Boiled or Steamed Blue Crab Craving

[Smiling JOe]

The same licensing rules apply for crabs as for fish. If you are not a FL resident, you are required to buy a license. If you are crabbing from a boat, even if you are a FL resident, you will need a license. I believe the legal limit is one five gallon bucket of crabs per day, and you cannot take female egg-bearing crabs. I always throw back all female crabs to keep the supply healthy, and I have a soft spot for females.

 

[nolagal]

Okay - stupid question but the crabs in the gulf aren't blue crabs . . . right? They look totally different and I have seen lots close to the beach for the last few days but they looked pretty small and I wasn't sure if they were good to eat. I would assume they would but you never know.

I'd like to try the chicken neck theory but hate to drag myself away from the beach. I went to shrimpers today and asked for blue crab. They pointed at the jumbo lump (delicious but not what I wanted) and then looked at me like I was crazy when I asked for live crab.

I love lump crab meat, but there is nothing like digging in those crab shells eating all that crab fat.... and oh my God the seafood stock you can make with the leftovers.

 

[Smiling JOe]

nolagal, most fish houses around here don't sell live crabs. Sam is one of the few who has them.

I often see Blue Crabs in the Gulf, but there are also many ghost crabs, which are probably what you are seeing.

If you want tips on cleaning, cooking and eating the crabs, call me over for dinner. lol.

Your Crab post made me hungry so I baited my traps this afternoon. They are good eating, but I cannot eat them every day, if I have other options. Three "select" size crabs will make a meal for me.

 

[beachmouse]

I've seen live crab at Dewey Destin's just north of the Destin bridge, but they don't always have them.

 

[nolagal]

THanks so much to everyone. Finally got my crabs from a really nice guy named Jay in SeaGrove. I called the number that you gave me for Sam and this is the guy that called me back. We have 2doz. big ones and are boiling them tonight. Of course we have our Zatarains, some potatoes and a tomato salad. I don't know what we will do with 2 dozen. We'll never be able to finish them all -- sigh. . . . crab cakes I guess or maybe crabmeat and asparagus omelets for lunch tomorrow.

 

[Matt J]

The same licensing rules apply for crabs as for fish. If you are not a FL resident, you are required to buy a license. If you are crabbing from a boat, even if you are a FL resident, you will need a license. I believe the legal limit is one five gallon bucket of crabs per day, and you cannot take female egg-bearing crabs. I always throw back all female crabs to keep the supply healthy, and I have a soft spot for females.

That is all correct unless you are using traps, then anything less that 20 does not require a license if you are a state resident. Anything over 20 and you'll need a commercial fishing license.

In addition if you catch a stone claw crab in season you can only remove one claw and must return the entire crab to the water. Don't try it out of season cause the fines get steep, I believe it is around $50.00 per claw with no limit. Also if you don't know how to remove the claw please don't, if done incorrectly it will kill the crab. Rule of thumb is to leave egg bearing crabs alone, don't risk killing them.

Chicken or turkey necks works great and when handling blue crabs either learn to move quickly and hold it by the back fin where it connects to the body or get a good pair of leather gloves.

We always prepared them by removing the shell first and cleaning out the guts, gills, and other stuff you're not going to eat. Then we steamed them. The theory was that boiling pulls out the flavor.

 

[nolagal]

We always boil them in NOLA. I don't know how you'd be able to clean them without at least dropping them in boiling water first. Even after keeping them cold, they are pretty fiesty as they are being thrown in the pot. I'm so clumsy, I'd be sure to lose a finger if I tried to rip off they shell while they were alive.

We drop them in boiling highly seasoned water for 5minutes and them soak them in that water for about 15minutes. This gives you a perfectly cooked and well seasoned crab IMHO.

I have friends from Maryland who also shudder at the thought of boiling them. They steam them as well. I guess it's just a regional thing.

 

[Matt J]

Yep, grandparents from Maryland, hence the steamy response.

 

[Smiling JOe]

Boiling definitely looses flavor. I clean and bake mine in some butter, Worcestershire sauce, and Old Bay. Doesn't get any better than that.

 

[Matt J]

Old Bay is the seasoning of the gods.