Blue Crabs Steamed Maryland Style
photo by Chef Dude
- Ready In:
- 2hrs 30mins
- Ingredients:
- 4
- Yields:
-
80 Crabs
- Serves:
- 8-10
ingredients
- 80-100 live jumbo male blue crabs
- 3785.0-7570.0 ml cider vinegar
- 1-2 can Old Bay Seasoning (Use nothing else!!)
- 1 box morton's coarse kosher salt (large box)
directions
- Also need 1 Large Pot with a raised rack at least 2-4 inches.
- Over high heat in a large crab pot with a raised rack bring equal ammounts of Cider Vinegar and water or beer to a boil.
- (The total ammount should be just below the raised rack about 2-3 cups of each Vinegar and water or Beer.) Mix equal ammounts of"Old Bay" seasoning and"Kosher" Salt (About 2 cups of each to start) Add 4-6 LIVE JUMBO male crabs for each layer and add the combined "seasoning" on top of the crabs.
- Continue with Crabs and a layer of seasoning until at least 12- 14 crabs are in the pot, cover and steam 25- 30 minutes.
- with the lid on!
- (Chop off anyones hand that tries to lift the lid too soon!) When done use tongs to lift out steamed crabs to a table covered with newspapers or brown paper.
- Repeat until all Crabs are Steamed, changing the vinegar and water and adding new "seasoning" to each new batch.
- Serve at once with extra "seasoning" and "crab mallets" to break open claws.
- Or store in brown paper bags in the fridge until needed 4-5 days (NO LONGER!!!).
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Reviews
-
As a Chesapeake Bay life-long resident, we have layered the LIVE crabs and seasoning as you fill the pot. A crab steamer is a large pot with colander style holes in the botton, which fits into a solid pan - into which you add the liquid. A rack in a REALLY large pot will work for a small # of crabs, at a time. If you have JUMBO crabs, (now @ $60/dozen ) - you can estimate 6 crabs per person. Smaller crabs will need a few more. The most important accompaniment is as the late, great Chuck Thompson would say -"Ain't the beer cold !!" ! Also, you don't need high quality beer, you won't taste it, with the hot seasonings -- but PLENTY of it! YUMMMM!
RECIPE SUBMITTED BY
Chef Dude
United States
I'm chuck I LOVE the beach and cooking! My fav. is bbq and seafood! I have a killer recipe for Maryland steamed Blue Crabs!!