How long to steam 'em?

[WhiteStoneBridge]

We always steam our whole live crabs for 22 - 24 minutes and that is perfect for us.

We may start taking off the top shells and gills though and doing them that way. The spice just gets into the meat so much better. For those of you that cook them this way, how long do you steam them ? I've heard too many mixed reports and am looking for a consensus.

[Capt. Dale]

Shells off is a Va thing, we in MD do them with shells on!

[yamadog]

Give or take 30 minutes. About 3 beers or so :)

[BIG EYE]

Stewed Jimmies and muddy gravy, I believe that is a Tanger thing, pod and claws, looks pretty good.:clapping2:

[Chop Chop]

With the price of everything going up, I've started cleaning them about a year ago. I don't cook more then 3 dozen at a time so the cleaning goes quick. With pot steaming good, put crabs in for 12 to 15 minutes and test claw to make sure they are done. Meat should be firm but not stick to shell. If it sticks to shell it is overdone. Cleaning them cuts the gas in 1/2 and uses very little seasoning.

[Water_boy]

With the price of everything going up, I've started cleaning them about a year ago. I don't cook more then 3 dozen at a time so the cleaning goes quick. With pot steaming good, put crabs in for 12 to 15 minutes and test claw to make sure they are done. Meat should be firm but not stick to shell. If it sticks to shell it is overdone. Cleaning them cuts the gas in 1/2 and uses very little seasoning.

I started pre-cleaning them when my wife was pregnant due to the advertised health concerns of eating mustard and never went back, the kids like it better that way too and personally I think the "Mustard" tastes like a$$ anyway.

I time them 15 minutes from the first visible steam and that seems to work for me. If anything I think I'm over cooking them, rather than cutting down the time I've been backing off on the temp a little to make sure it's not over boiling.

[rgminer]

What really matters is WHERE you steam them. Over a propane burner they will take much less time than say on an electric stove top. The type of pot and the number of crabs play a factor as well. If I steam a full pot in my kitchen, it can take an hour. If i steam half a pot it can take 30 minutes. if I take that same pot outside, to the propane burner, I can cut the time by 30%, but I have to add a little more liquid and the crabs a too juicy for my taste...

[Turd Ferguson]

I used to steam them for 30 min, now I do 45 and they come out much better
I think it has to do with how much steam your actually producing. I used a colman stove.

If the meat is watery(is that a word) it needs more time.

[jeffrey.bean]

I use a keg with a heavy lid over a propane burner, wet a newspaper a place over the crabs ( seems to help hold the steam in) 30 min tops, season them after the steaming, put in a newspaper lined cooler. They stay piping hot till our bellys are full:thumbup:

[petekilch]

I use a keg with a heavy lid over a propane burner, wet a newspaper a place over the crabs ( seems to help hold the steam in) 30 min tops, season them after the steaming, put in a newspaper lined cooler. They stay piping hot till our bellys are full:thumbup:



JMHO, if you do that, they continue to cook and will over-cook......

OVER-COOKING is the biggest mistake made when cooking seafood.... Crabs/Shrimp/Lobster/Scallops, doesn't matter, DO NOT OVER-COOK, you will be disapointed with the results ! I do not like Sushi at all, but over-cooked seafood is almost as bad ! Once again, JMHO......

Pete

[GoldenMonkey]

JMHO, if you do that, they continue to cook and will over-cook......

OVER-COOKING is the biggest mistake made when cooking seafood.... Crabs/Shrimp/Lobster/Scallops, doesn't matter, DO NOT OVER-COOK, you will be disapointed with the results ! I do not like Sushi at all, but over-cooked seafood is almost as bad ! Once again, JMHO......

Pete

I agree, nothing worse.

if the meat sticks to the inside of the claws, they are overcooked.

[WhiteStoneBridge]

Thanks for the replies. But last time I checked, vigorous steam is 220 degrees whether it is being generated on an electric stove top or over a propane burner, right ?

I think I'll aim for 12-15 minutes. I'm not sure how you guys are steaming these things for 30 minutes with the shells off when they are plenty done at 24 minutes with the shells on.

