It's a month with an 'r' in it so Dungeness crab is prevalent in the
Western markets. This one cost $10.81 and yielded a little over nine
ounces of meat from a 1.8 pound crab. Not bad!
Somewhere in the house, I have a nutcracker and a nutpick, but I
couldn't find them and used inadequate tools. I should have stopped at
halving and served the halves with drawn butter and lemon juice.
I busted up the shell and bits and pieces with a vague idea of making a
broth in the future. They're in the freezer.
I hadn't done this in at least fifteen years. It's a lot of work!
I'm thinking crab bisque for tonight.

<https://postimg.cc/SYqM8TWj>

leo

On Monday, January 15, 2024 at 3:07:32 PM UTC-6, Leonard Blaisdell wrote:
>
> It's a month with an 'r' in it so Dungeness crab is prevalent in the
> Western markets. This one cost $10.81 and yielded a little over nine
> ounces of meat from a 1.8 pound crab. Not bad!
> Somewhere in the house, I have a nutcracker and a nutpick, but I
> couldn't find them and used inadequate tools. I should have stopped at
> halving and served the halves with drawn butter and lemon juice.
> I busted up the shell and bits and pieces with a vague idea of making a
> broth in the future. They're in the freezer.
> I hadn't done this in at least fifteen years. It's a lot of work!
> I'm thinking crab bisque for tonight.
>
> <https://postimg.cc/SYqM8TWj>
>
> leo
>
Post a picture of the bisque, too. And yes, that does look like a lot of work,
at least your efforts were rewarded vs. messing with a crawfish for just a
tidbit of meat.

On 1/15/2024 4:07 PM, Leonard Blaisdell wrote:
> It's a month with an 'r' in it so Dungeness crab is prevalent in the
> Western markets. This one cost $10.81 and yielded a little over nine
> ounces of meat from a 1.8 pound crab. Not bad!
> Somewhere in the house, I have a nutcracker and a nutpick, but I
> couldn't find them and used inadequate tools. I should have stopped at
> halving and served the halves with drawn butter and lemon juice.
> I busted up the shell and bits and pieces with a vague idea of making a
> broth in the future. They're in the freezer.
> I hadn't done this in at least fifteen years. It's a lot of work!
> I'm thinking crab bisque for tonight.
>
> <https://postimg.cc/SYqM8TWj>
>
> leo

Lot of work but a good yield. I'm used to blue point crabs on the east.
Crab dinner with beer is a social event.

On Mon, 15 Jan 2024 17:07:57 -0500, Ed P <esp@snet.xxx> wrote:

>On 1/15/2024 4:07 PM, Leonard Blaisdell wrote:
>> It's a month with an 'r' in it so Dungeness crab is prevalent in the
>> Western markets. This one cost $10.81 and yielded a little over nine
>> ounces of meat from a 1.8 pound crab. Not bad!
>> Somewhere in the house, I have a nutcracker and a nutpick, but I
>> couldn't find them and used inadequate tools. I should have stopped at
>> halving and served the halves with drawn butter and lemon juice.
>> I busted up the shell and bits and pieces with a vague idea of making a
>> broth in the future. They're in the freezer.
>> I hadn't done this in at least fifteen years. It's a lot of work!
>> I'm thinking crab bisque for tonight.
>>
>> <https://postimg.cc/SYqM8TWj>
>>
>> leo
>
>
>Lot of work but a good yield. I'm used to blue point crabs on the east.
> Crab dinner with beer is a social event.

But not as common as crap dinner with beer.

On 2024-01-15 2:07 p.m., Leonard Blaisdell wrote:
> It's a month with an 'r' in it so Dungeness crab is prevalent in the
> Western markets. This one cost $10.81 and yielded a little over nine
> ounces of meat from a 1.8 pound crab. Not bad!
> Somewhere in the house, I have a nutcracker and a nutpick, but I
> couldn't find them and used inadequate tools. I should have stopped at
> halving and served the halves with drawn butter and lemon juice.
> I busted up the shell and bits and pieces with a vague idea of making a
> broth in the future. They're in the freezer.
> I hadn't done this in at least fifteen years. It's a lot of work!
> I'm thinking crab bisque for tonight.
>
> <https://postimg.cc/SYqM8TWj>
>
> leo
You can always use Vice/Vise Grips instead of nutcrackers. You can
set them so they just crack the crab leg (or nut) without crushing
the meat.

