Little-known tips for choosing meaty sea crabs packed with rich, creamy roe
Sea crab is one of the nutritious seafoods that are very good for health, from young children to the elderly. Its firm meat and rich, savory roe captivate anyone who tastes it. Sea crab contains minerals and nutrients that help effectively prevent several diseases. As a result, the higher the quality of the crab, the more expensive it is.
Select fresh sea crabs
Choose fresh, delicious sea crabs that are still alive, vigorous, and feel heavy in hand. Buy them as close to harvest time as possible to ensure high nutritional value, firm meat, and naturally sweet flavor.
Select crabs based on their apron
The apron beneath the crab's abdomen is the key indicator for selecting quality crabs. The apron should be fresh and firm, neither depressing nor cracking when pressed. Choose female crabs with roe visible under the apron; they are delicious, rich in roe, and have flavorful meat.
If the apron depresses deeply with just a light press, the crab is watery, soft-shelled, or no longer fresh, with very little meat. In addition, crabs with darker aprons are tastier than those with light yellow aprons.
Crab color
Choose darker-colored crabs where the color of the claws and the carapace match. The darker the color, the more mature the crab is for harvesting; younger crabs usually have a paler color, with softer, less firm meat.
Based on the spines on the crab carapace
Older, mature crabs have hard, large, and evenly spaced spines. Younger crabs have short, small, and brittle spines.
Press on the crab's body
Turn the crab upside down, count the legs from 1 to 3, and press on the body level with the 3rd leg from the bottom up. Crabs with faint white stripes will be delicious and meaty.
Select crabs with plenty of roe
Flip the crab over and look at its apron to distinguish between male and female. The apron of a female crab is broader than that of a male; if there is hair surrounding the apron, it indicates that the crab has spawned multiple times and its meat is no longer flavorful.
Next, gently press down on the crab's apron with your finger to check the roe inside. If you see bright red crab roe, it is a good choice.
You should also note: Avoid buying crabs around the full moon, as they often moult during this time, tending to be hollow with soft, less firm meat./.