Steam or boil?

You can actually can achieve all three styles of cooking in one pot; then try a taste test yourself.

Pre-clean and cut into haves, a couple of crab; and put on ice!

Put the some whole crab at the bottom of the  pot, then pour in brew of seasonings in until it covers the the crabs; but not higher enough to reach the next level of crab when it boils. Then add you next row(s) of whole crab, leaving enough room on top for another row of crab. Turn the pot on, bring to FULL Steam (the pot should be at full boil and blowing at steam hard; sometimes I even put a wieght on the lid to keep in some of the steam) and cook for 8 minutes.

After 8 minutes, carefully open the pot (don't get burned by the steam) and quickly put the pre-clean crab on the top and cover; cook for another 12 minutes at Full steam.

While waiting for the 12 minutes to cook, fill a 5 gallon bucket with 1/4 cold water and 1/4 ice.

After 12 minutes, turn off the pot, open the lid and let the steam rush out. Then take the clean cooked body parts & whole steamed crab out and put the on the table/counter top.

Take the next row of boiled whole crab out and put them in the ice/water bucket, then place the whole steam crab next in the bucket, cover with more ice and finally put the body parts on top the ice. This is important to stop the cooking process and chill down the crab before eating!

Now do your own taste test!

You guys are making me hungry so early in the morning. So what time is dinner at your house Glen.

Jedmo

You guys are making me hungry so early in the morning. So what time is dinner at your house Glen.

Jedmo

Bro! Which Crab Opener are you going to? I Doran is technically closely, but then you won't get to try my Steamed, Boiled, BBQ'd, Ginger Sauce'd or Omelete'd Crab.....

There's room in our RV wagon circle for your trailer on Friday-Monday; Jimgosc can't to the camping thing this weekend....
 

BBQed Ginger sauced crab.  Spill the beans GWhiz. DO you bbq your crab like a lobster?  Time frame for on the grill, direct or indirect method?

I tried boiled crab last season and I prefer steamed crab over boiled - more flavor in the steamed crab.  I like to put a little bit of water in a big pot, fill with crabs, season, and cook. 

At Doran this weekend, I'm hoping to bring a whole bunch of sauces and ingredients to experiment with different recipes (i.e. crab in black bean sauce, bbq crab, butter/garlic/cajun crab, crab torta, and more). 

P.S. - If you wash the "good stuff" out of the shell before cooking, YOU'RE CRAAAAZY!   

Try the hog wash as a dipping sauce for crab. The family favorite for crab or oysters.

http://hogislandoysters.com/kitchen/hog-wash

looks like I will give steaming a shot this year. I will prob just do them whole. I need to figure out a steaming rack for my turkey fryer pot.

looks like I will give steaming a shot this year. I will prob just do them whole. I need to figure out a steaming rack for my turkey fryer pot.

Try using one of those folding steam baskets if you can't find one for your pot.  It has three short legs, opens up,  looks like a collapsible strainer.  They are cheap and a good place to start.  You can also try Good Will and see if they have a pot with a basket.  In a pinch a metal colander in the bottom of the pot would work as well.  I am sure Alton Brown most likely has one where he uses a cadilac grillor something like that...lol

looks like I will give steaming a shot this year. I will prob just do them whole. I need to figure out a steaming rack for my turkey fryer pot.

Just put a couple inches of water on the bottom with the crab right on it.  It's not deep enough to make that much difference in the steaming.

-Allen

looks like I will give steaming a shot this year. I will prob just do them whole. I need to figure out a steaming rack for my turkey fryer pot.

Just put a couple inches of water on the bottom with the crab right on it.  It's not deep enough to make that much difference in the steaming.

-Allen

oh wow i was thinking way more water. Do you need to top off with water as they cook for 20+ min? thx allen

looks like I will give steaming a shot this year. I will prob just do them whole. I need to figure out a steaming rack for my turkey fryer pot.

Just put a couple inches of water on the bottom with the crab right on it.  It's not deep enough to make that much difference in the steaming.

-Allen

oh wow i was thinking way more water. Do you need to top off with water as they cook for 20+ min? thx allen

A couple inches should last the whole cooking session.  I never have to add more water.

BTW, anybody here steam in seawater?  That's how I was taught and that's what I do, whenever practical.

-Allen

looks like I will give steaming a shot this year. I will prob just do them whole. I need to figure out a steaming rack for my turkey fryer pot.

Just put a couple inches of water on the bottom with the crab right on it.  It's not deep enough to make that much difference in the steaming.


How well does that work in an aluminum pot?
-Allen

oh wow i was thinking way more water. Do you need to top off with water as they cook for 20+ min? thx allen

A couple inches should last the whole cooking session.  I never have to add more water.

BTW, anybody here steam in seawater.  That's how I was taught and that's what I do, whenever practical.

-Allen

looks like I will give steaming a shot this year. I will prob just do them whole. I need to figure out a steaming rack for my turkey fryer pot.

Just put a couple inches of water on the bottom with the crab right on it.  It's not deep enough to make that much difference in the steaming.

-Allen

oh wow i was thinking way more water. Do you need to top off with water as they cook for 20+ min? thx allen

A couple inches should last the whole cooking session.  I never have to add more water.

BTW, anybody here steam in seawater.  That's how I was taught and that's what I do, whenever practical.

-Allen

thx...as always I am making more complicated then I need to!

BTW, anybody here steam in seawater.  That's how I was taught and that's what I do, whenever practical.

-Allen

I thought seawater was important when you are boiling crabs not steaming crabs and the purpose was to prevent excess water from entering the meat. When water boils, only H2O becomes vapor, the salt stays in the liquid. Adding salt does change the boiling temperature. 

BTW, anybody here steam in seawater.  That's how I was taught and that's what I do, whenever practical.

-Allen

I thought seawater was important when you are boiling crabs not steaming crabs and the purpose was to prevent excess water from entering the meat. When water boils, only H2O becomes vapor, the salt stays in the liquid. Adding salt does change the boiling temperature.

They why do you add Old Bay to your steaming water?   

-Allen