Cooking crabs

[elk247]

Keep the crab alive in live well and use the water from the sound with old bay. We clean them first and only cook the clusters.

 

[lokidog]

I cleaned first this time and boiled them for 5 minutes.  Turned out great!

I do 7 minutes.  Boiling for 15 minutes is overcooking IMO.  I usually only cook two at a time in a medium sized pot so it reboils pretty quickly after adding them.  I use fresh water (nothing added) even though I have PS water pretty readily available.  The water has so much algae in it in the summer, I'd rather not add that taste to my crab.

[Limhangerslayer]

I cleaned first this time and boiled them for 5 minutes.  Turned out great!

I do 7 minutes.  Boiling for 15 minutes is overcooking IMO.  I usually only cook two at a time in a medium sized pot so it reboils pretty quickly after adding them.  I use fresh water (nothing added) even though I have PS water pretty readily available.  The water has so much algae in it in the summer, I'd rather not add that taste to my crab.

  water from the sound,  cleaned and cook the halves for 7 minutes.   

[Encore 280]

Two limits = 2, 5 gallon buckets with PS water (not from a marina area) with lids so I don't lose it all on the way home. Bring water w/pickling spices to a boil in stainless cooker and add one limit. Wait til it starts boiling again and cook for 20 min. on a slow boil. When they're done I have 3, 5 gallon buckets of cold water ready to flush them in to stop the cooking then clean and put on ice asap. Dump the used cooking water and start another one for the next limit. I think they taste better cooked whole with juices still in. I've tried it both ways and cooked whole is the way we like it. When it's time to sit down for a meal, tear a leg off and suck the juice out! Oh yeah Maynard!!

[HntnFsh]

We do 10 minutes after  coming back to a boil.  Then immediately  into ice water. 15 minutes seems awfully  long. I can't tell a difference  in what water we use.

[Encore 280]

As long as you can shake the leg meat out in one piece and it's firm then that should be good enough. Shouldn't have to pry it out in pieces. Everyone has their own way of doing it.

[wildmanoutdoors]

One cup salt to one gallon of water equals normal salt water. Clean crab first and add old bay and creole. Mmmmmmm...

[NRA4LIFE]

Boiled in PS water whole.  I have a 4 gallon bucket with a tight fitting lid.  Half for the first 5, half for the last 5.  I like to throw out the used water as it gets kinda nasty.  10 minutes after reboiling.  No other seasonings.  Easy limits this weekend, maybe the best crabbing I've ever seen.

[kenzmad]

To all you folks! Quit adding seasoning to one of the most wonderful eating thing alive! We cook on the beach. Saltwater boil and rinse to cool. Ruined many, many people on crab that thought Red Lobster crab was good.

[Smokepole]

Boiled in PS water whole.  I have a 4 gallon bucket with a tight fitting lid.  Half for the first 5, half for the last 5.  I like to throw out the used water as it gets kinda nasty.  10 minutes after reboiling.  No other seasonings.  Easy limits this weekend, maybe the best crabbing I've ever seen.

  Crabbing has been great.  I was hoping there would be a few left.  They sure are good sized this year. 

[lokidog]

One cup salt to one gallon of water equals normal salt water. Clean crab first and add old bay and creole. Mmmmmmm...

Are you sure?  Have you ever made sea salt by evaporating salt water?  I have.  I get about four six ounce jars of salt from seven gallons of water.  That's only about 3/8 of a cup per gallon.

[wildmanoutdoors]

One cup salt to one gallon of water equals normal salt water. Clean crab first and add old bay and creole. Mmmmmmm...

Are you sure?  Have you ever made sea salt by evaporating salt water?  I have.  I get about four six ounce jars of salt from seven gallons of water.  That's only about 3/8 of a cup per gallon.

I've had your Sea Salt. Very good stuff!

And maybe that is what you end up with. Not gonna argue that.
We use regular table salt when doing our crab. And it comes out perfect just like when you cook it in water from the sound or ocean.

With the family owning a commercial Dungy biz and cooking hundreds of crab all year long for parties and ourselves we really got it down.

Perfect crab every time!

[Smokepole]

I use only 1/8 cup per gallon for boiling just the legs.  Boil for 10 minutes, plenty salty.

[h20hunter]

Love it. We all have our own ways. None wrong!

I clean them in the field. Shells come off, spit 'em and rinse 'em. Once at the dock and loaded last thing I dispose of is the top shells then at home we boil them in plain old tap water with a nice dose ok kosher salt. Boil 'em up and then throw them on ice to stop the process. I love me some fresh cooked and chilled down crab.

[CoryTDF]

Seems to me that I remember something from college oceanography class called biotrophic amplification or some such thing. Meaning that the crab itself would be far more toxic than the water. So that is something to ponder.

We have ALWAYS just used PS water to boil. I went to an elks lodge crab feed here once. They drove to the coast and picked up the crab the same day and brought them back. Cooked in fresh water and packed in ice. It was flavorless and boring. Had to actually dip it in butter. I'm usually a purist and prefer to just eat it without any type of sauce or dressing.