Crab cooking

[drtherc]

I find that steamed crabs have very little flavor. Boil 'em for 5 minutes, and let them soak for 20.

 

[CBulla]

Thats why I like stone crab claws. Once they are done boiling, toss em in cold water to get the meat to pull away from the shell. Crack open with a walnut cracker or smack with a spoon or fork.. shell out the meat into a bowl of butter and lemon (do a few at a time) and wazza! What a meal! Sweeeeet meat... soooo goood with the little butter and lemon!

 

[seakdivers]

Hmm.... crab cooking depends on the type of crab, where you are cooking it, and how fresh it is.
We usually have either king crab or dungeness. The dungies are cleaned by splitting them over a cleat on the back of the boat (or a rock if we are on the beach), the back shell peeled off, the gill thingy pulled off, and last but not least, the yellow gooey things swished off in the ocean. You have your big pot of sea water boiling, then put the halves in. Wait for it to start boiling again... as soon as it does, time 20 minutes, and then they are done.
The same thing applies for king crab, except that you cut them in half with a large machete or butcher knife - there is no way you are going to bang a legal size king on a cleat or rock!

 

[Warren_L]

Thats why I like stone crab claws. Once they are done boiling, toss em in cold water to get the meat to pull away from the shell. Crack open with a walnut cracker or smack with a spoon or fork.. shell out the meat into a bowl of butter and lemon (do a few at a time) and wazza! What a meal! Sweeeeet meat... soooo goood with the little butter and lemon!

Mmmmm.... got to love those stone crab claws. But for me, it has to be with the mustard sauce.

 

[CBulla]

Never tried with mustard sauce. I did have to promise my wife that when we get our boat back in the water with its new power plant and I'm stupid that I'll be getting my commercial license again and will be dropping 72 to 128 traps out just for local consumption and a few pounds for personal

 

[scubafool]

Colin, I am your bestest friend!! I'll wash your boat! I'll wash your car! Just let me have some claws, man!

 

[neophytediver]

Check out Deep Fried Live! with Tako the Octopus, and click on the episode titled "Crab Trapped." Lots of good resources and dang funny too.

 

[Absolut]

I grew up on the Eastern shore like some of you, and while I don't have the time to go into details right now, I couldn't resist posting. When it comes to cooking crabs, the first type I always think of are Blue Claws. I LOVE STEAMED CRABS!!!! (Blue Claws with Old Bay heaped all over them!!) Are your lips burning yet??? I love all kinds of crab, even Singapore Chili and Chinese salt & pepper, but in my mind nothing beats Blues cooked Maryland style...

Some of you have no clue on how to prepare them , but to each his own... Zippsy got it right.

All I can add at this time (more later) is that you should keep them alive with very little stress (stress releases an enzyme in all fish and marine invertabrates that turns their meat to mud) and steam those suckers in a big pot (like this one: http://www.blue-crab.org/seafood_steamer.htm) with water and/or beer, salt, vinegar, and tons of Old Bay! Make sure the crabs don't sit in the water. Layer the crabs in the pot and put Old Bay on each layer. YUM!!!

AND go here: www.blue-crab.org

 

[Brandon]

1. Catch some crabs.

2. Smash live crabs on a rock, cleat, cleaning table, etc.

3. Remove shell, clean crabbies.

4. Rinse shelled and gutted crab.

5. Boil for 15-18 minutes.

6. Eat.

 

[alphillyswim]

Here in Philly there are a few good pubs serving crabs, usually cooked with lots of spice and beer. They serve them with a warm crab juice for dipping. As said before lips must be tingling. I prefer dipping the larger type crabs into butter with lemon.