Boiled or Steamed Blue Crab Craving

[nolagal]

Please tell me, how are you cleaning them before cooking? I am in awe if you can clean them alive. I never thought of myself as sqeamish but UGH. I've never used Old Bay. We use Zatarains liquid and bagged crab boil. If I were to season them after, I'd use Tony Chacheres.

I went to Nicks in the Sticks last night had the steamed combo. I assume that it's Old Bay that they sprinkle on the shrimp, so I guess I've had my first Old Bay experience. (LOL still prefer my Zatarains)

BTW - what's up with everyone serving snow crab legs here in FL. You guys have such good local crab, I'm surprised that you would bother with imports. Anyway back home to NOLA now. Had a great time. Thanks everyone for all of the imput.

 

[Smiling JOe]

I told you to invite me to dinner, and I'd demonstrate cleaning, cooking and eating techniques. As gayboi described, you pop the top, pull the gills and guts if you like. I think the guts add a little flavor, so I will sometimes leave the guts. I try to put the crabs to sleep before popping their tops -- 30-40 minutes in the freezer will chill them out and it appears to numb them of pain.

 

[nolagal]

I know how to clean them -- I just do it when they're dead. I guess getting them really cold might help. For some reason I don't mind cleaning live softshells (just cut their head/eyes right out) but the thought of ripping the guts out of the crab's shell just freaks me out a little. I'm glad to hear you leave some of the guts in when you cook them. I think that's the best part. I love that crab fat. I also love the hidden eggs that you get with some females. I know you throw those out and I probably should but they are soooo good. I love me some crab innards.

 

[jensieblue]

cleaning uncooked crabs,,,

FYI...I had a friend who cleaned a batch of crabs without cooking them and without wearing gloves to protect his hands. As soon as he had finished his task, his hands and arms, errupted in a horrid rash. The doctor told him he had contracted something from the shells of the uncooked crabs and he was sick as a dog for a couple weeks.. He didn't know about the risk and thought wearing gloves would be too cumbersome. He had knicked his hands up on the crab shells so whatever the agent was that had caused the infection rapidly became systemic. So, be careful ....I still recall how he suffered. I know the crab houses have the crab pickers wear gloves.

 

[Matt J]

I've always used heavy duty leather gloves. Pull off the claws and then pop the top, a soft potato brush is great for getting the guts and gills out. You could probably just pull the mouth and eyes out along with the gills, but I've always been cleaning a large quantity so time is of the essence.

As to the snow crab issue I think it's laziness. I'd rather spend a couple hours picking and eating blue crabs til I pop, but some people prefer the lesser taste and the ease of cleaning.

 

[Matt J]

Oh if you ate at Nick's then you had Old Bay.

 

[Smiling JOe]

Some people are allergic to crabs.

 

[nolagal]

We're Back

I know this thread is old now, but we'll be back in SOWAL next week and am wondering if blue crabs are in season still. We pretty much have them year round here but they aren't always very big or full. Your FL crabs are so good I'm hoping to get another couple dozen while there next week. What do you think? Is it worth it to try to track them down this time of year?

 

[Smiling JOe]

Blue Crabs are found here year round. There is no "season." Call Sam Wesley in Grayton (850-231-2043) if you want live crabs to cook yourself, or try Nick's in the sticks, west of Freeport on Hwy 20 if you want someone else to do the cooking.

 

[ASH]

I throw a line into the bayou with cut bait or finger mullett and pull out more blue crabs than fish. No shortage of them around here.