From long ago, crab is known as a nutritious dish and loved by many people. However, it is not easy to choose a quality crab.
In particular, not everyone knows how to check crabs with many fillings or many meats, or is obscured by the appearance which is difficult to detect. However, experienced people will have tips to choose crabs, just choose the ones that are “good” for that one.
How to choose delicious crabs with a flashlight
– For male crabs: How to choose crabs with more meat
We use the flashlight from the bottom to shine on the crab’s fur. If the fur has a black color, it means that the crab is good, with lots of meat, lots of fillings, and good quality. If the fur is not black, empty, and only has the color of the shell, then it is a bad crab, should not be purchased.
– For female crabs: How to choose crabs with more fillings
We shine the flashlight from the bottom up on the body of the crab. If the body is black, not hollow, it means that the crab is good, with lots of meat and fillings, not covered. If we shine and see that the body of the crab is not black but hollow, it means that there is little meat and fillings inside, only the shell, then it is a low-quality crab, not delicious.
In Vietnam, the Son Gach crab is the most expensive type of crab from the saline coastal land of Ca Mau. After catching, fishermen often use flashlights to classify Son Gach crabs, of which type 1 will be purchased at the highest price.
In addition, you can also choose to buy crabs according to the following tips. Type 1 Son Gach crabs will have a characteristic dark pink back, with more than 95% of the fillings in the body and both sides of the back. If any crab feels heavy when held, and the back is darker red than the back, then it has more fillings.
Other notes to help you buy delicious crabs
Timing to buy crabs
The last days of the month and the beginning of the month are the best time to buy crabs, during this time the crabs will be firm and have good fat content. In the middle of the month is the time when crabs molt and have less meat, so they will not taste as good.
Outer characteristics
We should look at the back of the crab, if we press our fingers on the back and feel elasticity, then it is a good crab, with a lot of fillings, firm meat. On the contrary, when pressed and feels soft, it is a low-quality crab, with little meat, not delicious or already dead.
Regarding the crab claws, if the male crab has the middle part of the claw shell being darker in color, it means that the crab has more meat. If the female crab’s claw is closed with green, it means that the crab has less meat, not delicious.
Color, shape of the crab
If the crab is good, the back of the crab will usually be dark, the middle of the back and the claw will have the same color and darker than the other crabs.
In addition, if the underside of the claw and the crab’s abdomen have a dark orange-brown color, then it is a high-quality crab.
An easier observation is the crab’s thorns, crabs with firm meat and lots of fillings will have large, long, and sturdy thorns. In particular, the crab must still be alive, firmly attached to the body to be delicious.