Blue Crabs Steamed Maryland Style

Blue Crabs Steamed Maryland Style

  • Prep Time: 30 mins
  • Total Time: 2 hrs 30 mins
  • Serves: 8-10,Yield: 80-100 Crabs

    • Ingredients

  • 80 -100live jumbo male blue crabs
  • 1 -2galloncider vinegar
  • 1 -2canOld Bay Seasoning( Use nothing else!!)
  • 1boxmorton’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!!!).

    • Reviews

  • “Growing up in the heart of Marylands Eastern Shore & working on Crab boats.I Grew up eating Crabs and I gotta say you got the recipe perfect…I was actually gonna post one but I reckon I don’t have to :)Thanks!”

  • “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!”

  • “This is the ONLY way to do blue crabs.I use Beer instead of the water with the vinegar, it seems to add a little something extra. I don’t change the water in between, just add more liquid.If you make a blue crab any other way, you should be shot.”

  • “Finally someone knows what a Maryland blue crab is used for!!!I’ve been looking for this recipe for a long time.”

  • “This is the GREATEST Crab recipe I have ever tried!!!!All my friends loved it!!!”

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