Cooking Crab

[Theron]

I've always boiled my crab especially when I have several to cook. I sometimes clean them first and other times just toss them in whole. Today I came home with only one lone crab and considered steaming instead of boiling since it seemed a waste of time to start my outdoor burner for one crab. I cleaned this guy them wondered how long do you steam crab legs? Most internet instructions are for frozen crab legs.

 

[Stonedfish]

Never steamed a crab, but I’d think 12-15 minutes max for a average size keeper dungy.
Hopefully others chime in to help you.
SF

 

[DimeBrite]

Boil it, but use less volume of water.

 

[Jim in Anacortes]

Last year I wanted to take some crabs to my family in Spokane. I wanted to take them alive but even with the proper packaging and oxygen filled styrofoam box ( the way they are sent to China) it would have been a very time sensitive operation. So...I cleaned ten crabs, steamed up the legs for about 10 minutes, dried the crab with paper towels and froze them in plastic freezer bags. I bought some dry ice to keep them frozen for a couple of days. At the party I simply put the frozen crab in a steamer for another 7 minutes. I have to say that the crab tasted great and it was very hard to tell that they had been frozen. Freezing raw crabs does not work, but this method is definitely a good way to store crab for a few days. During the freezing I would shake the bags occasionally to make the bags look clear and keep the legs separated. Ten large crabs all bagged up ready to steam was surely a beautiful sight.

 

[Clean Willy]

I use pretty heavily salted water so I would think steaming would taste different?

 

[Porter2]

Some use real Puget sound salt water.

 

[Jim in Anacortes]

If you have a pot with a lid, that has a steam valve, you can get a kitchen gadget that sits at the bottom of the pot and lifts the crab above the water . This is how I steam my (cleaned) crab. The heat is there, but you are not "over moisturizing" the meat. Nice looking, dry, well cooked legs and claws with a firm texture...that is what I'm after.

 

[Jim in Anacortes]

I like to clean my crabs as soon as possible (legally). I grab one side of the carapace, and tear it off. Then split what's left in half. Initial clean up, good rinse, then kept very cold until I get to my kitchen. For me, this makes for a lot less mess at home, and presents the seafood in a very attractive way.

 

[Jim in Anacortes]

When I rip off the carapace, I often save it. I'll clean it up, and bake it in the oven for a few minutes. These carapaces can then be frozen. They make the perfect "dish" to make "Crab au gratin". Just stuff the carapace with crab meat mixed with [whatever] and bake. Trust me folks, this is a great way to make crabs look (and taste) delicious.

 

[Jake Watrous]

When I rip off the carapace, I often save it. I'll clean it up, and bake it in the oven for a few minutes. These carapaces can then be frozen. They make the perfect "dish" to make "Crab au gratin". Just stuff the carapace with crab meat mixed with [whatever] and bake. Trust me folks, this is a great way to make crabs look (and taste) delicious.

Not to mention the stock you can make with the shell.

 

[Jim in Anacortes]

I grew up in Maryland. A common bumper sticker was.. "Virginia is for lovers, Maryland is for crabs." I used chicken legs hung from a string to catch them in Annapolis (late at night with the sketchy locals).... We often had huge feasts out in the country with picnic tables covered in newspaper with blue crabs by the bushel. That is where I learned the dark art of "crab cakes". The term "crab cake" is ambiguous, and IMHO, my west coast version rivals anything found in Baltimore.

 

[Theron]

I ended up using my spaghetti cooker which has a steamer basket. I used a combination of beer and water and steamed for 10 minutes. Came out good.

 

[Chris Johnson]

Some use real Puget sound salt water.

I always use seawater, perfect amount of salt.

 

[Jake Watrous]

Another vote for cooking them in the water they came out of.

My method is to pull the pot, whack the keepers with a crescent wrench just above the point of their genital flap to stun/kill them, rip the shell off and keep it for the fish checkers, grab the legs and fold/rip the body in half, shake out the goo, and remove the gills. Then I throw them in a 5 gal bucket of water I’ve collected for transport home. This is the water they’ll be steamed in.

It’s probably bullshit because they’re dead and I’m steaming them so they aren’t actually in the water, but I learned this from my grandpa who claimed the reason is that it’s salinity their flesh is used to. He boiled them, I steam them, but the theory (superstition?) is that saltier water will mean the flesh absorbs more salt to try and equalize salinity in and outside of cells, while lower salinity means they will expel some of their delicious saltiness to try and equalize. Plus, it’s easier than mixing your own. Having written this all out, this is probably the main reason grandpa did it, and I’m just following tradition.

Edit: Forgot a sentence.

 

[Richard E]

I've always boiled my crab especially when I have several to cook. I sometimes clean them first and other times just toss them in whole. Today I came home with only one lone crab and considered steaming instead of boiling since it seemed a waste of time to start my outdoor burner for one crab. I cleaned this guy them wondered how long do you steam crab legs? Most internet instructions are for frozen crab legs.

Totally in for steaming crab. I prefer to clean the crab first and steam it. The flavor, for me, is much 'cleaner' and, in my opinion, preserves a more natural crab flavor. My girlfriend prefers this, as well, so of course this is what we do!

 

[ThatGuyRyRy]

I had someone show me the boat cleat method for cleaning crab and I'll never go back.

 

[Chris Johnson]

I had someone show me the boat cleat method for cleaning crab and I'll never go back.

On the seine boat we used to grab them by the legs with hands on either side, back up and pinchers facing away. Strike down in the middle between our hands on any hard corner breaking bottom in the middle. Turn them over, grab legs and claw on one side and twist, repeat on other side and toss the carapace overboard.

 

[Brute]

I grew up in Maryland. A common bumper sticker was.. "Virginia is for lovers, Maryland is for crabs." I used chicken legs hung from a string to catch them in Annapolis (late at night with the sketchy locals).... We often had huge feasts out in the country with picnic tables covered in newspaper with blue crabs by the bushel. That is where I learned the dark art of "crab cakes". The term "crab cake" is ambiguous, and IMHO, my west coast version rivals anything found in Baltimore.

I had family in Maryland that brought me a shirt from a local crab shack they frequented called Bertha’s…the shirt said “Eat Bertha’s Mussels “…

 

[ThatGuyRyRy]

On the seine boat we used to grab them by the legs with hands on either side, back up and pinchers facing away. Strike down in the middle between our hands on any hard corner breaking bottom in the middle. Turn them over, grab legs and claw on one side and twist, repeat on other side and toss the carapace overboard.

I saw someone trying this on Monday and that poor crab was so mutilated you couldn't recognize it.

I'm sure it works great fort someone more experienced and had been shown how to do it correctly.

 

[Stonedfish]

I don’t get enough crab per year to justify $30+ dollars for one of these, but it looks like it works pretty slick.
@Richard E turned me on the the fine art of using the corner of your yard waste recycle bin for removing the shell. It works great.
SF