How to identify and remove crab gills and lungs

Autumn is the best season to eat crabs. At this time, crabs are the fattest and most tender, and are very nutritious. Many people who like to eat crabs will buy some crabs at this time. Crabs are particularly difficult to eat because of their special shape, and there are some parts of the crab that cannot be eaten. We must be clear when eating and remove these things.

Crab stomach:

The “triangle bag” hidden in the crab roe, where is the crab stomach? Open the crab shell and you will see some crab roe on the shell. The crab stomach is hidden in the crab roe in the shell. The crab stomach is very dirty and is where bacteria grow and multiply, so it is not recommended to eat it.

Crab gills:

Two rows of "little fans" After opening the crab shell, the two rows of gray fan-shaped soft tissues on the crab's body are crab gills. Crab gills are the crab's respiratory system, used to filter water, and are very dirty. It is also not suitable for consumption.

Crab heart:

"Hexagonal plates" under the black film. Traditional Chinese medicine often says that crabs are extremely cold, and the crab heart is the coldest. The crab heart is a white hexagon, which is usually located under a black membrane in the center of the crab. Don’t eat the “heart” of the crab, it is extremely cold!

Crab intestines:

There is a black line connecting the crab stomach to the crab navel. The crab intestine is located in the triangle that can be opened in the crab's lower abdomen. If you open the triangle, you can see a black line connecting its top to the crab's body.

How to choose crabs

1. Fresh crabs are heavier. Under the condition of the same size, heavier ones mean more meat and more crab roe. When choosing, find a crab of suitable size and weight as a standard, and then use this standard to choose crabs of similar weight.

2. Choose crabs that are fresh and alive. The crab's eyes are most sensitive to external stimuli, so when choosing a crab, touch its eyes first. If the crab reacts more strongly, it means it is alive. You can also turn it over with its belly facing up to see if it can turn over on its own to determine whether it is healthy and fresh enough.

3. When selecting, the crab shell should be green and the crab belly should be white, not black; secondly, the crab tail should be red or yellow and stick up high, the crab shell part and the root of the crab navel should be separated and feel full, which means the crab roe is full.

4. Check the gender. Choose female crabs in August and September of the lunar calendar, and choose male crabs after September, because male and female crabs mature in these two periods respectively and taste the best and are the most nutritious. The belly button of a male crab is triangular, while the belly button of a female crab is round. If you press the belly button hard and it does not move, it means the crab is fat and has meat. If it moves easily or feels soft, it means the crab has little meat and a hollow shell. The belly button of a fat crab may even be slightly tilted, which means it is mature.

5. Place the crab under sunlight or light and observe it with its back to the light. If the edge of the crab shell is opaque when viewed through the sunlight, it indicates that the crab is plump. If translucent gaps are visible, the crab is relatively empty.