Baked Blue Crab Food

STEAMED BLUE CRABS

Steps:

• Combine 1/2 cup seafood seasoning, salt, beer, and vinegar in a large stockpot over high heat. Bring to a strong simmer.
• Right before cooking, carefully place each crab upside down and stick a knife through the shell, just behind mouth.
• Fit a screen over the beer mixture and layer the crabs on the screen. Be sure that the crabs are above the simmering liquid. Cover.
• Steam crabs until they turn bright orange and all of the blue/green color is gone, 20 to 30 minutes. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup seafood seasoning before serving.

HOW TO COOK BLUE CRABS

Steps:

• Fill the bottom of a steamer pot with water, salt, and other seasonings. Fill your steamer pot with 4 cups (950 ml) of water so it's surface is below where the rack sits. Stir in ½ cup (54 g) of seafood seasoning, 1 tablespoon (17 g) of salt, and whatever other spices you want to include with your crab. You can find steamer pots online or in specialty kitchenware stores. Try mixing other liquids into the water, such as lemon juice, light beer, or vinegar, to add more flavor.
• Put the rack inside the pot and bring the liquid to a rolling boil. Set the steamer rack on the lip inside the pot. Put the steamer pot onto your stove over high heat. Reduce your stove to medium heat once the water starts boiling. If the water level is above the rack, drain some of the liquid. If your steamer pot has a basket instead of a rack, set the basket inside so it's above the water.
• Set a layer of whole crabs on the rack and season them. Grab the crabs with a pair of tongs to transfer them into your steamer pot. Create a single layer of crabs before sprinkling each with 1 tablespoon (7 g) of extra seasoning. If you need to make more crabs, continue layering them on top of one another and seasoning them. Once you have all of your crabs in the steamer, put the lid on so they can cook. You can use either fresh or frozen blue crabs. Make sure frozen crabs are completely thawed before you cook them. You do not need to kill them or clean them beforehand.
• Cook the crabs for about 20 minutes or until they're bright orange. Leave your steamer over medium heat for at least 20 minutes. Remove the lid and check the color of the crabs' shells. The shell should change from a dark blue to a bright red or orange. Another way to check if the crabs are finished cooking is if the bottom of their bellies start to pop out and away from their body.Tip: Having more crabs in your steamer pot can affect the cooking time. If they aren't finished after the first 20 minutes have passed, check on your crabs every 5 minutes after to see if they're ready.
• Remove the crabs from the pot and serve them hot. Grab your crabs with a pair of tongs and set them on a clean baking sheet. Let the crabs cool for 5 minutes so they're easier to handle. Break apart the shell so you can eat the meat inside. Wear a bib or tuck a napkin into your shirt so you don't spill crab on yourself. Cooked crab lasts in the fridge for 3-5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

JUMBO LUMP BLUE CRAB CAKES

Steps:

• Pick over the crabmeat to remove any shells. Be gentle, as the lumps of crab are delicate and will fall apart. Set aside. Mix together the mayonnaise, seafood seasoning, scallions, basil, eggs, and salt and pepper. Pour mixture over the crabmeat and with your hands gently mix together. Sprinkle the bread crumbs over the crab mixture and continue to mix. Divide the mixture into 4 parts and mold the cakes with your hands (do not rinse off you hands between mixing and forming the cakes, as it is mixture on your hands that help the cakes stay together).
• Refrigerate the cakes for at least 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Paint the crab cakes with a minuscule amount of oil and sear in a hot oven-safe skillet or on a griddle top until lightly golden brown on both sides. The cakes have such little binder that you need to be careful when flipping them over so that they don't fall apart. Place the pan in the oven for about 5 minutes, or to heat through.
• Serve with a red Cocktail Sauce and/or a flavored aioli.
• Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

WHOLE BLUE CRABS NEW ORLEANS-STYLE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add bouquet garni, crab boil, lemons, halved garlic, corn, and sausage. Add blue crabs and cover. Cook for 10 minutes or until crab is cooked through.
• In a small saute pan over medium heat, melt butter with the 3 peeled garlic cloves. Simmer the butter for 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and discard the garlic cloves.
• Remove the crabs, corn, and sausage from the crab boil and serve on newspaper, with butter sauce over top.

DELAWARE BLUE CRAB BOIL

Steps:

• Crush the dill seed, mustard, and cumin in a spice grinder or with a mortar and pestle. Pour the spices into a 5 gallon stockpot along with the chili powder, paprika, red pepper flakes, rosemary, thyme, dill, sage, and parsley. Fill the pot 3/4 full with water, and bring to a rolling boil over an intense flame.
• Add the blue crabs, cover the pot, and boil until all of the shells turn red, and the meat is no longer translucent, about 20 minutes. Stir the crabs occasionally as they boil to ensure even cooking.

BAKED CRAB RANGOON

Steps:

• In medium bowl, combine all ingredients except wonton skins and butter.
• Mix until well blended.
• Place 1 teaspoon filling in center of each wonton skin.
• Moisten edges with water.
• Fold in half to form triangle, pressing edges to seal.
• Pull bottom corners down and overlap slight; moisten one corner and press to seal. (Usually there is a diagram on the wonton package. I think they look like little kerchiefs.).
• Arrange on baking sheet that has been coated with vegetable spray.
• Brush with melted butter.
• Bake in 425º oven for 12-15 minutes, or until golden brown.
• Serve hot with desired sauce.
• NOTE: I like hoisin or plum sauce and sweet and sour -- even jalapeno pepper jelly!
• NOTE: These can also be fried, if prefer.

STEAMED BLUE CRABS

Steps:

• Place a steamer pot or any large, heavy pot with a tight-fitting lid on the stove. (In the latter case, improvise a rack on the bottom of the pot that will keep crabs a few inches from the bottom.) Add the beer, vinegar and 1 cup water. Bring to a boil over high heat.
• Put a layer of crabs on the rack in the pot. Sprinkle with a generous amount of seasoning, then repeat with another layer, and another, until all 12 crabs are in pot (and well seasoned). Cover and steam over medium-high heat until the crabs are bright red, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove the crabs with tongs. Serve over newspaper, with mallets and picks.

BLUE CRAB DIP LIKE JOE'S CRAB SHACK

Steps:

• Fold all ingredients together except 1 T Parmesan cheese.
• spread evenly into oven proof baking dish.
• Microwave for 2 minutes.
• Transfer to oven and broil till top is slightly browned.
• Garnish with Parmesan and serve with Tortilla chips or toasted sourdough baguettes.
• For a little more zing we add extra (about another 1 t) crab boil, be careful--it can add quite a kick!