Cooking fresh dungy crab

[swanderek]

I’m just wondering what everyone else does and maybe I can do better….
I use puget sound salt.
Put crab in boiling water. And wait for water to start boiling again ( takes 7-10 min) and do any other 10 minutes. What do you do?

[scotsman]

Basically the same, plus adding a glug of red wine or cider vinegar to the water. And I clean the crab before cooking.

[Mech]

I used to boil whole crab in water and changed it up this year.
I’m glad I did because is is easier, faster and tastes better.

Here is what I did.
cut 3” out of my turkey fryer strainer.
Added some stainless 1/4 bolts 4 inches long to the bottom of the strainer using nuts and washers.
Spit and clean live crab
Add 2-1/2 inches or so of water to the turkey fryer wait until it starts to steam
Add crab
Cook 7-8 minutes
Dump crab in cold water

I had some friends over today crabbing that were in a hurry and I said it would take about 30 minutes.
I timed it start to finish and it took 20 minutes for everything other than hosing off my deck.
It was a 6 crab cook.
The only thing I can think of to make it better would be sea water but I ain’t hauling a bucket of sea water up my hill.

[WAcoueshunter]

Pretty much the same. Clean before, dump halves into boiling sea water, 15 minutes, then cool quickly.

I really think the sea water is key. Takes the guesswork out of the salt.

[The scout]

Sea water, maybe old bay if you like it. We never clean our crab before we cook them.Way more flavor in the crab meat that way IMHOP

[Magnum_Willys]

If not using seawater add 1/2 cup per gallon - a red solo cup in a 5 gal bucket to get close to seawater strength. Go lite and it washes the flavor out. 

[dilleytech]

The best thing is use if ocean water. Then the same, throw crab halves in boiling water bring to boil then cook another 7 minutes. If you can’t use sea water then it’s something like 4 cups of salt to get it similarly salty.

[2MANY]

I always pack the cooler with sea water so I have it at home to cook em.

[CP]

Well, I guess I’ll be the lone stranger and go against the crowd.  Saltwater just makes an unnecessary mess, gave that up years ago and the taste is the same.

Tap water, boil, throw the cleaned crab in, 15 minutes (I don't wait for the water to re-boil, just 15 minutes) then an ice water bath to stop the cooking. 

[fishngamereaper]

Grew up cooking whole but these days with all the toxins and drugs in the water I've been cleaning them first.
Straight sea water boil if I'm just cooking for snacking or a dip or the freezer. 12-15 minutes of boil.
If it's a gathering where the crab will get dumped out for guests to get fat on I'll add a stick of butter, couple junks of garlic and some old bay.

[C-Money]

I steam the clusters in a spaghetti strainer with pot lid, over a pot of boiling water for 7-10 min, they redden up and I feel they are pretty done. I'm no expert, but I haven't got sick yet either.

[wheels1]

Half the crab add salt to water  and boil

[builtfordtough]

I agree with CP, no saltwater.  I add salt myself but not a bunch. Always cleaned before cooking.  Bring to boil and let simmer for 10 min. What I dont do is an ice bath.  Ill try that

[Bareback]

Salish sea salt water or Saratoga Pass salt water 9-11 minutes, submerge in bucket with ice and water (meat shrinks and separates from shell). If you want it hot throw back into pot.

This works well:

[metlhead]

Might strike as odd, but well cooked crab starts with a good driftwood fire on the beach. Halve the crabs, wrap in kelp, boil in seawater for 8 minutes. Toss em in a cooler of ice water. The garlic butter should be hot though🤤

[Stein]

I chuck them in whole, boiling saltwater, 13 minutes and out into icewater.  If it's not broke, don't fix it.  My boiler is awful rusty though, boiling saltwater must be the most corrosive thing around.  The biggest thing is to not overcook, like anything else worth eating.

[NRA4LIFE]

Ditto.  I go 12 minutes after the water comes to a boil.  Used to use 8-2 water,  but now use fresh and some salt. Old bay and you've ruined them. Sorry.  That stuff tastes terrible to me.

[swanderek]

So does the ice water plunge  help them not stick to the shell?
I cook mine live and fresh, I don’t over cook. But I noticed at times I get the sticking to the shell.
I usually just go boiling pot to fridge in a bowl

[Westside88]

I was told by someone who usually knows, one handful of rock
Salt per gallon of water.  The crabs I’ve cooked were darn tasty and we did em whole. My Dad’s been doing them with my uncle by busting them in half
and cleaning them before cooking. Also very good

[dilleytech]

I was told by someone who usually knows, one handful of rock
Salt per gallon of water.  The crabs I’ve cooked were darn tasty and we did em whole. My Dad’s been doing them with my uncle by busting them in half
and cleaning them before cooking. Also very good

When cooking whole I think anything you put in the water is basically moot. Since it’s not penetrating the shell. Cleaned halves are where the proper salt content is important.

[rodell]

I steam rather than boil. Beer, vinegar, old bay or a crab boil mix. Steam them for 15 minutes (cleaned first).

I haven’t thrown them in an ice bath, I may give that a whirl.

[Wingin it]

I boil them in sea water with old bay seasoning or Zatarains if I want to get more spice into it. Usually use the Zatarains if I throw in other seafood, corn, and potatoes. Get the water boiling hot and throw crab in and cook for 10-12 minutes.

[Special T]

I cook most of my crabs on the beach or deck anymore so its whole crabs and saltwater. HOWEVER i have tossed a ring pot or 2 when at depot bay in Oregon, and when we do that and get some, I clean them first toss in halves with rock salt when cooking in the house.  I prefer the crab cooker on the beach or beach fire, but cleaning  makes it so it doesn't stink as bad inside the condo or house.

[ASHQUACK]

So does the ice water plunge  help them not stick to the shell?
I cook mine live and fresh, I don’t over cook. But I noticed at times I get the sticking to the shell.
I usually just go boiling pot to fridge in a bowl

I think it has to do more with over cooking them.

[whtbck]

boil them and cool them in the water they live in,we clean ours before cooking.

[Angry Perch]

I steam rather than boil. Beer, vinegar, old bay or a crab boil mix. Steam them for 15 minutes (cleaned first).

I haven’t thrown them in an ice bath, I may give that a whirl.

This is exactly what we've been doing. A tamale pot works great.

[Stein]

Ice bath is key to keep them from overcooking as well as not having to wait or deal with burned fingers.