Steaming Crabs

[DrunkleJon]

Yes, and are we invited? Though probably not me since I made that joke about crabs.

 

[HomebrewTownsend]

Lol, good man!

Tons of good info on here, glad to see the OP didn't creep away, tail tucked

Hey, born and raised in Maryland, and I spent most of my childhood in Deal, which is about a good thirty min drive outside of Annapolis. Around there its mostly a fishing based community with lots of traditions and years of experience. I can also say that you can't find better rock fish from anywhere else. Lots of good memories of crabbing early in the morning with the smell of rotting chicken haha, man those were the good old days.

 

[BigDaddyBeard]

NO.....Old Bay!!!

What the hell is J.O!?!

Back on topic, been meaning to crab bake for a while now!!
Nothing better than crabs hammers beers and...ermm OLD BAY!!

Definitely J.O. and only "chicken neckers" use mallets!

 

[Subsailor]

Definitely J.O. and only "chicken neckers" use mallets!

I have never used a mallet and I haven't used Old Bay since 1983. Mix my own herbs and spices and beer!

 

[cheezydemon3]

I have never used a mallet and I haven't used Old Bay since 1983. Mix my own herbs and spices and beer!

I am MUCH the same as you!!!!!!!!


"MUCH" is because there are 3 pre mixed spices I use rather than re-invent the wheel.

CAVENDER'S GREEK

Slap your Mama CAJUN

and OLD BAY

That said...I mix my own Emeril's essence, and most anything and everything else.

Care to share a recipe?

 

[Mike M]

Definitely J.O....

Big Daddy knows.

J.O. is to Old Bay as Centennial is to Cascade.

 

[cheezydemon3]

hmmmmmm...
http://www.bluecrab.info/jo.html

JO
Ingredients: Salt, Mustard, Red Pepper, Celery, Paprika, Cracked Red Pepper,
Black Pepper, Thyme, Ginger, Laurel Leaves, Mace, Cinnamon.

Old Bay
celery salt (salt, celery seed), spices (including mustard, red pepper, black
pepper, bay (laurel) leaves, cloves, allspice [pimento], ginger, mace, cardamom, cinnamon), and paprika

http://www.food.com/recipe/old-bay-seasoning-copycat-189447 (couldn't find anything official, but this is one link that is interesting and contains a few more ingredients)


They are different, but contain most of the same ingredients. No MSG in either thankfully.

 

[Subsailor]

I am MUCH the same as you!!!!!!!!


"MUCH" is because there are 3 pre mixed spices I use rather than re-invent the wheel.

CAVENDER'S GREEK

Slap your Mama CAJUN

and OLD BAY

That said...I mix my own Emeril's essence, and most anything and everything else.

Care to share a recipe?

Truthfully, there is no set recipe. It depends upon what flavors we are in the mood for; Thai, Mediterranean, New England, Cajun, Continental or just simple Sea Salt and Pepper. If we go spicy, Like Thai or Cajun, I usually have to make 2 separate batches, mild for her and spicy for me, so a fixed recipe is a little difficult. Hers tends to end up about 1/4 as spicy mine. I guess it is best to say; to taste.

When I said I have never used a mallet, I’m including against some the giant King Crabs we get up here as well. Mostly a nut cracker although with some of the bigger crabs a pot holder to hold the critter to keep from tearing up our hands. My favorite and my Wife’s is Snow Crab. In fact my Wife is a crab junky; it is probably her favorite food in the whole world!

 

[cheezydemon3]

Truthfully, there is no set recipe. It depends upon what flavors we are in the mood for; Thai, Mediterranean, New England, Cajun, Continental or just simple Sea Salt and Pepper. If we go spicy, Like Thai or Cajun, I usually have to make 2 separate batches, mild for her and spicy for me, so a fixed recipe is a little difficult. Hers tends to end up about 1/4 as spicy mine. I guess it is best to say; to taste.

I hear you! I like it HOT. You don't make any blends to have on hand?

My favorite and my Wife’s is Snow Crab. In fact my Wife is a crab junky; it is probably her favorite food in the whole world!

I say that Snow Crab is the best, and people look at me and say things like "It doesn't have back fin meat" and I take a huge trident and shove it through their face.......no, wait, that is just what I want to do. I do restrain myself.

I don't know why more people don't get this.

Every once in a while I throw a crab party or a crab cake party. Everybody bring 2 lbs of snow crab.

