Humm let's see... fun, sun, food, making memories, bonfires, beer exchange, bike rides, walks on the beach, shopping in old town, Fish&Chips, fudge ....
Okay... I'll (un)Organize the Craft Beer Exchange, as an "opener" event
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Donna D.
Ten Forward - 2014 Escape 5.0 TA
Double Yolk - 1988 16' Scamp Deluxe
I am planning to repeat my Trailer [b]Weigh-in Event. Since the vast majority of people participated on Thursday this year, I will make it a One-Day Event on whatever day is considered to be the official "arrival day" of the Gathering. I hope to update my procedures to make participating as easy as possible. Thanks to Eric B. for getting me a spreadsheet program (I only had a word processor this year) so I hope to give out the results immediately instead of having to email them afterward.
Were people comfortable with my procedures this year? Are there any suggestions for improvement?
Trailer: 1978 16 ft Fiber Stream / 2004 Nissan Xterra
Posts: 12
Gina,
I'll probably hear differing opinions, but, crab taste far better,accept more spice if you are into that, and are far easier to cook, because you can fit twice as many in each pot, if you first back and clean them and break them in half. An added advantage is they can cooked inside without smelling up the house. When I first arrived on the Oregon coast, I was told by natives and comercial crabbers, that cooking them guts, feathers, and all, was for tourists. At $4.50 [at]#, you can increase your profit if you sell a back shell full of cooking water with each crab! It's a lot more work up front, but it makes them far easier to eat and reduces the amount of crab waste build up on plate or table. Chris
hmnnn... I have never heard that, and I am a native. Always just tossed them in. My dad was a crabber and that's the way he did it.
How would one clean them.. before they are dead? It's the pot tossing that kills them. Backing them while alive would certainly do it, but seems a bit cruel .. I have never seen it done.
I personally do not care for the "Crab Butter", the gooey stuff in the body cavity, but I do like the body meat. It cooks in the shell just like the leg meat does, and folks that like the butter say thats what gives the body meat the flavor.
Anyway, we can try different ways. I am working on a whole program... stay tuned!
Trailer: 1978 16 ft Fiber Stream / 2004 Nissan Xterra
Posts: 12
By the way, you still get to murder them, but you do it by bashing them in the belly with a stick, ripping off thier backs, and breaking the remainder in half. I can't imagine either method is too pleasant for the crab' but it just takes too long when you OD them on barbituates.
Chris
For years we have cooked them just as they come out of the water but after talking to natives along the coast we tried and have liked cleaning them before cooking. And we have done that for the last five years. It works good and tastes better. So what is more cruel? Throwing them into boiling water to die or ripping their backs off? Both seem cruel from the crabs point of view but to the same end, the taste is wonderful for us.
Oh......we are soooo in!! Absolutely love fresh crab! Tammy and I are in with the clean then cook crowd. In our humble opinion, the meat tastes better when cooked after being cleaned. Cooking them alive means they cook in their own juices and taints the meat a bit. What ever works tho....were in! We have a big arse pot that will hold quite a few....
What's the plan for collecting the crab? Do we just hand out invitations for a hot tub party??
I figured we would take sign ups, and find out what the price for live ones is that day, take a collection and I will run down to the Crab Shack and pick them up in a bunch of faom coolers.
I will be posting a plan soon. Including a contest!
Over by the boat ramp there is a fish cleaning station and it has nails, hooks, something at bench that you use to slam the crab over and pull the back off. Then just use the water pressure to clean the guts or whatever out. I've never cooked crabs before cleaning them. I'm not opposed to it though, because if you were at a place crabbing and had no where to clean the crabs you would have to just throw them in the pot, guts and all.
Count me in. In fact, I arrive on July 7th and sometime that week I planned to go crabbing at the pier but I'd have to eat mine because I don't have any way to hold them over for the crab feed. Once you decide what day I might just go crabbing again.
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Joy A. & Olive and "Puff", too
Fulltime
2019 Ram Longhorn
Dennis and I are both in for the crab feed. We also have a large pot and we have a large 2 burner stove with pole legs that we can bring. Fresh crab is the best and what a great way to celebrate being on the coast.
I am planning to repeat my Trailer [b]Weigh-in Event. Since the vast majority of people participated on Thursday this year, I will make it a One-Day Event on whatever day is considered to be the official "arrival day" of the Gathering. I hope to update my procedures to make participating as easy as possible. Thanks to Eric B. for getting me a spreadsheet program (I only had a word processor this year) so I hope to give out the results immediately instead of having to email them afterward.
Were people comfortable with my procedures this year? Are there any suggestions for improvement?
You did a great job at the Gathering. The information was very useful when planning a long trip. I have no suggestions for improvement! I am glad to hear that you are offering to do it again.
I think you can count us in for the crab feed. You may need to make a different thread just for this unless you limit the number you can handle. You don't want to have to buy 200 crab for 170 people. It would take a long time to clean and cook that many. And since you will be ordering the crab, will you be ordering any oysters? They have some wonderful oyster farms just north of there. Hopefully you will find a fishing book that will sell direct to you and you can get a great deal instead of paying the tourist prices at the fish shops.
Trailer: 1998 17 ft Casita Spirit Deluxe / Red F150 X-Cab
Posts: 378
We had a wonderful time and I wish we could go again next year. My only suggestion would be to put people's screen name on their nametags because I don't "know" a lot of people by their real names, only what I see when they post. I had quite a few "aha!" moments when I would get to talking to someone and would finally discover they were someone I had "talked to" before, just had no idea by only seeing their given name. Thanks again for all your hard work!
yep, I will do a separate thread when it is a little closer, and I have time to put the details together. It's getting more interest than I had expected!
things people will need to think about bringing are a gas BBQ or cook stove, large pots to boil water in, nutcrakers or digging forks, coolers with ice (To cool the little darlins after cooking) their favorite sauce and/or butter if they choose (I eat mine without extras) wine if you choose (I know nothing about wine, so I am a lousy source for providing it) and..tight sealing non leaking trash bags! We don't want to be smelling the dumpsters the next day!
There will be a BIB making contest! I am leaning towards folks making their own at home and bringing it, but, we can also find paper ones and give folks crayons or something The theme will be.. REDNECK. Formal attire not required.
As far as the cost of the crab, I will call a week or so before hand and find out what market price is. Since the crabs will be live, I will have to collect from each participant just before the feed and run down and get them. Plan on about 40 bucks or so per couple. I'll have a better idea when we get closer.
I fed 3 folks in 2006 for about 50 bucks, and the meal consisted of crab and cocktail sauce, with a side salad and bread. That's all.
"The Eggstacy"
Boomerang
Thanks to Eric B. for getting me a spreadsheet program (I only had a word processor this year) so I hope to give out the results immediately instead of having to email them afterward.
the GDec
Backing them while alive would certainly do it, but seems a bit cruel .. I have never seen it done.
The theme will be.. REDNECK. Formal attire not required.
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