Steamed Crabs

As a kid growing up in Florida, crabbing was one of the most enjoyable fishing we did. While waiting for a bite on the fishing rod, we would set out crab traps with chicken backs or necks and maybe a fish we caught but could not eat. My mom had a steamer right there on the dock so we could cook and eat them right out of the water. It doesn't get any fresher than that!

Here is one of my favorite yet simple recipes for steamed crabs.

              

Steaming Crabs

Fill a crab steamer with 1 part water and 1 part apple cider vinegar. Also add a 12 ounce beer, Budweiser will do but if possible don't use a "lite" beer. You want the flavors of a regular beer. Heat on high until the liquid comes to a full rolling boil. Add live hard shell crabs to the steamer sprinkling each layer generously with the dry seasoning mix. I prefer using Old Bay but any seafood seasoning will work. Note that you can easily make your own steamer. Just use any large pot with a makeshift floor to keep the crabs out of the steaming liquids.

Cover and wait for wisps of steam to escape from under lid, about 10 minutes. Continue cooking over high heat for an additional 20-30 minutes until crabs turn bright orange. If shells are dark red or have reddish-green patches, then the crabs are not yet fully cooked.

Remove crabs from steamer and place on a large platter and sprinkle lightly with the dry seasoning mix. It is best to eat the crabs on a newspaper-covered table, which makes cleanup a snap--simply roll up your "table cloth", scraps and all, and toss in the trash. Serve with saltine crackers, small containers of apple cider vinegar (some people like to dip the crabmeat into it) and plenty of cold beverages!

Important Note:

It is extremely important to cook only living (live) crabs. Like all fresh seafood, crabs are extremely perishable and spoil rapidly. Since it is impossible to know how long a dead crab has been dead (or if it has spoiled), you should never attempt to cook a dead crab. In addition, never use the same utensils for handling live (uncooked) crabs and cooked crabs since bacterial cross-contamination may occur.