Cooking Blue Crabs: No Steamer, No Problem

If you're looking to cook blue crabs without a steamer, you can use a large stockpot or pasta boiler. You'll need to create a rack on the bottom of the pot to keep the crabs above the boiling liquid. This can be done by placing empty metal cans upside down or inverting a colander in the pot. For the liquid, you can use a mix of beer, vinegar, and water, with a generous amount of seasoning. Layer the crabs in the pot, sprinkling each layer with seasoning, and steam until they're bright red. This method brings the social experience of a crab feast to your home, without the need for specialised equipment.

Use a stockpot or pasta boiler

If you don't have a crab pot, a stockpot or pasta boiler can be used to cook blue crabs. You will need to set up a rack inside the pot to keep the crabs above the boiling liquid. To do this, place a few clean, empty metal cans upside down on the bottom of the pot or invert a colander.

Once you have set up your rack, you can prepare the liquid for boiling. One recipe suggests using a mix of beer, vinegar, and water, while another recommends a mix of just beer and vinegar. Bring this mixture to a boil.

Next, carefully place your crabs onto the rack. It is recommended to stick a knife through the shell of each crab, just behind the mouth, and turn them upside down before placing them on the rack. Layer the crabs on the rack and sprinkle each layer with a generous amount of seasoning. You can use a ready-made seafood seasoning like Old Bay, or make your own mix with kosher salt, celery seed or celery salt, dry mustard, paprika, and black pepper.

Cover the pot and steam the crabs for 15 to 30 minutes, depending on their size and the number of crabs in the pot. The crabs will be cooked when they turn a bright red colour.

Prepare crabs before steaming

To prepare crabs for steaming, you'll first want to make sure they are alive and kicking. The fresher they are, the better they will taste. Remove any dead crabs from the batch before steaming.

Next, you'll want to dislocate the large front claws from the main body by moving them back towards the top shell of the crab, away from the belly. They will pop out without much resistance. Set these aside for now, as they are considered the best part of the crab.

Then, flip the crab body over and pull the triangular part in the centre, called the apron, back with your fingers or a butter knife. Pop it off and discard it.

Now, gently pry the top of the shell off with your fingers, exposing the insides. You'll want to scrape out the gills and the thick yellow substance called "mustard".

Once cleaned, gently hold the crab with both hands and crack it in half, bending it gently towards itself. You will feel it snap.

Your crabs are now ready to be steamed!

Use a mixture of water, beer, and vinegar

How to cook blue crabs without a steamer: Using a mixture of water, beer, and vinegar

You can cook juicy and delicious blue crabs without a steamer by boiling them in a mixture of water, beer, and vinegar. This method is not only easy but also produces tender and flavourful crabs. Here is a step-by-step guide to help you achieve crab-cooking perfection:

Step 1: Gather Your Ingredients and Materials

For this method, you will need the following ingredients:

• Water
• Beer (any variety will do, but a

Steam for 15-30 minutes

Once you've got your crabs, it's time to get steaming. You'll want to get your biggest stockpot or pasta boiler and place a few clean, empty metal cans upside down on the bottom, or invert a colander—anything that allows you to have a boiling liquid at the bottom and crabs above it. You can also use a pot with a raised rack.

Add your liquid—this can be a combination of beer, vinegar, and water, or just water and vinegar—and bring to a boil. You can also add seasoning to the water at this point if you like.

Now it's time to add your crabs. Place them in a single layer on the rack or screen in your pot, and sprinkle with a generous amount of seasoning. Repeat this process until all your crabs are in the pot.

Cover the pot and steam over medium-high heat for 15-30 minutes, until the crabs are bright red. If you're using a pot with a raised rack, you'll want to steam for 20-30 minutes on medium heat.

Once the crabs are cooked, remove them from the pot with tongs and serve them over newspaper, with mallets and picks.

Serve with mallets and picks

Once your crabs are cooked, it's time to serve them. Spread newspaper out on a sturdy table and pour your crabs out on top. You'll also want to provide your guests with wooden mallets or other blunt objects to help crack the hard claws, and thin pokers to pull out any hard-to-reach meat. You can also use your fingers to dig out the meat, and some people prefer to use their fingers instead of picks.

Mallets and picks can be used to get to the meat in the claws, legs, and body of the crab. To get to the meat in the claws, use the mallet to gently break the shell, then peel off the shell to expose the large chunk of claw meat. For the legs, you can snap the flexible part back to see if any meat slides out, then snap the leg at the joint and crack open the shell. To get to the meat in the body, first remove the claws and the triangular "apron" from the main body, then gently hold the body with both hands and crack it in half, bending the crab in towards itself.

You can also serve the crabs with melted butter and more Old Bay seasoning for sprinkling, as well as corn on the cob, crispy french fries, hush puppies, or other easy-to-eat finger foods.

Frequently asked questions