“This is especially true during certain months when crabs are at their best,” he adds.
Hairy crabs, also known as mitten crabs, are palm-sized burrowing crustaceans named for their namesake furry claws, which look like fuzzy mittens.
The crab is native to rivers, estuaries and other shores of East Asia from as far north as Korea south to Fujian province in China.
Eddie Cheung, founder of Gold Garden Shanghai Cuisine restaurant in Tsim Sha Tsui, says hairy crabs’ popularity has to do with where the hairy crabs are raised and harvested, and when.
“The lakes of mainland China have a unique chemical composition and you can taste it in the texture of the crab fat,” Cheung says.
We reveal all you need to know about enjoying hairy crab.
1. Differences between male and female crabs
You can tell whether a hairy crab is male or female by looking at its underside and observing the shape of the flap, or apron. If it’s round, it’s a female, and if it’s triangular it’s a male.
As to which one is tastier, chef Simon Ng Wang-chau of Jiangsu Club, in Hong Kong’s Sheung Wan neighbourhood, says it’s all about timing and personal preference.
“Female hairy crabs are more popular during the ninth month of the lunar calendar [September 23 to October 23 in 2023]. Male hairy crabs do not have enough time to grow and absorb enough nutrients, so they will be small and thinner at that time.“By the middle of the tenth month of the lunar calendar [October 23 to November 22 in 2023], the male hairy crab will grow fat and big enough so the roe tastes sweet,” Ng says.
Chong Phuc Thanh, executive chef of Xia Fei Fei, in Hong Kong’s Central neighbourhood, explains in more detail: “There’s a saying in Chinese about hairy crabs, that you choose ‘round in the ninth month and pointy in the tenth month’.
“After Mid-Autumn Festival the orangey fat of the female will soften, and by the 11th month of the lunar calendar there will be a creamy, sticky layer of white fat in the males. Depending on your personal preference, you can choose which sex to eat and when.”2. How to choose your hairy crab
Picking out the best hairy crab is more of a craft than a science. According to Cheung, the black shell of the crab should have a greenish tinge and a healthy sheen.
The belly and claws should feel tight and, most importantly, the back should be semi-spherical and puffed out, indicating the crustacean is full of fat.
Ng says buyers should focus on a crab’s quality and weight, and that the hair on the legs should be golden in colour.
Chong agrees when it comes to weight, and adds: “The belly should be white and clean and the eyes of the crab should be bright and shiny and the crustacean should flinch a bit when you touch its eyes to indicate freshness.
“The claws and legs should be intact while the hair should be light, almost a blond colour. But most important is the weight of the crab in your palm. Even if it isn’t that big it should hold weight, like a shot put in your hand.”
3. Does size matter?
Our trio of experts have differing opinions when it comes to which size of crab is best.
Cheung thinks male crabs weighing between six and seven taels (roughly 220 to 260 grams) are the best for a reliable balance between fat and meat.
“Of course, the bigger the size the better, but once the crab is harvested later and reaches eight taels or more, growth cycle, weather and environmental conditions could stress it and it loses its fat content. So you can end up paying more for a bit of a gamble when you wait for a larger crab.”
How Shanghai hairy crabs get to your plate and ways to cook them
Ng, on the other hand, feels size does not matter and that it’s about terroir and timing. “Do not use the concept that bigger is tastier,” he says.” The key is when and where the hairy crabs come from.
“All hairy crab lovers know eating crab around halfway through the tenth month of the lunar calendar is the best.”
However, Chong thinks size is tied to the fat and meat balance in a hairy crab. “The larger a hairy crab, the better the quality of the meat.
“But for lovers of crab fat, anything between five-and-a-half to six taels is the best; the larger ones are better for meat,” he says.
4. How to clean a hairy crab
Cheung and Ng agree the crab should be submerged in ice and water to knock it out, then thoroughly cleaned with a brush and tied back up before it regains consciousness.
However, Chong feels that quality plays a part in the cleaning process. “The best hairy crabs are raised in clean waters, so if you buy a quality product, simple rinsing and light brushing should be enough to clean the shellfish,” he says.
5. One thing you absolutely shouldn’t do
The one thing all agree on is never to buy packaged hairy crab fat sold in containers. Cheung and Chong both feel the fat tastes best when it’s fresh, and that pre-packed crab fat will include fat from dead crabs.
“Never buy pre-packaged hairy crab fat. Most of it is from dead hairy crab, and it’s sometimes mixed with fat from other types of crab,” Ng says.
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