Steaming hairy crabs takes about 20 minutes.

The steaming time of hairy crabs is directly related to the size of the hairy crabs. If the hairy crabs you buy are 3 to 4 taels, they will usually be steamed for 12 minutes to be cooked. If the hairy crabs are 4 taels or more, they need to be steamed for 15 minutes. Only then can it be cooked thoroughly. There are many factors that affect steaming crabs in cold water. If you use high heat, it usually takes about 20 minutes.

The most important thing when steaming crabs is to maintain the freshness of the crabs. Steam the crabs but not overcook them. If you steam them for too long, the meat will not be fresh and sweet. If you steam them for too little time, parasites and germs will be introduced. exist. To steam crabs, generally put the crabs in the pot after boiling them. Steam them on high heat for 5 minutes, then on low heat and continue steaming. For crabs weighing less than three to four taels, continue steaming on low heat for 10 minutes. For crabs weighing three to four taels, steam on low heat for about 12 minutes. Crabs that are two or more pieces should continue to be steamed for about 15 minutes. Usually, the steaming time will be increased by about 2 minutes for every one or two pieces of weight.

How to select hairy crabs:

1. Look at the back shell: To judge the quality of hairy crabs, you should observe the color of the back shell. Among them, the back shell of plump, strong and meaty crabs is green. It is black and bright in color, with distinct velvet on the legs, and the tips of the crab legs are yellow. The back shell of the thin hairy crab is light in color, with low gloss and sparse velvet.

2. Look at the navel: The quality of hairy crabs can be distinguished by looking at the navel. For hairy crabs with a lot of crab roe and crab roe, the navel will bulge outward. You will feel elasticity and resistance when pressing, and the edge of the navel will be tender. Yellow, while the navel of hairy crabs with less crab paste and crab roe is relatively dry and there will be no obvious resistance when pressed.

3. Test vitality: During the process of selecting hairy crabs, you can place the hairy crabs with their back shells facing down on the ground. The crabs that are quickly turned over are responsive, full of vitality, fresher and plump, while those that cannot be turned over or Hairy crabs that flip slowly are unresponsive and less fresh.

4. Choose the male and female: You can judge the quality of the hairy crabs by looking at the male and female. Generally, the hairy crabs listed in August and September, the female crabs with round navel are the most plump and have more crab roe, while the hairy crabs listed in October, The male crab with a pointed navel is the fattest and contains rich crab paste.