html |
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« Last Edit: April 20, 2012, 04:51:56 AM by Mr. Breeze »
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Blue Crab Industry Advisory Committee
Tidal Fish Advisory Commission
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Ronster
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« Reply #4 on: April 20, 2012, 02:33:50 PM » |
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Great response.
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BenFolds
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« Reply #5 on: May 04, 2012, 04:59:58 PM » |
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To avoid this again do the pinch test. If a place won't let me cull the crabs Im buying, i don't buy.
Pinch test on a "whitey" to see if it is hollow? How do you do this? Sometimes when I buy crabs, the hollow ones aren't very white on the underside and I get beat sometimes. |
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jack1747
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« Reply #6 on: May 04, 2012, 06:50:28 PM » |
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Fingers on top of main spike. Thumb on underside of main spike. Squeeze. If it moves at all, even the slightest, back it goes..
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"Helping to Moderate the BCA since 2003"
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genecrabman
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« Reply #7 on: May 04, 2012, 08:39:35 PM » |
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Maybe he got em "Cheap".............  Jack...........Your crab don't got no body!!!!!!!!!!  |
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Crab Shack
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« Reply #8 on: May 04, 2012, 10:16:14 PM » |
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Maybe he got em "Cheap"............. Jack...........Your crab don't got no body!!!!!!!!!! ...and the shell is a funny color too... |
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NO CRABS WERE HARMED IN THE PRODUCTION OF THIS POST
WHAT WE'VE GOT HERE IS...FAILURE TO COMMUNICATE
YOU CAN'T FIX STUPID
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capt. ron
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« Reply #9 on: May 05, 2012, 10:27:28 AM » |
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They are also know as paper shells or kites. Many of these crabs are used for factory or picking plants where it is easy to pick the crabmeat for retail.
That's our problem right now down here. Due to the mild winter we had a hard shed in Feb. and Mar.
Everything is small and light but getting better. I expect June to be one heck of a softshell run. I don't see many hard crabs in the future till late August.
Ronnie
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ChrisS
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« Reply #10 on: May 05, 2012, 10:32:24 AM » |
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Fingers on top of main spike. Thumb on underside of main spike. Squeeze. If it moves at all, even the slightest, back it goes..
I dont agree with this at all, respectfully. Even the fullest hardest crabs have some flex. |
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www.MoveEarth.orgin·teg·ri·ty –noun 1. adherence to moral and ethical principles; soundness of moral character; honesty
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capt. ron
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« Reply #11 on: May 05, 2012, 10:35:52 AM » |
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I squeese the belly. If it gives a little that's OK. But if its not a mudder I usually throw it back ask Mutzy.
Ronnie
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Mutzy crab man
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« Reply #12 on: May 05, 2012, 10:56:35 AM » |
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I squeese the belly. If it gives a little that's OK. But if its not a mudder I usually throw it back ask Mutzy.
Ronnie
Even if it's 9 inches  ...... |
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Outta the river an into my pot...FUHGEDDABOUDIT..
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KALknowsRAE
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« Reply #13 on: May 05, 2012, 11:32:11 AM » |
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I agree. I would rather fill up on 5'' hardshells than 9" papershells.
hardshell = tasty,meaty,mustardy
paper = watery,tasteless,no meat skeleton
But if that is all we're catching, then we will keep them. Sorry. I'm an addict.
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Blueclaws ripped my flesh.
Rzzzzzz.
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Dreampixels
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« Reply #14 on: May 05, 2012, 07:01:33 PM » |
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waterman dont keep em - only Recs sell em................Beware
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There are no passengers on spaceship earth. We are all crew. Marshall McLuhan
"Because I walk only in my shoes I enjoy Controversy. It allows me to view the minds and souls of others." Dreampixels
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CRABGUY
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« Reply #15 on: May 05, 2012, 07:03:54 PM » |
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MAYBE ITS THE MOON OR SOMTHING
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soggybottomboyz
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« Reply #16 on: May 09, 2012, 12:52:33 PM » |
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waterman dont keep em - only Recs sell em................Beware
com'on man!! |
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"I am the reason there is a daily limit and I do not use orange plastic baskets ALL the time".
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WIMPY
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« Reply #17 on: May 09, 2012, 01:10:42 PM » |
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White ain't right
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Dreampixels
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« Reply #18 on: May 09, 2012, 01:23:10 PM » |
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com'on man!!
Sorry I read on here all the time no coms keep junk crabs - so how could they possibly hit the market unless the recs are selling em |
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There are no passengers on spaceship earth. We are all crew. Marshall McLuhan
"Because I walk only in my shoes I enjoy Controversy. It allows me to view the minds and souls of others." Dreampixels
Extremist think "Communication" means agreeing with them. Leo Rosten
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Crab Shack
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« Reply #19 on: May 09, 2012, 01:33:20 PM » |
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NO CRABS WERE HARMED IN THE PRODUCTION OF THIS POST
WHAT WE'VE GOT HERE IS...FAILURE TO COMMUNICATE
YOU CAN'T FIX STUPID
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genecrabman
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« Reply #20 on: May 09, 2012, 09:18:48 PM » |
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They're pretty tasty for $50 a Bushel............. |
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soggybottomboyz
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« Reply #21 on: May 10, 2012, 11:15:49 AM » |
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Sorry I read on here all the time no coms keep junk crabs - so how could they possibly hit the market unless the recs are selling em That ones gonna hurt!! |
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"I am the reason there is a daily limit and I do not use orange plastic baskets ALL the time".
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threesuns1
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« Reply #22 on: May 10, 2012, 12:31:46 PM » |
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I'm glad someone finally explained the "pinch test", for years I've been letting the crab pinch me. Wow I wish someone would have told me sooner!
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Dreampixels
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« Reply #23 on: May 10, 2012, 12:43:45 PM » |
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They're pretty tasty for $50 a Bushel............. I agree with ya Gene and they help pay the bills. I also believe it is a personal issue with the crabber. Seeing my consumer face to face, or selling my catch wholesale makes a huge difference in my opinion. Pretty much like and absolute answer to what is a #1 crab. I ain't picking a nose here, just stating the results of observation. |
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There are no passengers on spaceship earth. We are all crew. Marshall McLuhan
"Because I walk only in my shoes I enjoy Controversy. It allows me to view the minds and souls of others." Dreampixels
Extremist think "Communication" means agreeing with them. Leo Rosten
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ChrisS
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« Reply #24 on: May 10, 2012, 12:59:40 PM » |
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Some people prefer light crabs, one for the price and second for the ease of picking.
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www.MoveEarth.orgin·teg·ri·ty –noun 1. adherence to moral and ethical principles; soundness of moral character; honesty
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