

Steaming is definitely the way to go if you want more tender, flavorful crab.” Plus, dropping a crab into a boil automatically causes its body to seize up and its albumin to rupture, which can make meat tough and chewy. It allows the crab flavor to stay inside the shell instead of leaking out into cooking water. “Steaming is a gentler, more controlled way of cooking, and it allows aromatics to be a lot more nuanced-whether you’re using something as bold as Old Bay, or as mild as chamomile tea. I also find that steaming produces more supple, flavorful crabmeat. Blake Hartley, executive chef of Lapeer Seafood Market in Alpharetta, Georgia By steaming the shell, it acts as an oven, allowing the crabmeat to cook in its natural juices. Sometimes when boiling you run the risk of overcooking, and it can be difficult to extract meat if done improperly. “Steaming is a great way to maximize sweetness as well as texture for the delicate, lush meat. Drew Van Leuvan, executive chef of Ecco Buckhead in Atlanta We boiled blue crab (and shrimp)-and I’ll always stick to that method because it delivers a better result by introducing the broth’s flavors to the crab, leaving a wonderfully flavored stock, which later can be turned into a soup or a killer dipping sauce. “One of my best friends from culinary school and I used to visit his family home in Nanjemoy, Maryland. It’s directly on the upper end of the Potomac River. Brian Landry, former spokesperson for the Louisiana Board of Seafood, and owner and executive chef at Jack Rose in New Orleans and Marsh House in Nashville

Because steaming is at a much hotter temperature (up to 600 degrees), you wind up getting a rubbery texture. Water boils at only 212 degrees, so that preserves the great texture blue crab is known for.” “Blue crab is sweet with a hearty texture, and when you steam them, you lose that. Michelle Weaver, executive chef at Charleston Grill in Charleston, South Carolina Boiling ensures the seasoning gets evenly distributed throughout the crab and keeps it moist. If you steam the crabs all the seasoning ends up on the outside shell and eventually on your fingers. It’s not like Cheeto dust, either -you don’t want to lick it off. That’s just nasty!”

Finally, it is much easier to clean these crabs. She said – turn the water on to hot and submerge them in water. My mom saw me avoiding being clawed while brushing it. The reason why I struggled cleaning the crabs was they were still alive.
#Cleaned blue crab how to#
Honestly, it was only a few years ago I learned how to clean it. My parents visited yearly and that was the time I can have fresh crabs. I swear it took us forever to clean 10 crabs. Years ago, me and my roommate decided to buy crabs. Either I learn how to clean a crab or just go to my uncle’s house when they have it. But when I moved out that was the end of fresh crabs since I did not know how to clean them. When I moved to the US I lived with my uncle and aunt for a year and we always had fresh crabs and they cleaned and cooked it. I thought I would always have someone cleaning it for me. Cleaning CrabĬleaning crab is one thing I never learned from my Mom because I had no interest in learning it. I don’t mind paying a little extra if they clean it. It is one thing I wish the store would clean. The tiny little crab was so feisty I had to chase it with a tong. It was funny that a little creature could scare us all. There were people around me watching and we all yelled. I swear one time I was at the Asian store selecting crabs and one slipped and fell on the floor. We don’t buy dead crabs so the friskier they are the better. Selecting them can get intimidating too since they tend to stick with each other using their claws. But since I love crabs I put up with it.Ĭleaning crabs is a struggle especially if they move around so much. Honestly, it is one thing I don’t look forward to. How to clean blue crab can be intimidating if you don’t know the proper way of cleaning crab.
