Crabs are considered a delicacy around the world. From the deep-water Dungeness and Alaskan King Crab to the shallower Blue Crab, these tasty crustaceans are pursued to feed the worlds appetite for their succulent, white meat. Simply steamed or done "Southern Style" with lots of spices and accompanying vegetables, crabs are easily prepared at home and are an excellent party food.
Steamed Crabs
Steaming your crabs is the simplest form of cooking crabs and allows the true taste of the meat to appreciated. Pour some water into a seafood boiler. Place a small brick or something in the bottom of the boiler to hold the basket clear of the boiling water. Place the live crabs in the basket, one layer at a time, liberally seasoning them as each layer is added. Put the loaded basket into the pot and cover. Steam hard then reduce heat to low and allow to soak in the spices. The longer it rests, the spicier.
Boiled Crabs
Boiling your crabs gives better spice penetration and allows for cooking tasty side-items to accompany the crabs. Favorite side dishes include Irish potatoes, ears of corn, whole cloves of garlic, cauliflower, celery, lemon halves, mushrooms and sausages. Fill your cooker pot about half-full of water and spice it with premix crab boil. Bring to a boil and add the potatoes. When the potatoes are about half done, add the remaining side items and boil until the potatoes are done. Pull the vegetables out of the cooking water and add the live crabs. Bring back to a boil and then turn off the heat and allow the crabs to soak for a while or as long as you can resist the delectable aroma.
Grilled
A less common method of cooking crabs is grilling. A simple charcoal grill can effectively cook crabs and infuse the meat with the flavor of the charcoal. You must euthanize the crab first to get him to lay still on the fire. Punch through the "chin" area on the bottom side of the crab with an icepick and wiggle it around. Nest the crabs' pinchers and legs to their body and place them on the grill. Cook over the glowing coals until the shell turns red and the leg tips begin to singe. The meat steams in its own juices inside the shell.
Cautions
Handle crabs carefully. Their pincers can inflict wounds. A dousing in ice water will calm the crabs enough to be more docile and easier to handle. Never cook a dead crab unless it is a crab you just euthanized. Crabs are very perishable and should always be cooked fresh. Never use the same utensils to handle live crabs and cooked crabs. Bacteria from the live crabs will contaminate the cooked crabs.
Tags: live crabs, cooked crabs, cooking crabs, heat allow, your crabs
