Land Crabs?

Sitka Serial expat

953POSTS

10 years ago

Can someone educate me about the land crabs in PR? I saw some for sale at a road side vendor. How are they cooked? Any good to eat??

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ReyP ViP

5509POSTS

10 years ago

Very good to eat.
http://hotcheapeasy.com/2014/07/24/salm … crab-stew/

ReyP ViP

5509POSTS

10 years ago

The name is jueyes, they are very good to eat and made into many different dishes and fritters. Enjoy, search for more recipes by their name.

frogrock Serial expat

509POSTS

10 years ago

In Puerto Rico, if you see a man with crabs on the side of the road, dig in.

ReyP ViP

5509POSTS

10 years ago

My father would buy them, then put them in a big tin container with a tiny amount of water at the bottom and feed them a few scraps of bread for a couple of days. He said to clean them up because they live in the mud.

I am not sure how wide of a practice that was, but that is how I learned it when I was a kid.

If any are dead, trow them away, the rest goes in the pot. May want to use some of the Maryland crab boil stuff they sell in the states, not sure if they sell it in PR, I have not had fresh PR crabs in decades.
You can make fantastic alcapurias with them.

Sitka Serial expat

953POSTS

10 years ago

ReyP wrote:
My father would buy them, then put them in a big tin container with a tiny amount of water at the bottom and feed them a few scraps of bread for a couple of days. He said to clean them up because they live in the mud.

I am not sure how wide of a practice that was, but that is how I learned it when I was a kid.

If any are dead, trow them away, the rest goes in the pot. May want to use some of the Maryland crab boil stuff they sell in the states, not sure if they sell it in PR, I have not had fresh PR crabs in decades.
You can make fantastic alcapurias with them.

Pardon my ignorance, what's a "alcapurias"? We love most type of crabs so, am looking forward to trying it.

ReyP ViP

5509POSTS

10 years ago

It is a fritter, available in maky kiosk. The fresher it is the better have them fry it while you wait.
Here is a link
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcapurria

It is made with many diferent meats, they also a fritter that is really a fried pastry that for some reason they are calling it a taco. I do not see much difference between that sort of taco and an empanadilla other that the empanadilla is smaller and formed like a half circle.

Empanadas, tacos (not mexican), alcapurias, are all fried and are stuffed with some sort of meat inside. If tou can learn how to make them, everyone likes one or the other. You can also learn to make a small variety of the empanadas to serve as appetizers at a party.

My favirate is the crab alcapuria and crab empanadas, the ground beef ones are the most common and are very good. Loiza is well know for these fritters, but tou can find them everywhere.

Sitka Serial expat

953POSTS

10 years ago

Thanks for the education - I wonder if catching the crabs is difficult? We saw a few vendors parked along side the road in a few spots selling the crabs. Don't recall the price.

I also wonder about the available shell fish like clams, oysters, lobster?

ReyP ViP

5509POSTS

10 years ago

Most of that I do not know, but the land crabs are known to migrate from the mangro wet areas to drier areas, I seen thousands crossing the road when I was a kid. Lots of peopke would stop their car and grab them and throw them in their trunk. Outside if that I heard of sticking a bend hanger into their hole, they would bite the wire and then you pull them out. I never tried it.
We also have crayfish like freshwater (langostinos), they look a lot like a lobster. Ussualy in the shallows and shadow areas of rivers. Very good to eat. I may raise them in the future, not hard to raise and good money on them.
Not sure of the other items you mentioned without a picture.
It has been over 40 years (1973) since I left the island and my visits have always been short.

adlin20 ViP

1057POSTS

10 years ago

#10

They are protectec now and there is a time of the year you can catch them. If DNR catch you with them outside of the hunting season you will get fine.
Right now the sell for about $25-35 a dozen. The way to catch them is with a trap, same desing as the ones to catch squirls, they use melasa as bait( sugar cane extract).

Rey, I used corn to "clean" them and fattem them before eating. Keep them a week or two on a clean water and corn diet.

We had some my sister in law brough us before our last trip. We boil them with old bay and eat them acompany with boil guineos (bananas). You can make them just about the same way you will make blue crabs.

Sitka Serial expat

953POSTS

10 years ago

#11

Are the crabs particular to some parts of the island? or can they be anywhere?

Sitka Serial expat

953POSTS

10 years ago

#12

I found this clip that was interesting on the trap used

http://www.topix.com/forum/world/puerto … 5F25DUPGPN

ReyP ViP

5509POSTS

10 years ago

#13

I wonder if they can be raised. Since the Department of Natural Resources regulates them, I wonder if there any programs to raise them at a farm to either release in the wild or for comercial farming.
Anybody knows?

sandrarduncan Serial expat

487POSTS

10 years ago

#14

We are use to buying and eating Alaska king crab. We personally wouldn't bother with the crab here. Same goes for the lobster here. We are from New England Maine lobsters are really good .We are spoiled and Puerto Rico lobster doesn't taste as good. So we just past on those things while we live here

ReyP ViP

5509POSTS

10 years ago

#15

sandrarduncan wrote:
We are use to buying and eating Alaska king crab. We personally wouldn't bother with the crab here. Same goes for the lobster here. We are from New England Maine lobsters are really good .We are spoiled and Puerto Rico lobster doesn't taste as good. So we just past on those things while we live here

Your tastebuds are diferent than mine. A lot of it is what you grew up with. Do you like Malta? I bet you dont, I love it.
Do you like apples, i dont. Do you like grapes, I dont. They are not native of PR so I never ate them when I was growing up.
I grew up in PR, so I believe different and my tastes are different from yours. I do like alaskan crab, but it is too sweet. I like maine lobster also but taste is different, that does not make it bad, that makes it different.
Every culture has food that is a delicacy to them but outsiders can not ussualy stomach.
You seem to believe they are inferior to what you are used to. I believe them to be different, I embrace all cultures and accept their ways.

Sitka Serial expat

953POSTS

10 years ago

#16

Yes, shell fish does vary a lot around the world. And we all have personal preferences - for me, fresh Dungeness is tops, back in the day, we could get it fresh off the boat at the marina for $5.

I like to explore, learn and experience each new area we live in to appreciate it fully. Local products are usually great and the best value.

ReyP ViP

5509POSTS

10 years ago

#17

A little more about the land crabs. Very interesting reading about their lifecycle.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/m/#publication?id=UW013

somnamblst New member

7POSTS

6 years ago

#18

I know this thread is old, but using Google Maps I found a restaurant marker for a man who raises land crabs and sells them or serves them to eat in, whichever you prefer, in Luquillo.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/category … 428185535/

And here is Don Pablito being interviewed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_Whgoz9ldA

ReyP ViP

5509POSTS

6 years ago

#19

somnamblst wrote:
I know this thread is old, but using Google Maps I found a restaurant marker for a man who raises land crabs and sells them or serves them to eat in, whichever you prefer, in Luquillo.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/category … 428185535/

And here is Don Pablito being interviewed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_Whgoz9ldA

You can not raise them, it is illegal to have them during ceirtain months of a year. Also they require both sea and land during their life cycle.
What you see if a clean up period to clean their system of the mud. Typically it is about 10 days after capture.

ReyP ViP

5509POSTS

6 years ago

#20

Salmoreja de jueyes. https://youtu.be/lNTt3_0r0sA
Spanish video how to make it.
She is using a different type of crab but the recipe is the same otherwise.