Cooking crabs

[h2ofowlr]

We pulled our limit of dungeness crab yesterday and prepared to boil.  I have always pulled two 5 gallon buckets of salt water for boiling out of the Puget Sound.  Seems some of our guest last night couldn't fathom using unfiltered water for boiling them.  They asked if using polluted Puget Sound water would make them sick if they ate them.  Me being pretty hungry said probably.  I was able to eat some extra crab after that.

What does everyone else use?  I have tried the fresh water, add salt and seasoning, but a bucket full of salt water and boiling them, just makes them taste way better!

[DoubleJ]

Boil in Puget Sound Water when I can transport it home, steam over fresh water when I can't

[Humptulips]

If I was worried about using PS water I would be more worried about the crab living in it.

[gasman]

I gotta try boiling in salt water, I just steam over fresh water.

[jackmaster]

Buckets of salt water from where ever we get crab, I have eatn alot of crab from the P.S and have always used salt water from there and never got sick, between boiling the water and crab having the best filtering system I dont think you have any worries great technique though to get your share of extra crab, I might have to use that one myself 

[coachcw]

I dont use salt water messy getting home and boiling . I pre clean the crab to keep the foam down . i have never been able to tell the differance once i dunk them in best food mayo !

[Gobble Doc]

We pulled our limit of dungeness crab yesterday and prepared to boil.  I have always pulled two 5 gallon buckets of salt water for boiling out of the Puget Sound.  Seems some of our guest last night couldn't fathom using unfiltered water for boiling them.  They asked if using polluted Puget Sound water would make them sick if they ate them.  Me being pretty hungry said probably.  I was able to eat some extra crab after that.

What does everyone else use?  I have tried the fresh water, add salt and seasoning, but a bucket full of salt water and boiling them, just makes them taste way better!

I used our well water yesterday.  Next time I will try ocean water.   I also like to put the shell back on after cleaning for friends for presentation quality.  Good idea trying puget sound salt water.

[Gobble Doc]

How  many minutes do you steam vs boil?

[DoubleJ]

14 minutes for us.  That's red rock though.  I don't have the benefit of being able to fish for dungies

[plugger]

Salt water and only salt water for me. Hole live crab. 15 min after it reboils

[Special T]

If its outside in the crab cooker its whole in PS water... If its inside its cleaned halved and boiled in fresh water with some seasoning.

[duramax]

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.

[Cap.Silver]

Seems some of our guest last night couldn't fathom using unfiltered water for boiling them.  They asked if using polluted Puget Sound water would make them sick if they ate them.

Easy remedy : get rid of the guests and send the address .I'm sure there will be plenty of us happy with PS water 

[h2ofowlr]

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

[jamesfromseattle]

Steamed in the saltwater is my favorite way of cooking. It may be mental, but I think they taste best if they are cleaned first and any grime on the legs is scrubbed of with a kitchen scrubber.