Salt-Baked Hairy Crab
"When the autumn winds rise, the crabs grow restless; when the chrysanthemums bloom, the scent of crab is in the air" — peak crab season is here. Most people steam crab, but today I'm sharing a salt-baking method. It's simple, requires few ingredients, and keeps the meat tender. The high heat also causes the meat in the claws to contract slightly, so it slips right out — nothing wasted.
Ingredients
Premium Hairy Crab
2
Coarse Salt
400 g
Sichuan Peppercorns
3 g
Star Anise
1
Bay Leaves
1 slice
Instructions
1
Step 1
Use a brush to scrub clean the surface of the crab belly and the soft bristles;
2
Step 2
Then use kitchen paper to absorb the surface moisture and set aside;
3
Step 3
Pour the coarse salt into a clay pot, then add the Sichuan peppercorns, star anise, and bay leaves;
4
Step 4
Use chopsticks to stir and mix evenly;
5
Step 5
Cover the pot with a lid and heat over medium heat until you hear the salt grains crackling, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally during this time;
6
Step 6
Place the moisture-absorbed hairy crabs in, cover the surface of the crabs with salt to taste, with the crab belly facing up so the crab roe does not flow out and go to waste;
7
Step 7
Cover the pot with a lid and bake over low heat for about 20 minutes, then turn off the heat and let it rest for 3–5 minutes; the crab shells should all turn red when ready;
8
Step 8
Finished dish;
9
Step 9
Finished dish;
10
Step 10
Finished dish.
