Crab Cooker...

I want an outdoor, portable cooker to steam crabs so I don't stink up the house. Any thoughts or recommendations?
Thanks.

Low tech for sure but I just use a big pot and my century camp stove from REI. With a 3 gal propane tank the century puts out some serious btu's and is much faster than cooking them inside.

Others use the turkey fryers with good success. Splitting them in half and removing the guts before steaming is also important. I find the steamed crab tastes so much better than the boiled because it doesn't leach away all the flavor.

However you do it cooking them outside is way better for the WAF account!


-Eliot

Turkey deep-frier.

Turkey deep-frier.

Is that a burner or a pot or both?

My bad--I just realized you were looking to steam them. I have always just boiled them in a propane-fueled turkey fryer as soon as I get home. Then clean and eat.
You could probably use a turkey fryer to steam crabs, but it w/b somewhat inefficient.
Ours looks like this: http://www.cabelas.com/p-0054773518340a.shtml

Go to an asian market.  they sell aluminum steamer that you can use for crabs and  spagheti.
I just use my coleman camp stove that uses the dual fuel.

http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CFPage?storeId=10151&catalogId=10001&langId=-1&appID=163&option=3&template=circular.cfm&catalog=nov1_09_tab&rfx_versioningid=049&storeID=51

Also try costco I got my crab cooker there it is a large pot with a burner.  It has a strainer basket and a duhicky if you want to deep fry a turkey.  Smart and Final may have them too.

I boil or steam mine in my turkey fryer.  Is a big one from OSH, but has a basket in it and a ring you can place at the bottom to raise up the basket.  Raise the basket and an inch of water == steam.  Was in Lowes today and saw on their advert a $59.95 turkey fryer.  Do not know if it comes with a basket.

I am with hightide, I have a cheap old pot/steamer/pasta pot that I use.  Place the Coleman outside fire it up bring it to a boil.  position the pot right and you can get to burners working for you.  BTW this set up works great for blackening fish/chicken as well (coleman stove outside).

We use a turkey fryer. If you boil the crab without the parts attached I think you miss out on all the flavor from the stuff inside the shell. You dont have to steam it unless you separate the body and clean it first. Cooks in its own juices inside the shell. I the turkey fryer I can do 8-10 at once abd its boiling in no time.We used to use the coleman but when we brought 40 home one time we got the fryer and its great. Got it at OSH.

this worked for me today

Cam, be careful with those leaves there. I want to fish with you again. Wheres the crab report?