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BLUE CRABS - Part 2
by Ernie Sears
Cooking
Crabs can
be steamed, boiled, fried, or barbecued, but most of us fall either into
the steam’em or the boil’em camp. A Marylander caught boiling his crabs
might be run out of town. Maryland style crabs must be steamed, period, no
discussion. Down in Louisiana, it is a different story. Down there you’re
most likely going to get your crabs boiled. In New Jersey, they steam
them, but they remove the top shell and clean them first – which is heresy
in Maryland.
Steamed
In a large
pot, 20 quart or larger for a dozen crabs, add enough water and apple
cider vinegar at a 1:1 ratio to a level of about 1-2 inches. Beer is often
substituted for the vinegar. The crabs must not be in the boiling liquid
so you need to have a basket insert or a makeshift floor. Place the pot
over high heat – preferably a high output propane outdoor cooker. If you
must steam them inside on the stove you will need to work in small batches
since most stoves do not have the BTUs to do the job in a reasonable
amount of time.
While you
are waiting for the liquid to come to a rolling boil you can clean the
crabs. For Maryland style, cleaning means removing mud and grass from the
live crabs. You can safely hold the crab at the base of his swimming fin
with your thumb and forefinger. As you clean the crabs place them in the
steaming basket in layers. With each layer apply a generous amount of Old
Bay Seafood Seasoning.
When the
liquid reaches a rolling boil you can put the crabs in the pot. Cover the
pot with a lid. Wait until there is a steady stream of steam coming from
under the pot. The crabs will be cooked in 20 – 30 minutes depending on
the size of the crabs and how tightly they are packed. If they are dark
red or have patches of green they are not ready. Fully cooked crabs will
have a bright orange top shell and claws.
Steamed, an Alternative
Prepare
the pot as described above. With this method additional herbs and spices
are added such as pepper, garlic, salt, onion, and even olive oil. The big
difference though is the way the crabs are cleaned. The crabs are placed
in ice water for several minutes to stun them. They are then safe to
handle by hand. Each crab is cleaned by removing the top shell which
instantly kills the crab. The crab is then cleaned by removing the sponge
like fingers or “deadmen” which are the crab’s gills. All of the crab’s
entrails, located in the middle of the body, are then removed. Twist off
the mouth parts and remove the apron. This is easy and quick when using a
stream of running cold water.
After the
liquid reaches a rolling boil, the crabs are placed in the pot, adding
seasonings as desired. The crabs will not require as much time to be
cooked when cleaned this way. Start checking them after 8 minutes of
steady steam, looking for bright orange claws.
Boiled
In
a
large stock pot filled 1/3 full with lightly salted water add 2 lemons
that have been quartered, 6-8 new potatoes, 4 ears of corn, 2 large
quartered onions, 5 tablespoons Old Bay Seasoning, and 3 tablespoons of
liquid crab or shrimp boil. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat.
(Using a propane outdoor stove will allow for high heat and keep the odors
outdoors.)
After ten
minutes of full boiling, add clean crabs and cover. Continue to cook for
ten minutes after steam starts coming from under the lid. Turn off the
heat and let the pot set for 10 more minutes. Remove crabs and vegetables
and serve with melted butter.
There are
many variations that include additional ingredients including
andouille
or
smoked sausage, mushrooms, garlic, as well as other shellfish. Also you
may want to try reducing the Old Bay and crab boil seasonings and add
herbs such as dill, parsley, thyme, and bay leaf for a milder, but still
tasty seasoning.
Steamed or boiled
your taste buds will appreciate the effort. There are few more enjoyable
food experiences than enjoying a dozen blue crabs with a few ice cold
beers on a summer evening.
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