Hermosillo, Mexico
CRABS

The best of shrimp and lobster may be equal to or better than crab, but not by much. By crab, I am referring to the swimming crab or blue crab that is typical of the Chesapeake Bay, the southeastern coasts of the U.S. and the Gulf of Mexico. Swimming crabs are quick and aggressive. They are good to eat but they are a genuine riot to catch. If you want to really get your family or students involved in an unforgettable experience during your visit to Sonora's beaches, take them crabbing ... its cheap and its guaranteed to please.

Swimming crabs are common to abundant in the esteros of Sonora. There are several species. The largest is easily equivalent in size and flavor to the best of the Chesapeake Bay Crabs. The smaller variety is more common in the estuaries, will probably be the major part of your catch during your family adventure, and has an excellent flavor, but you will need to work to get at the meat.

A serious crab fishery is relatively new here. It has grown rapidly over the past five years and it has been unregulated until recently. The government's fisheries biologists claim that the crabs are over fished and the season is now closed during the months of June and July, when the crabs are mating and the females are carrying eggs. During the colder months of December through February, the active fishery stops as the crabs probably move to deep water and/or stop feeding and moving around.

Ideally crabs should be cooked or frozen while still living. When the crab dies, the flavor deteriorates rapidly, especially in the hot weather of this area. Ice does not help much because, in time, the water from the melting ice penetrates the crab and reduces the flavor of the meat. Crabs are not handled properly here. The animals are often treated roughly and left in boxes for hours before cooked or placed in refrigeration. Thus, buying crabs from a local supermarket is risky at best. But, that leads to more interesting opportunities.

During the months of crabbing you can purchase whole crabs or crab meat in the supermarkets and seafood stores. The whole crabs will be dead and it will be difficult to determine freshness. Best to forget these. The same is true for the picked meat. The crabs are cooked before the meat is picked, but as mentioned above, it is hard to say how the crabs were handled before cooking. What's more, the meat is often loosely piled in and/or covered with crushed ice that melts and dilutes whatever flavor it had. Better bet is to buy surime or imitation crab at a lower price. It is not the same, but check our recipes for some delicious ways to prepare it.

The best way to buy crabs is to go straight to the pangas as they land with their catch of the day. During the regular season, the crabbers pull their pangas up onto the beaches at about noon. It takes an hour or so to unload the crabs, sort them and transfer them to the buyer's truck. Just carry a bucket or cooler down onto the beach and ask how much (Cuanto cuesta la jaiba?). Prices are always rising here but expect to pay about 50 cents a pound ... 8 to 10 pesos per kilo. The largest crabs and most desirable will run about 3 crabs to a kilogram. Three crabs of this size will produce up to 400 grams of meat if you really do a good job. Smaller crabs will be more work and less meat but you will have to take what you get. Remember this is an adventure.

Even if the crabber (jaibero or pangero) cannot sell you his crabs (committed to a buyer) he will usually point to others who will. The crabbers are almost always friendly and helpful. I believe they enjoy the diversion from an encounter with gringos on their home turf. they will talk about it for months... you will make their day. You will probably be able to pick out your crabs if you want. I will tell you how to handle them on another page. If you are less adventuresome, a jaibero will grab the ones you point out. Once you have them, keep them cold and head back to your motel or campsite. The quicker you cook them, the better. For instructions on cooking and picking out the meat, click here.

You can also buy freshly picked meat at the houses on the road to the estuary in OLD KINO BAY. Just knock on a door and ask (Tiene carne de jaiba?). If the answer is no, you will almost surely be directed to another house that has what you want. The ladies who sell it are the ones who pick it. The meat is sold in one kilogram bags and it has usually been treated properly. By early afternoon, they are usually sold out. The cost is about $5.00 a pound (seventy or eighty pesos a kilogram). Put it on ice as soon as possible. The cooked meat will stay fresh for up to a week if kept cold and for months if kept frozen. Check out our crab recipes.

Seafood ... a first look..

SHRIMP.

Go to the HOTPAGE Do It Yourself Seafood page.

Buying crabs and crabmeat.

Catching your own crabs ... a real learning experience.

Soft Shell Crabs ... yes, they are here.

Catch and cook your own clams, mussels and snails.

Back to the HOTPAGE FOOD & DRINK index.

Comments or suggestions? Want to share your own knowledge or experiences? Send an email to nschool@nschool.org