Carlos & Siran Posted December 13, 2009 Report Share Posted December 13, 2009 At the risk of sounding like a couple of plonkers, we have been given a crayfish for dinner tonight, and we were wondering are you supposed to kill it before you cook it? or do you just plonk it in? Our biggest pot is not going to fit it all in I don't think. Any suggestions? Thanks Siran Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoenix44 Posted December 13, 2009 Report Share Posted December 13, 2009 chuck it in a pot of boiling water. make sure you have a lid for the pot. could also smoke them. garlic, salt and a load of butter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reef13 Posted December 13, 2009 Report Share Posted December 13, 2009 you don't have to kill it first it is up to you if you don't you may find it makes a bit of a mess whilst splashing around for the first minute , if you want to just put it in the freezer for a bit will kill it or just stick it in the brain with a knife. If you can't fit the whole thing in and you want it boiled just tail it and take the legs and boild them. or you can just tail it cut the tail in half and oven bake it with a bit of garlic butter or cheese and sweet chilli sauce is nice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carlos & Siran Posted December 13, 2009 Author Report Share Posted December 13, 2009 thanx guys Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duncan7 Posted December 13, 2009 Report Share Posted December 13, 2009 Fold the tail over so that its curled back against the body, hold it firmly over the end of the tail so that it cannot open/flap its tail and put it head first in to boiling water, hold it until it has died, otherwise they splash around and its horrible. You can freeze them to kill them also but that can take a really long time, some argue that its more humane than straight into boiling water... Up to you, one may be painful and quick, and the other slow and not so painful? Either way its going to end up, well you know the rest. Good luck, its never a pleasent job, hopefully it wont taint the meal Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dimsum Posted December 13, 2009 Report Share Posted December 13, 2009 Don't crays scream when you boil them alive? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoenix44 Posted December 13, 2009 Report Share Posted December 13, 2009 I don't think they have the CNS to support a pain response. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carlos & Siran Posted December 13, 2009 Author Report Share Posted December 13, 2009 I heard it was air escaping Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zev Posted December 13, 2009 Report Share Posted December 13, 2009 Whatever way you deal with it - do not overcook it or it will be tough! I think 5mins is the number? Someone else will know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
si_sphinx Posted December 13, 2009 Report Share Posted December 13, 2009 Dont boil them alive, they make an awful noise if you do, we have always put them in a bucket on fresh water to kill them. when dead, put them into boiling water for 10mins, just like boiling an egg :lol: they should cook perfect every time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barrie Posted December 13, 2009 Report Share Posted December 13, 2009 Dont boil them alive, they make an awful noise if you do, we have always put them in a bucket on fresh water to kill them. when dead, put them into boiling water for 10mins, just like boiling an egg :lol: they should cook perfect every time. I would have cooked hundreds of crays (literally hundreds) and never heard a noise ever I dont go by time as boiling can depend on the depth of water but with about 25 to 50mm of water, you cook the underside until just turned red then turn over and cook the top side until just red. Remove the hot water and pour cold water over the cray. This cools the shell down and stops over cooking Another way is to cook the underside until red, remove from the heat and empty the hot water out. Place on a plate in the fridge or cooler place until the cray is cool enough to handle. Remove the tail and split length wise (from the under side of the tail)pour over a mix of butter, lemon juice with a little garlic (just enough to coat the flesh) and cook over the grill part of the BBQ with the flesh side upwards. When the flesh starts to reduce (only just starts) turn over and place daiagonally over the grill bars to slightly pattern the flesh then remove and serve using a little more of the seasoned coating while on seafood, scallops are best cooked by chopping bacon into smaller bits with lemon juice and butter. Once the bacon is almost cooked, place the scallops (either crumbed or not) in with the juice mix and cook for only enough time to heat the scallops through.... do not cook through, only enough to heat then up. This way the scallops will still be very tender and the bacon flavor just finishs them off. Those that