Combing the World for Hairy Crab

Back in the US, autumn means it’s pumpkin spice latte season. But in China, it’s hairy crab season and, unlike a pumpkin spice latte, these crabs don’t come cheap.

Hairy crab (aka Chinese mitten crab for their furry claws) is for more refined dining. You eat hairy crab to enjoy the flavor, not to get full. Because, let’s face it, when the whole crab is only about the size of your palm and its edible parts make up an even smaller portion, it becomes incredibly difficult to fill up on them. You’ll end up frustrated with bruised fingertips before you get even halfway full, and the prices certainly don’t make them an everyday treat.

In Europe, hairy crabs are considered an invasive species. They first arrived in cargo ships, which would discharge ballast water collected in their home ports directly in destination harbors. For over a century, Germany had been plagued with hairy crabs, their constant burrowing causing tens of millions of euros in damages to dams. It wasn’t until local fisherman discovered they could sell the crustaceans to Chinese restaurants did their existence prove to be beneficial.

Today, these freshwater crabs might be small, but they cash in a hefty price. According to Robb Report, the prices for a box of just eight hairy crabs in 2020 went as high as 1,600 yuan (US$250), twice that of 2019, making hairy crabs the most expensive of its kind.

So what does this pricey crustacean taste like? The meat is sweet and succulent. But since it’s so small, the most prized part isn’t the legs, it’s the roe. There’s not much of it, but the yellow buttery roe is bursting with umami.

In October and November, cities all over China gun to attract hairy crab aficionados, but none more than Shanghai. The easiest way to enjoy hairy crab isn’t with any elaborate cooking method. Most chefs would agree – the best ingredients require only the most implicit of cooking methods. And since hairy crab is such a prized ingredient, chefs try their best to preserve the crab’s natural sweet taste. The most common way to prepare hairy crab is simply steaming it with spring onion and ginger, then dipping in vinegar.

But trust me when I tell you it’s difficult to get to the meat. The Shanghainese have developed a unique set of hairy crab eating utensils that consist of crackers, scissors, tongs, and tiny spoons and forks to push the meat out of the legs and scrape out the last bit of roe from its body. This refined method even makes a cameo in classic Chinese literature. In chapter 38 of Dream of the Red Chamber, the fine dining technique of “the eight-piece crab” is described in vivid detail.

But even with professional tools, these crabs are hard to eat, so many restaurants have adapted to foodies on the go. Instead of serving up whole hairy crab, many restaurants will now offer set menus of dishes infused with hairy crab meat and roe to emphasize their taste, like crab meat congee and crab roe fried rice.

Whether you’re looking to live the high life and enjoy some fine dining with whole hairy crab and all its teeny tiny eating instruments, or you’re going for a more casual approach, this seasonal Chinese delicacy is definitely not to be missed. Like driving out to Piedmont during white truffle season, enjoying an authentic hairy crab experience is something you’ll share with fellow foodie friends for a lifetime – if you think it’s worth the price and trouble.