On 2024-01-15, itsjoannotjoann@webtv.net <itsjoannotjoann@webtv.net> wrote:

> Post a picture of the bisque, too. And yes, that does look like a lot of work,
> at least your efforts were rewarded vs. messing with a crawfish for just a
> tidbit of meat.

I divided the crab up into four 1/3 cup portions. We will be having
the same meal tonight too. A sprig or two of parsley would have added
zing to the photo, but I didn't have any. :(

<https://postimg.cc/R34DdjMk>

I spent a summer or two trapping crawdads in the early Nineties. I got
the idea after attending a trade show in New Orleans on one of my few
trips as far east as the Mississippi.
"Suck tha haids!" and I did. ;)

On 2024-01-15, Graham <g.stereo@shaw.ca> wrote:

> You can always use Vice/Vise Grips instead of nutcrackers. You can
> set them so they just crack the crab leg (or nut) without crushing
> the meat.

My vise grips and pliers were dirty, and I was lazy, so I picked the
worst tool for the job. Next time!...If there is one.

On Tuesday, January 16, 2024 at 10:26:43 AM UTC-6, Leonard Blaisdell wrote:
>
> On 2024-01-15, itsjoan...@webtv.net <itsjoan...@webtv.net> wrote:
>
> > Post a picture of the bisque, too. And yes, that does look like a lot of work,
> > at least your efforts were rewarded vs. messing with a crawfish for just a
> > tidbit of meat.
> >
> I divided the crab up into four 1/3 cup portions. We will be having
> the same meal tonight too. A sprig or two of parsley would have added
> zing to the photo, but I didn't have any. :(
>
> <https://postimg.cc/R34DdjMk>
>
It looks very good and very warming. I'm betting your wife made that bowl
cozy, too, on the far right.
>
> I spent a summer or two trapping crawdads in the early Nineties. I got
> the idea after attending a trade show in New Orleans on one of my few
> trips as far east as the Mississippi.
> "Suck tha haids!" and I did. ;)
>
EEK!!!!

On 2024-01-16, itsjoannotjoann@webtv.net <itsjoannotjoann@webtv.net> wrote:
> On Tuesday, January 16, 2024 at 10:26:43 AM UTC-6, Leonard Blaisdell wrote:
>> <https://postimg.cc/R34DdjMk>
> It looks very good and very warming. I'm betting your wife made that bowl
> cozy, too, on the far right.

Why yes, she did. I have one in camo! :)

On 1/16/2024 11:26 AM, Leonard Blaisdell wrote:
> On 2024-01-15, itsjoannotjoann@webtv.net <itsjoannotjoann@webtv.net> wrote:
>
>> Post a picture of the bisque, too. And yes, that does look like a lot of work,
>> at least your efforts were rewarded vs. messing with a crawfish for just a
>> tidbit of meat.
>
>
> I divided the crab up into four 1/3 cup portions. We will be having
> the same meal tonight too. A sprig or two of parsley would have added
> zing to the photo, but I didn't have any. :(
>
> <https://postimg.cc/R34DdjMk>
>
That looks very nice, Leo!

> I spent a summer or two trapping crawdads in the early Nineties. I got
> the idea after attending a trade show in New Orleans on one of my few
> trips as far east as the Mississippi.
> "Suck tha haids!" and I did. ;)

You get a heck of a lot more meat out of a single Dungeness crab than
you would out of a mess of crawfish. :)

Jill

On Mon, 15 Jan 2024 16:05:23 -0700, Graham wrote:

> You can always use Vice/Vise Grips instead of nutcrackers. You can
> set them so they just crack the crab leg (or nut) without crushing
> the meat.

I insert the bottom tine of a fork into the flat white part of the
joint or at the open end of a leg and then push the fork up along
the top (pinkest) ridge the length of the segment, using a
bottle-openner type motion... That splits it cleanly lengthwise
for dungies less than 2.5lbs.

-sw

On 16 Jan 2024 16:26:37 GMT, Leonard Blaisdell wrote:

> I divided the crab up into four 1/3 cup portions. We will be having
> the same meal tonight too. A sprig or two of parsley would have added
> zing to the photo, but I didn't have any. :(
>
> <https://postimg.cc/R34DdjMk>

I've used small weeds from my yard for photo ops. Some look like
parsley or cilantro. Nobody will notice.

-sw