can eat seafood raw will agree that scallops undercooked are easily better than those that are over cooked and the taste is the same Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carlos & Siran Posted December 13, 2009 Author Report Share Posted December 13, 2009 *salivates all over the keyboard* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carlos & Siran Posted December 13, 2009 Author Report Share Posted December 13, 2009 Cool, thanx for all the tips guys. My boss is Geoff Crawford who's in the NZ spear fishing team, he went out today and got us a nice crawly and a trevally. The cray turned out yummy, nice change for dinner. :bounce: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barrie Posted December 13, 2009 Report Share Posted December 13, 2009 Can you eat raw fish? Trevs are 2nd only to blue Mao mao for raw fish fillet and then thinly slice so that your going across the grain and the slices are only 3 to 5mm thick Make a dish with kikomin soy sauce and a couple of dollops (small) of Wasabi mixed together and place a few more dollops around the sides of the disk The fish should be well chilled. lightly bath the fish slice (note singular) in the soy mix and place in mouth. If a bit more heat is desired, slide fish slice over the wasabi before eating. Make sure you have a cold beer at the ready. Mussels... live of course. Slide the shell side way so you can slip a BLUNT knife in and cut through one side of the core. Remove the half shell and then cut through the other core (that attaches the mussel to the shell. Remove the beard and place back in the half shell Sprinkle salt (they with move) and a pinch of brown sugar. Place on the grill of your hot smoker and cook for no more than 10 minutes. I promise you that this will be the best way you have ever eaten mussels. Takes a long time to prepare but the wait is worth the effort Boy I cant wait for the 24th and Coromandel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Navarre Posted December 13, 2009 Report Share Posted December 13, 2009 Scallops saute and rest saute onions until just clear add double cream and reduce return scallops and a large pinch of tumeric heat scallops ..just serve with crusty bread wrap scallops in bacon cook until bacon is cooked eat stir fry with garlic butter Cray big pot boiling water ( enuff to cover cray) salt sugar once water to boil add cray and submerse 6 mins chill imeadiately sevre with what ever ( vinager, tartare, mustard from head ( yes i know what it is)) cut in half lenght ways remove inards grill flesh side down until shell changes colour turn fill shell with cheese/chilli/garlic butter grill until flesh just pulls from sides Bisque Always keep carapice add to fish heads/frames with onions carrots celary garlic potatoes etc add 10 l of h20 boil until reduced by 2/3 strain bring back to boil reduce to just a simmer add fish fillets cheeks cray seafood of choice...not kina ....turn off as last piece goes into stock add dollop of double cream to thicken serve with crusty bread/ crusty garlic bread Take fresh fish fillets place in bowl cover with lemon juice and refridgerate over night drain & pat dry dip in mango pulp/pinapple pulp etc and devour HTH Navarre Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djsurfs Posted December 13, 2009 Report Share Posted December 13, 2009 Oh where is the drooling smilie?! :lol: some great new (to me) recipes. yay! * checks the tide* *runs off to go get some mussels! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cricketman Posted December 13, 2009 Report Share Posted December 13, 2009 I love trevally like Barrie, or terakihi the same way. mmmm.... another good idea... take a snapper, gut,(gill and can scale if preferred.) make slices about 3-4 cm apart and bout 1 cm deep into the flesh on both sides of the fish. fill gut cavity with 1/2 a lemon sliced. squeeze remaining lemon over the fish. mix butter with your selection of herbs and spices and place in gut catity and knobs along the top of the fish. place in tinfoil, fold the edges over so it creates a tight seal. Throw on moderate bbq. The butter will melt and the lemon juices steam the fish, the BBQ sorta fries the underside, its a best of both worlds scenario! Open the parcel carefully to let steam escape, peel back the skin.. devour! Same can be done with a flounder. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Navarre Posted December 13, 2009 Report Share Posted December 13, 2009 Thats a good un can also add olive oil and sprigs of fresh herbs to gut cavity and use less butter gawd I miss working on a boat...lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barrie Posted December 14, 2009 Report Share Posted December 14, 2009 love fish for sure I quite often fillet fish and pocket them with all sorts of stuff, honey, soy, lime and any herbs I can find... even used cinamin once but wont be trying that again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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