How long do you cook live blue crabs until they are safe to eat? I've heard about 6 - 10 min. and I've heard about 20 - 30 min. So how long should I boil them until they are safe to eat? Also what should I put in the water before I boil them? I've heard to put salt in it. Anything else? Thanks.

Big pot. Little bit of salt (but not necessary). Once it's boiling good, just drop them in for 3 minutes. Perfect.

Large pot,1 tablespoon salt per dozen crabe,1 bag Zatarans Seafood boil, 1 tablespoon red pepper per dozen crabs. Put in all ingrediants,and boil for 5 minutes,also you can add a few red potatoes cut in half,and a few frozen short corn on the cobb,if so let them boil for 15 minutes before putting in the crabs. Cook the crabs for 5 minutes. When you remove all from pot,sprinkle all with seafood seasoning. You will love it.

I steam them. I have a 2 part steamer pot. Water, some beer goes in the boiler area. I make a mix of Old Bay seafood seasoning and salt per the recipe on the Old Bay Can and sprinkle it over the crabs in the top. I put in a layer of crabs and sprinkle. Another layer of crabs and sprinkle. etc etc etc. Cook until the shells turn red. Steaming prevents the crab and meat from getting waterlogged.

Friends in Maryland taught this LSU grad something about cooking crabs(I know - hard to believe)! They use only a few inches of water in a large pot and a steamer basket. A few drops of vinegar in the water with some salt, full rolling boil and add crabs to basket, lower into steam and cover for 5 to 10 minutes (depends on number of crabs and size of pot). Remove crabs and sprinkle well with Old Bay - I also like Zataran's powder. Allow to cool until safe to handle and enjoy. They eat it with a choice of dips/sauces - from simple butter and lemon to malt vinegar. Pretty simple - but what more can you expect from these Yankees...

I was born in Baltimore,MD.Crab capitol of the world.They never boil crabs.They steam them using Old Bay seafood seasoning.The main thing I have found is to make sure the crab is alive before cooking or it will be mushy and unpalatable. Here is a recipe from Baltimore. Ingredients:1 dozen crabs,2 cups water,3 cups vinegar,1 cup seafood seasoning(Old bay,McCormicks Chesepeake Bay seafood seasoning,etc.) Using a large pot with a rack and lid(steamer pot)pour vinegar and water into pot and bring to rolling boil.Place crabs on rack one layer at a time and sprinkle with seasoning.Be sure to sprinkle each layer liberally.Place lid on pot and steam 15 to 20 minutes until crabs are bright orange.Keep plenty of ice cold beer close at hand and enjoy. P.S. If you do have a few dead crabs you can remove the claws and steam them.The crab should be discarded.

For spicy crabs, boil just like crawfish. My family in LA would make them so hot, you couldn't eat them. Boil them around 5 min. let soak if you want hotter.

My favorite is to clean them leave leggs on and grill them covered in Tonys.

We also eat them deep fried and in gumbo. In gumbo add meat when you start cooking, them add some boddies when right before you turn off the heat.










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I've always boiled in Old Bay for 20 min. Adding beer seems to increase flavor. I try to cook shrimp with the crabs as it makes the shrimp more tender. You only add the shrimp for the last 5 min.

steaming....definantly! old bay...fer sure. and you better have a boatload, and the shrimp thing is a great idea for volume.

I am glad I am old school Old Bay steaming kind of guy. I forgot about adding the vinegar to my recipe(?) posted above. Thanks for reminding me. Throw some sweet corn and onions in when steaming and let them get some old bay on them too - YMMMM.

but what more can you expect from these Yankees... [/quote]

Hey T Tiger, just so ya know for future reference, Maryland is SOUTH of the MASON-DIXON LINE !!!