Whole blue swimming crab with a thin, easy-to-crack shell and a solid block of meat in each claw and leg. The body carries a blue-green tint on the back that turns bright orange-red once cooked.

Origin

Taken by trap and gill net in the shallow coastal grounds of the South China Sea, landed and blast-frozen the same day.

Specification

• 2 kg box, whole and uncleaned
• 5 to 7 crabs per box, roughly 280 to 400 g each
• Thin shell with a high meat-to-shell ratio
• Frozen whole, not cooked

Condition

Raw and frozen. The shell is soft enough to open with a knife at the joint, so no crab cracker is needed.

Storage

• Keep at −18 °C or colder from delivery to cooking
• Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, never on the counter top
• Cook within 24 hours of thawing and never refreeze a thawed pack

Shelf life and delivery

• Best before 18 months from the production date printed on the pack
• Packed in an insulated liner with gel packs and shipped on a cold chain
• Move the box straight to the freezer on arrival and check the pack is still firm

How to cook

• Steam for 12 to 15 minutes until the shell turns orange, then serve with ginger vinegar
• Chop at the joints and stir-fry with rice cake and scallion
• Split, brush with garlic butter and grill shell-side up
• Simmer the shells for 20 minutes to make a stock for soup

Allergens

Contains crustaceans (shellfish). Not suitable for crustacean allergies.