Best Chesapeake Crab Boil Recipes

MARYLAND CRAB FEAST RECIPE

Steps:

• Add enough beer to the largest pot you own to reach a depth of roughly 1 inch. Pour in a generous splash of vinegar. The exact quantity isn't important; just give it a good little glug. (Note: You can also just use water to steam the crabs, if you want. The flavor difference will be subtle.)
• Set over high heat and bring to a boil. Cover pot and cook for 15 minutes. Check the crabs: They should be bright red and piping-hot when done. If they're not, cook for an additional 5 to 15 minutes, until crabs are bright red and no traces of blue remain.
• Remove crabs and repeat with any remaining crabs. Serve with distilled vinegar and drawn butter on newspaper-covered tables. Sides like corn on the cob , cornbread , and coleslaw are commonly served alongside.

CRAB BOIL

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil; add potatoes, sausages, onions, corn, and seafood seasoning. Cook mixture at a boil until the potatoes are cooked through, about 30 minutes.
• Gently drop crabs into the boiling mixture; cook until the crabmeat is cooked through, at least 10 minutes. Drain water.

CHESAPEAKE BAY BLUE CRAB HOT POT

Steps:

• In a heavy-gauged pot on medium to high heat add the grapeseed oil. When a light haze rises from the pan, add all of the crab. The blue crabs contain water so you must cook them until this liquid has evaporated. Then add the butter. Allow the milk solids to fall and when the butter stops foaming add the vegetables and cook until translucent. Add the coriander seed and brown lightly. Add the tomato paste and chopped tomato and cook, stirring frequently, for 4 minutes. Deglaze with the white wine, scraping up any bits sticking to the pan. Add the water and chicken stock. Bring up to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes. Add the bay leaf and thyme cook an additional 10 minutes. Press the whole mixture into a strainer. The broth should have small pieces of the vegetables from the cooking of the crab. Check and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Divide evenly and garnish each with some of the crab, pickled ramps, sauteed shiitakes and creme fraiche.
• Combine the sugar, vinegar, and water and bring to a boil. Add the mustard, coriander, fennel seeds, peppercorns, and bay leaf. Blanch and shock ramps, strain, and pour the warm pickling liquid over the ramps. Let cool and store for 3 days before using.

CHESAPEAKE CRAB BOIL

Steps:

• Combine the beer, vinegar, Old Bay, and salt in a medium nonreactive bowl; set aside.
• Place a rack in the bottom of a large, deep, nonreactive kettle.
• Pile half the crabs on the rack and pour in half the beer mixture; add the remaining crabs and beer mixture.
• Set over med-high heat and bring to a boil; adjust the heat so the liquid bubbles gently, cover tight, and steam the crabs for 20-25 minutes or until they are bright red.
• Serve at once with melted butter and plenty of napkins.
• Don't forget to put out a large bowl to catch the crab shells.

CAROLINA CRAB BOIL

Steps:

• In a stockpot, heat oil over medium-high heat; brown sausage. Stir in broth, water, beer, seafood seasoning and bay leaves. Add vegetables; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 20-25 minutes or until potatoes are tender., Add crab; heat through. Drain; remove bay leaves. Transfer to a serving bowl; season with pepper.

CHESAPEAKE BAY CRABS

Steps:

• Place about 6 cups of water, the vinegar, and the beer in an 8-gallon stockpot fitted with a raised rack. If you don't have a raised rack, use bricks wrapped in clean cloth to raise your rack about 6 inches off the bottom. It is important that the crabs not get wet while they're being steamed.
• Make a layer of crabs on the rack, and cover them with 1/8 to 3/4 inch of crab seasoning. Bring the liquid to a boil. Once the steam starts to rise through the crabs, cover pot with lid, and steam for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the crabs are bright red. Remove the crabs with tongs or rubber gloves. (Using rubber gloves makes handling easier, preventing you from burning your hands -- and inadvertently dropping any crabs.)

ULTIMATE CRAB BOIL

Steps:

• When we have a small catch we usually will steam the crabs instead of boiling - this would simply mean you place the vinegar in the bottom of the pot and add 2 - 3 cups of water just to get a steam going - the vinegar helps the crab meat come out of the shell easier. Steam for approximately 27 minutes.
• If you were boiling, you would just add all the ingredients to the pot adding enough water to cover the crabs- bring to a boil and throw in the live crabs. Cook for 12 minutes, drain and allow to rest before devouring.
• The ingredients that are listed below the bay leaves are all done to taste, using anywhere between 1/4 tsp to 1 tablespoons.