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by Alisia Chapman | June 26, 2008 at 7:39 am
Posted in Baltimore, food, poll
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June 26th, 2008 at 11:47 am | Please log in to reply. | Log in to rate this comment | report this comment
I'm no native crabber but I find that the mustard is one of the most unpredictable features of the crab. I also think it gives a little fingerprint/foot print, actually claw print to where the crab has been. Sometimes the mustard is fine but other times it tastes like what it really is. Any advice from the natives?
June 26th, 2008 at 12:29 pm | Please log in to reply. | Log in to rate this comment | report this comment
@ Daily Breather- I find that when it has a nice yellow hue, the mustard is delicious. However, when its more on the gray side of the spectrum, its not that great. Like you said, it all depends on the quality and freshness of the crab. Word.
June 26th, 2008 at 1:23 pm | Please log in to reply. | Log in to rate this comment | report this comment
I can handle the mustard in small doses. It does gross me out a little when people at the table start eating the mustard out of other peoples' crabs.
But, it's the people who dip crabmeat in butter who kill me. In a pinch when there's not enough Old Bay on them I'll dip them in cider vinegar, maybe.
June 26th, 2008 at 1:29 pm | Please log in to reply. | Log in to rate this comment | report this comment
The biggest, most egregious offense in my eyes is Females vs. Males, rather the willingness to eat females vs. Not. I grit my teeth with anger every time i drive by some crappy crab shack with a big board out front advertising cheap females by the bushel.
CLAWS FIRST ALL THE WAY
June 26th, 2008 at 2:27 pm | Please log in to reply. | Log in to rate this comment | report this comment
Have to agree with Evan. No Females. Let the mommies live.
!
June 26th, 2008 at 2:37 pm | Please log in to reply. | Log in to rate this comment | report this comment
I've heard so many explanations of what the yellow "mustard" is from fat to blood so here is the answer from bluecrab.info.
Contrary to popular belief, the "mustard" (or the "green gland" or "tomalley") is not fat, it's actually the crab's hepatopancreas, a main component of the crab's digestive system.
The hepatopancreas is a gland made up of very small branched tubes (ramified tubules) located on both sides of the mid-gut in the main body cavity directly under the top shell and functions as both liver and pancreas. It is involved in producing digestive enzymes and is responsible for filtering impurities from the crab's blood.
June 26th, 2008 at 2:48 pm | Please log in to reply. | Log in to rate this comment | report this comment
ottom line.. the mustard is crab crap.
June 26th, 2008 at 3:46 pm | Please log in to reply. | Log in to rate this comment | report this comment
ew. mustard.
June 26th, 2008 at 5:01 pm | Please log in to reply. | Log in to rate this comment | report this comment
mallet or knife? just use your teeth.
June 26th, 2008 at 5:22 pm | Please log in to reply. | Log in to rate this comment | report this comment
apparently brian is a caveman
June 26th, 2008 at 5:35 pm | Please log in to reply. | Log in to rate this comment | report this comment
I agree with claws first! And who needs a mallet? So the mustard is yellow or green depending on where the crabs come from and what they eat.
June 26th, 2008 at 6:05 pm | Please log in to reply. | Log in to rate this comment | report this comment
Claws first, no females, knife, Old Bay, no-dip, hold the mustard.
June 26th, 2008 at 8:39 pm | Please log in to reply. | Log in to rate this comment | report this comment
^Agreed.
June 27th, 2008 at 12:00 am | Please log in to reply. | Log in to rate this comment | report this comment
So, it really should be called mus"turd" then?!
June 27th, 2008 at 12:47 pm | Please log in to reply. | Log in to rate this comment | report this comment
A helpful instructional video for how to eat crabs... http://www.visitmybaltimore.com/video/400/
That is if you're a newb to the Baltimore tradition.
June 27th, 2008 at 1:44 pm | Please log in to reply. | Log in to rate this comment | report this comment
Think the guy in the video may be a little OCD. Did you really say he didn't eat the mustard because it "takes time" to eat it?
He loves the backfin caviar!
The best line of the video ---- "Come to Papa!"
Regardless, it's good for newbies Tom. Thanks for posting it.
June 27th, 2008 at 2:03 pm | Please log in to reply. | Log in to rate this comment | report this comment
Native Baltimorean here -
First, mustard is good when the crabs are fresh and local. It's part of the deal.
Second, claws last. Lots of work for not very good meat. The claws are best left to make crab soup. A good Baltimore crab house will serve red crab with a claw on the cup.
Third, mallets are for tourists. Period.
Fourth, Old Bay is for chips and cooking. Any decent crab house will have its own blend.
Fifth, Dipping? WTF. If you can't get an adequate amount of spice on your hands then you should get crabs from somewhere else.
Sixth, To the cider vinegar dipper - WTF?
Finally - no females ever. Point of Order.
June 28th, 2008 at 7:42 pm | Please log in to reply. | Log in to rate this comment | report this comment
Bryan in Timonium,
Bravo! Couldn't have said it better myself.
Now that Bryan has put this issue to rest definitively, what are everybody's top 3 places for carry-out crabs?
I am always looking for new places to try steamed crabs (Maryland-style only, please. Joe's Stone Crabs don't belong in a b discussion).
Mine are:
1. Salty Dog
2. Conrad's Crabs
3. Captain Trey's
June 29th, 2008 at 1:29 am | Please log in to reply. | Log in to rate this comment | report this comment
Lady Frances in Essex
Seafood stop in Fallston
Sorry the rest aren't carry-out but...
Bill's Terrace in Essex
Price's Seafood in Havre de Grace
And there are $1.25 crabs at Sue ISland Dock Bar and Crabhouse on Tuesdays during the summer. Yum. The menu doesn't have much and it's kind of a dive, but crabs are cheap and good and it's waterfront!
June 29th, 2008 at 2:56 pm | Please log in to reply. | Log in to rate this comment | report this comment
even though i'm not a tourist, i use the mallet.
why?
i like smashing things
alisia~wet willy's in edgewood! c'mon!
June 29th, 2008 at 5:18 pm | Please log in to reply. | Log in to rate this comment | report this comment
Marissa
I'm disappointed in you. :) A dinner knife is much better, because it is a multi-purpose tool.
The business end of the knife makes a great mallet and the "sharp" end is necessary to cut the backfin sections in half for easy pickin'.
As to the top 3 carry-out crab places, I was a little disappointed in Conrad's last night, so Captain Trey's moves up. I also forgot Ocean Pride, so my top 3 are:
Salty Dog
Captain Trey's
Ocean Pride/Conrad's (tie)
June 29th, 2008 at 6:20 pm | Please log in to reply. | Log in to rate this comment | report this comment
i like giving it one big wack and then i go at it with a fork.
WACK!
June 29th, 2008 at 7:36 pm | Please log in to reply. | Log in to rate this comment | report this comment
Mustard is good.
If you know how to properly eat a crab, the only tools you need are your hands and teeth.
No dipping.
Old bay is necessary.
June 29th, 2008 at 10:05 pm | Please log in to reply. | Log in to rate this comment | report this comment
Knife only (Carvel Hall of course)
No Females
JoSpice #2 !
And NO Scale Hands ! You pick it up you eat it !
June 30th, 2008 at 2:01 am | Please log in to reply. | Log in to rate this comment | report this comment
Ollie.... you brought up the best crab controversy ever... I'm with you. You touch it, you it eat it! Talk about a crab eating tabbooooooooo.
June 30th, 2008 at 9:51 am | Please log in to reply. | Log in to rate this comment | report this comment
What about those of us that choose not to eat crab at all?
Votes for vegetarians!!!!
Poor Zoidberg:(