Fish Sniffer On Demand Digital Edition Issue 3726 Dec 8-21 | Page 27

Dec 7 - 21, 2018
SALTWATER
VOL.37 • ISS. 26
27
SALTWATER REPORTS:
in interest after Thanksgiving before
people want crab again for Christmas. If
you want to get out for great action with
plenty of room on the boat, this is the
BODEGA BAY cont.
time to go,” he stated.
rockfish. It was flat calm on Sunday, and it
Powers ran north to Fort Ross on
is supposed to be calm at the start of this
Saturday, November 24, for a mixed
week before another system moves in.”
bag of rockfish composed of at least 10
“Our loads were big during Thanksgiving different species. They pulled the crab
Week, but it is typical that we have a lull
pots for limits before returning to the
docks by 2:00 p.m.
Earlier in the
week, the weather
was the limiting
factor, but it has
been Groundhog
Day for limits of
rockfish and crab.
Captain Trent Slate
of Bite Me Charters
went out on a fun
trip with Jesse Hall
and their families,
and they returned
with 8 limits of
Dungeness, split
50/50 between
sport and
commercial grade
crustaceans.
North Bay
Charters has
also been busy
2912
with third captain
Merlin Kolb also
reporting limits of
crab and rockfish
on the six-pack,
Get to the fishing grounds Get
fast on to our
charter grounds
boat in Moss fast
Landing-Monterey
the 50’ fishing
on our 50’ Bay Take Five.
charter boat in Moss Landing - Monterey Bay
WWW.KAHUNASPORTFISHING.COM

- Dave Hurley
CONTINUED FROM PG 23
SALMON • - ROCKFISH
ROCKFISH • - ALBACORE
ALBACORE
SALMON
831-633-2564
831-633-2564
www.kahunasportfishing.com
4.23.10
GOLDENEYE 2000
56’ High Speed Stable Catamaran
Halibut•Stripers•Rockcod
Captain
Quang
Vo
Call for
CRAB
COMBOS!
3508
Departs Daily from The Berkeley Marina
www.goldeneye2000.com
RESERVATIONS: 510-610-0888
Anglers fishing the Farallon Islands during crab and rockfish combo trips have been landing
some very nice lingcod. This quality ling was landed on November 17.
Photo courtesy of HAPPY HOOKER SPORTFISHING, Berkeley.
FISHERMAN’S WHARF
Anglers Haul In Limits of Rockfish,
Crabs
SAN FRANCISCO – Crab and rockfish action was
excellent for anglers who ventured outside of the
Golden Gate on the weekend of November 24-25.
“What a great weekend we experienced,” said
Erik Anfinson, Captain of the Bass Tub. “We ended
our trip on Sunday, November 25, with 27 limits of
rockfish, 27 limits of crab and one lingcod out at the
Farallon Islands.”
The Bass Tub’s last crab/rockfish combo of the
season is scheduled for Sunday, December 2.
“We only have one more day left with a space
available and that will be next Saturday for crab
CONTINUED ON PG 26
Cooking Your Crabs, Reloaded
Awhile back, I wrote several different
drop the crab in the pot method and he
articles at several different
said “no”; there was a better way.
times exploring the wonderful
He proposed removing the
world of crab cooking. Very
carapace first, and cleaning the
appropriately for this time of
crab before tossing it into a pot of
year as the crab season has
boiling water that had been sea-
opened and those who are
soned with salt and ginger slices.
willing to venture forth into
He reasoned that with the original
the briny deep are snatch-
dropping the crab in the water, the
ing easy limits of crab, I
resulting water after the crab was
have come back with some
finished cooking was dirty and
thoughts as to the best way
smelly.
to cook these leggy critters.
Cracking open the carapace
The most traditional way
of the cooked crab also revealed
by Steve
of cooking crab is to simply
a good amount of dark, smelly
“Hippo”Lau internal liquid. Meat cooked in
drop them into a large pot of
boiling salted water. Back in
dark, smelly liquid couldn’t be all
the old days in many seaports, this salt
that good. By cleaning out the crab first,
water was simply the water gathered
the cooked crab was not only cleaner
from the ocean. People have enjoyed
and fresher smelling, the boiling water
their crabs like this for decades, and
also turned into the basis of a terrific crab
probably for centuries. I, myself, used to
stock.
cook crab this way and for years no one
Indeed, as I tried this method of cooking
complained about the flavor of the crab.
crab, those for whom I was preparing crab
Then a curious thing happened. I was noticed the difference in the flavor and
talking to someone on one occasion and “cleaness” of flavor from the crab. Be-
the talk came back to the best way to
cause of this obvious improvement in the
cook a crab. I mentioned the traditional
flavor of the crab, cleaning the crab before
SALTY TIPS
boiling it became my preferred technique.
As I pondered the whole cooking situation, how-
ever, this thought came to mind; if this method is
producing such wonderful stock, doesn’t that mean
that much of the flavor of the crab is leaving the
crab and entering the water?
This very matter is of prime importance in the
world of barbecue. One of the techniques for get-
ting tender pork ribs is to boil the ribs in water and
just before they are done, removed from the wa-
ter, slathered with sauce, and finished in an oven.
Sure, the meat is tender, but it also has a distinct
washed out flavor. Could this very same thing be
happening to the crab?
As an experiment, I decided to steam the cleaned
crab. My reasoning was this: steam is hotter than
boiling water so there is less cooking time; with less
contact time with water, less of the flavor compo-
nents leave the crab; and with less water to boil,
there is less energy used to cook the crab.
The results have been very satisfying so far. With
less than 2” of water in my pot I can cook up to six
whole crabs (capacity of the pot). I season the water
with salt, ginger, garlic, and a little old bay season-
ing and it gives the crab meat a wonderful flavor.
If you are willing to try this method of cooking
your crabs, I think you will find it to be your new
favorite.