[Porter316]

it's all about the particular setup you're using.......trial and error until you have it just right.

for me, with my grill, i can steam 2 dozen on the side burner in about 22-25 minutes.

with my larger cooker, it's more like 30-33 minutes.

and i always get the steam rolling before adding the crabs.

never taken the shells off......might have to give it a try.....wife would definitely like it better. i had them that way once when i was a kid.......person who made them called them "tangier style"

[Crabbermanjl]

22-25 depending on how many

[7bartman]

I've been eating them all my life and haven't heard of anyone taking the shells off before. How is this done, do you steam them for a little while to kill them and then take the shells off and add seasoning, or do you take the shells off when they are still alive and then steam and add seasoning. Might have to give it a try. Seems like it would be a better way of getting that seasoning flavor in the meat.

[WhiteStoneBridge]

Yes, you take a live crab and while wearing heavy rubber gloves (and maybe the tongs) you pull his claws off. Then you quickly pry off the top shell, use the shell points to scoop out as much of the innards as you can (and just shake it out too), pull off the reproductive flap, and take off the gills.

When you add spice while layering the crabs in the steamer, the spice goes right on the meat and really does add to the flavor. My wife like this method better b/c it makes for a little less mess when it's actually time to eat them. I'm indifferent as to the mess, but the flavor is definitely better due to the spice hitting the meat directly. It's a little more work up front, but a lot of folks prefer it this way.

Plus, you have a whole mess of crab guts to put into your minnow pot so you can go try to catch a big flounder !

[Ranger1]

Enhance the flavor of the meat? The Maryland Blue Crab is the sweetest crab in the world, cooked in it's natural form. Some Old Bay, or MCcormicks on the shell is a nice addition. Cooking them without the top on is like cooking fish, chicken or steak without the bones and fat. You lose a good amount of the natural flavor. Do you like chicken without the skin?. Steak without the bone or fat? If you are worried about the pollutants in the mustard then focus your energy on getting them out of our watershed. Is this country so F'ed up that we change what we like to eat because we can't stop f"ing up our water? Sorry for the lecture dude but taking the top off a Maryland Blue Crab before cooking should be a felony.

[jeffrey.bean]

Pete and GM,

I thought the same thing about being in the cooler. I read a post on here not long ago and decided to try it last week. After +- 2 hrs the crabs coming out of the cooler where fine. As a matter of fact, everyone at the table complimented how good the crabs where.

I steam a bu at a time, propane is to $ now adays to steam them as you need them and I like my crabs hot, so the cooler trick works for me

[Water_boy]

I've been eating them all my life and haven't heard of anyone taking the shells off before. How is this done, do you steam them for a little while to kill them and then take the shells off and add seasoning, or do you take the shells off when they are still alive and then steam and add seasoning. Might have to give it a try. Seems like it would be a better way of getting that seasoning flavor in the meat.

When I get home I put them all in a cooler and dump a bag of ice on top for about a half hour which slows them down. No need to rip off the claws. With heavy rubber gloves you can rip the top off, tear out the gills and lungs then give it a quick blast with the hose. If you like a little mustard you can just go easy with the hose and leave some for taste. If you don't like any mustard at all tear the apron off and you can get almost all of it out, that's the way my kids like it.

I think some of the steam times people are posting here are for shell on, without the shell it's only about 15 minutes depending on how hot your burner is. Once I get a good steam going I turn the temp way down until it's done and that works for me.

Ranger, Pretty funny, let's hope the law makers don't get hold of this but I say you can't knock it unless you try it.

[port fisher]

Jeffery,
I think it was my post you read regarding the cooler. Been doing them like that for years and as long as you leave the cooler lid cracked a little they stay hot for a long time but do not over cook.
Never tried the shell off trick and don't think I will. Just something wrong with that hole idea?
Not knocking those who like it that way just not for me!

[Bob L]

Just rip the backs off, layer in the pot with your best seasoning then put about 5 big peeled onions cut in half on top with seasoning on them and let her go 20 min when steam shows. Man are those some good onions.