Invariably, some well meaning non foodie gets some KING CRAB! Ooooohh!

And I am forced to say that it is not as good as snow crab. And they explain that it has KING in the name because it is better.

I explain that BUDWEISER claims that it is king too, and is not better than Bell's 2 hearted.

Then they say that Budweiser indeed is KING of beers, and is, therefore, better than Bell's 2 hearted.

THAT, my friends, is when the trident actually does come out.

 

[Melana]

For those of you that actually catch your own blues... any tips on snagging them? i am going to be in an area where i'll be able to try for some...

 

[Subsailor]

CD, the closest I have to a blend on hand would be:
Parsley
Bay leaf
Garlic powder
Onion powder
Thyme
fresh ground black pepper
sea salt

sometimes included
paprika
mustard
celery seed/salt

I use this as a base for alot of recipes.

 

[cheezydemon3]

CD, the closest I have to a blend on hand would be:
Parsley
Bay leaf
Garlic powder
Onion powder
Thyme
fresh ground black pepper
sea salt

sometimes included
paprika
mustard
celery seed/salt

I use this as a base for alot of recipes.

Definitely a nice base. I use garlic and onion powder in almost everything, even if it has fresh onion and garlic in it.

 

[BigDaddyBeard]

For those of you that actually catch your own blues... any tips on snagging them? i am going to be in an area where i'll be able to try for some...

Do you know anything at all about crabbing? Or do you just wanna give it a shot?

 

[Subsailor]

For those of you that actually catch your own blues... any tips on snagging them? i am going to be in an area where i'll be able to try for some...

When I lived in the Virgina Beach area in the first half of the '80s, we used to toss out chicken necks on a piece of string. Leave it sit for a few minutes and then just slowly drag it back into shore. We would sometimes get 2 or 3 of those guys refusing to let go of that neck. A few hours of this, fill a bucket or two and head back to the house. Sometimes do a little surfcasting and bring home some bluefish or flounder or something, also.

 

[cheezydemon3]

When I lived in the Virgina Beach area in the first half of the '80s, we used to toss out chicken necks on a piece of string. Leave it sit for a few minutes and then just slowly drag it back into shore. We would sometimes get 2 or 3 of those guys refusing to let go of that neck. A few hours of this, fill a bucket or two and head back to the house. Sometimes do a little surfcasting and bring home some bluefish or flounder or something, also.

But if you do the chicken necking, then you have to use a mallet.

 

[Melana]

Do you know anything at all about crabbing? Or do you just wanna give it a shot?

No, actually I don't. I'll try anything once!

 

[BigDaddyBeard]

What Subsailor said to do is the easiest cheapest way to give it a try. Don't be too disappointed if you don't catch anything crabs have been slow this year. But find a pier, tie a chicken neck to some string and throw it overboard. When the string starts to move very slowly bring it back in then dip them up with a net.

 

[Melana]

What Subsailor said to do is the easiest cheapest way to give it a try. Don't be too disappointed if you don't catch anything crabs have been slow this year. But find a pier, tie a chicken neck to some string and throw it overboard. When the string starts to move very slowly bring it back in then dip them up with a net.

Will do!

 

[Yellowirenut]

<---- lives in Indiana, Never had a proper boiled crab.
Guessing the crab cakes I have had are imposters compared to true coast type.

I cant get 12 ears of sweet corn for a $1 though!!
(grocery store crab goes for about $12 a lb.)

 

[BigDaddyBeard]

<---- lives in Indiana, Never had a proper boiled crab.
Guessing the crab cakes I have had are imposters compared to true coast type.

I cant get 12 ears of sweet corn for a $1 though!!
(grocery store crab goes for about $12 a lb.)

The true way to enjoy a blue crab is to steam it never boil (that is for the mud bugs).

 

[Melana]

Thanks guys. Now I have to go find a net, some line, and bait for the weekend. Add that to my list of other things (buckets to collect choke cherries, etc) and my relaxing weekend went out the window.

 

[cheezydemon3]

Thanks guys. Now I have to go find a net, some line, and bait for the weekend. Add that to my list of other things (buckets to collect choke cherries, etc) and my relaxing weekend went out the window.

Oh.....crabbing is relaxing!

I crab out of the gulf, but I do catch Blue crabs.

I use a crab pot. Put said chicken necks in the basket, toss it off of a dock, come back in 3 hours, hopefully crabs.