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Fun Post: Steaming Crabs. How? With? What? Post recipes and tactics.

6K views 22 replies 16 participants last post by  Capt.Nick 
#1 ·
Hey Fellas,

With the upcoming season fastly approaching, I wanted to start a thread with the in and outs of how you steam, or boil for you non marylanders, your crabs.

I have my tried and true method with water, apple cider vinegar, no beer, rolling steam before i drop the crabs in, nice coating of JO seasoning, never old bay!! Timing all amounts to how many are in the steamer. I have even thrown some onion in the water for more flavor. Maybe throw some corn on top of crabs while steaming in the husk? or husked?

Have you ever tried grilling the crab? opening them up like a crab on the half shell and throwing them on the grill.

I dont believe in using beer or old bay and I know some of you may swear by that. And i like apple cider vinegar better than just plain ole white.

Do you dip the meat in vinegar or butter?

Whats your method for hoping they wont "pop" the claws while steaming?

Keg steamer or stainless?

This should be fun to share recipes and see how everyone else does it.

Kevin
 
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#3 ·
Since I almost always steam a bushel at a time here’s my method.
84 qt Hartford SS pot sold by our friend Chuck at Chesapeake Crabbing Supply in Hartford county and by Tristate Marine Tackle in Deale. This is the best pot I’ve used bar none.
Fill the bottom with water to about 2” better to much water than to boil it out and burn the crabs.
1pt Apple Cider (No Beer) Drink the Beer while waiting for the crabs to steam!
If I’m at the market I’ll sprinkle some JO#2 in the liquid to send the aroma out once it gets to boiling and get a customer who all of a sudden wants to eat crabs!
I don’t add the crabs which are in the insert basket and raised off the bottom 4-6”s
Until the water in boiling with steam.
I layer the crabs with seasoning JO#2. We like to add corn (husk on) on top and seasoned with JO also.
25 to 30 minutes depending on the quality of the crabs. Light crabs don’t take as long to steam.
That’s it, works for us!
 
#7 ·
Same as above....water, apple cider vinegar, Jo #2 AND 1-2 bottles of Sam Adams cherry wheat beer. Steam 25-30 minutes. I have always added beer more out of tradition than anything else....usually just what I had left over in the garage fridge. Tried the Sam Adams two years ago and now I won't steam crabs without it. Give it a try.
 
#8 ·
1 part beer, 1 part apple cider vinegar, 2 parts water. Harbor spice mix #1436.
Flatten the beer first.

Fill the pot and thrown in a couple of plain peeled yellow onions that have been split in quarters, but not all of the way through, just enough so they start to spread open. Sprinkle onion top with seasoning.

Chris
 
#10 ·
2 parts beer (light beer, or Natty Boh), 2parts vinegar, 2parts water. Bring liquid to a boil before adding seasoned crabs. I do use Old Bay with added sea salt. I throw a couple shucked ears of corn on the top. I've also heard guys talk about throwing a few cleaned hardheads on top of the crabs. Anyone else tried this idea? Maybe you prefer another fish? Perch, Rockfish?
 
#12 ·
I have done the corn and red potatoes things quite alot. I have also foil pouched shrimp during the last X minutes of cooking. I have also thrown softshell clams on top of the crabs. There are no rules, IMO. I once threw a hotdog on top of the crabs. What the hell?
 
#13 ·
FWIW, here's my way for a bushel (60 or is it 80 qt steamer?):

Dump live crabs into plastic tub (big one with the rope handles) and fill with cold water. I'm on a well so there's no chlorine issue and the water is always cold. Let crabs swim around and rinse themselves for about 5 minutes. Using the top of a bushel basket as a strainer, dump out the dirty water. You will be amazed at how dirty it will be. Pour an 8-10lb bag of ice on top of the crabs and refill with just enough water to cover the crabs again. Let them ice down for 10-15 minutes until they stop moving. Meanwhile, get the steamer going:

2 beers (preferrably from the wife's stash :clap: )
1/2 can or bottle of white vinegar
1 gallon water
peel dozen ears of corn, leaving the last thin layer of husk on and trim silk tops off
2-3 pounds of red potatoes, skin on
2 pounds of brats
JO #2
Red pepper flakes
dry mustard

Start with liquids in the bottom of the steamer. Bring to a boil on high heat. Bottom layer goes the potatoes. Next, layer in crabs and season with JO, red pepper and dry mustard as you go. Corn in next and top off with brats. Season the brats with some more JO and red pepper if you like. Cover and when the steam is blowing out from under the cover pretty good, lower the heat to medium and start timing for 35 minutes. You know what to do from here.
 
#15 ·
No matter how you steem them,always check them to make sure they're done.When you think they're done by looking at the top shells while they're still steaming in the pot,there should be no green spots on the lung areas.This is an indicator that they're not quite done.Check them every minute or so.when they look red all over,take a top one out and lift the shell off.You don't have to take the apron off to do this.Just grab the underside of a pointed end ,holding the crab with your other hand or brace it on a table and lift it off(Use gloves when they're hot)Now,look in the center of the crab,between the lungs and the mustard,innards should be starting to harden up.If it's watery,they're not done.Put the lid back on and check every minute til the center mustard starts to firm up.No one likes watery crabs.If they're overdone,the meat sticks to the shell and makes it harder to pick the crabs.The meat should be slightly moist(not dry) and come right off the shell without sticking.Every pot of crabs may have a differen't amount of time to cook to get it perfected.It depends on the crabs,pot,stove,temperature etc.Going by a specific time,every time doesn't always work perfectly.There's more to steamimg crabs to perfection than a receipe and a timer.
 
#18 ·
The earlier comment about every batch being different is key. If they've all been in the shells so long they are about to bust, the shells going to be thicker and thus more cooking time. If they shed recently, less. Smaller crabs equals more volume that fits in the pot, thus more cooking time.

The best way I've been able to tell if they are done is to grab one and turn him over. On his underside just below each side of the mouth, basically at 10 and 2 from the tip of his apron are two small areas about the size of a dime that seem to be the last part to get cooked, probably the thickest part of the shell. If you look and the those areas are sort of a translucent color still and not white like the rest of the bottom of the shell, more cooking time is needed.

Usually once we get close, we kill the heat and let them coast the last 5 minutes or so. There's more than enough residual heat to carry them through and less of a chance of over cooking them.
 
#20 ·
And then place a wet towel on top on the pot weighted down with a heavy object to further ensure a tight no leak seal.
 
#21 ·
Wow - I am hungry. I keep it simple- water, JO#2, and apple vinegar with whole live crabs. My daughters like their crab's steamed carolina style. Take live crabs, remove shell, lungs, guts, and wash clean. Then add JO and put them in. Cooking time is less. Flavor of meat is incredible and they like getting to the meat with less work.
 
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