The Magnificent Charlotte Bay (Blue Swimmer) Crab
The Blue Swimmer Crab is a seafood icon of the NSW mid north coast. At Great Lakes Fisheries (GLF) it is one of our key species supplied both locally and more broadly through the Sydney Fish Market. As such, GLF takes great care to provide the highest quality Blue Swimmer Crabs from anywhere in NSW. Most importantly, GLF Blue Swimmer Crabs are the freshest on the market being a mere 6 hours from being harvested to sale at Sydney Fish Market. Uniquely, one of our key harvest areas is Charlotte Bay an area renown for crabs bigger, fuller and more flavoursome.
As fishermen who have caught these crabs and fed them to our families for generations, we have developed proven cooking methods from steaming/boiling to the more adventurous Iron Wok Chilli Crab.
Steamed Charlotte Bay Crab
The key to a perfect Charlotte Bay Blue Swimmer Crab experience starts where these crabs are harvested….clean estuary waters surrounded by National Parks. Second key action is using lots of ice at the point of capture. As peak season is the height of summer water temperatures can hover around 27 degrees. This is where GLF policy of free ice to all suppliers comes in. All GLF Blue Swimmer Crabs are immediately chilled in a salt water ice slurry upon capture. Freshness is locked in.
From this starting point flavoursome cooked crabs is easy. With a crab around 250-300gm (say up to 5) and using a boiler of around 4 litres the process can begin.
Keeping your crabs separate bring 4 litres of water to the boil. Add 2 tablespoon of salt. Then add your crabs one at a time. Note the time when your crabs went in the boiling water. Replace the lid and keeping the heat on full and wait for the pot to come back to the boil then turn the heat down to simmer. All up from when the crabs went in the boiling water to finish takes 12 minutes.
Turn heat off and remove crabs with long tongs and place into cool water. Your sink is ideal for this. Your sink is also ideal for cleaning the crabs. Under a running tap wash out unwanted pieces leaving pure white crab meat.
A perfect way to spend a summer afternoon!
Enjoy!