Hand Picked Crab Meat
Sweet white meat pulled in whole strands, with nothing to pick out and no shell shards waiting to catch a tooth. It goes from the bag to a hot wok in about the time it takes to chop a spring onion.
What it is
The leg and claw meat of blue swimming crabs, picked by hand and packed in whole pieces. Colour runs from translucent white to a pale pink at the tips, and the texture is springy as long as it is not cooked twice.
Where it comes from
Picked at a shore plant on the same shift the crabs are landed, then frozen flat in shallow layers so the strands stay separate. Every lot is checked over a light table for shell before it is packed.
Specifications
| Species | Portunus pelagicus |
|---|---|
| Form | Picked meat, raw, frozen flat |
| Net weight | 2 kg per box |
| Size | Whole strands, 3 cm to 6 cm |
| Grade | A, no shell fragments |
| Packaging | Frozen flat, vacuum bag inside a carton |
Condition on arrival
Frozen as a flat sheet rather than a solid lump, which lets you break off what you need. The surface should look moist and white, not dry or grey at the edges.
Storage and thawing
- Keep at −18 °C or colder for up to nine months
- Thaw in the refrigerator for six to eight hours, or in a sealed bag in cold water for 30 minutes
- Squeeze out the excess water on paper towel before it goes into the pan
- Do not refreeze once thawed
Shelf life and delivery
- Best before: 12 months from the production date on the carton
- Sent on a cold chain in an insulated liner with gel packs
- Freeze on arrival and check the sheet is still flat
How to cook
- Stir-fried: tomato, chilli and garlic, two minutes over high heat
- Fried rice: folded in at the very end so the strands stay whole
- Hot pot: dropped in for the last minute of the boil
Allergens and compliance
Contains crustaceans. Picked and packed in a facility that also handles fish and molluscs. Raw product, cook thoroughly before serving.