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Message
Who has actually steamed blue crabs “Maryland style”?
Posted on 7/5/24 at 7:32 am
Posted on 7/5/24 at 7:32 am
Went down a rabbit hole looking at YouTube vids on this with techniques and almost all seem to say how they’ve tried the “Louisiana style” boiled and that steamed are so mix better because the meat doesn’t get “mushy.”
I typically don’t care for “dusted” crawfish, so is there any chance I would like these steamed crabs? Anyone HERE actually prefer them that way?
The Maryland folks use these tubs of powdered seasoning from there. They all seem to say NOT Old Bay. I figured I’d just use powdered crab boil.
Does this sound like a terrible idea and a waste of crabs?
I typically don’t care for “dusted” crawfish, so is there any chance I would like these steamed crabs? Anyone HERE actually prefer them that way?
The Maryland folks use these tubs of powdered seasoning from there. They all seem to say NOT Old Bay. I figured I’d just use powdered crab boil.
Does this sound like a terrible idea and a waste of crabs?
11
Posted on 7/5/24 at 7:43 am to Y.A. Tittle
Enough people up there do it, so it probably works. Just cant bring my self to steam them and cake on seasoning.
If I was going to try a different way, Id grill them.
If I was going to try a different way, Id grill them.
Posted on 7/5/24 at 7:44 am to Y.A. Tittle
I steam snow crabs dusting them with crab boil powder, I also steam shrimp dusted with crab boil powder on the stovetop when it’s just me eating a pound or so; therefore, I would assume you would be fine.
Posted on 7/5/24 at 7:53 am to Y.A. Tittle
Steamed crabs are very good. I think it’s vinegar and beer, then some method to keep the crabs dry, then layers of crabs, each covered in seasonings. Need a stainless pot.
I very much liked them…but half the group asked for a seasoning plate to dip the picked crabs in because they were ‘bland’. The texture and flavor is better to me, than boiled…but I’d pretty much do anything for boiled crabs as well. There’s a festival in town this weekend…so looks like I’ll be in luck.
I very much liked them…but half the group asked for a seasoning plate to dip the picked crabs in because they were ‘bland’. The texture and flavor is better to me, than boiled…but I’d pretty much do anything for boiled crabs as well. There’s a festival in town this weekend…so looks like I’ll be in luck.
Posted on 7/5/24 at 9:19 am to kengel2
quote:
If I was going to try a different way, Id grill them.
I’ve done this and they were good. I was not looking to crank up a pit though.
Posted on 7/5/24 at 9:40 am to Y.A. Tittle
I am who you are looking for. And I know I'll get my coonass card taken, but yes I have had/done steamed crabs fairly regularly. Its almost an even split of boiled and steamed for the year.
My buddy moved here from Maryland a few years ago and introduced me to them. I was very skeptical at first. But its a great experience. My wife almost PREFERS the steamed over boiled. My older family (the +60yo crowd) thoroughly enjoys them as well. The seasoning is nothing like a regular cajun crab boil seasoning. The seasoning they all use is J.O. No.2
When steaming, the crab has a much firmer consistency, even in the empty crabs. And you taste much more of the briny crab flavor as opposed to an overload of heavy spice/seasoning like boiling. I love drinking the crab boil water just as much as the next guy, but something about that steam is a very pleasant change of pace. Another steam plus, is that you can leave them in the hot pot indefinitely. We only take out what we are immediately eating so everything stays hot & fresh.
Gaston is correct on the method. My buddy uses an old keg with a custom aluminum stand off insert in the bottom and aluminum top to steam them. When I steam, I just add a couple all thread rods through the holes in my regular basket and place a perforated plate on that. Pretty sure my buddy only uses regular white vinegar, no beer. Ive done both ways, including apple cider vingear in place of regular white. His are always better. But fill the pot up to the bottom part of your standoff/grate (couple inches of vinegar is fine. Just enough to not steam out dry over the course of cooking, otherwise you'll burn a hole through the bottom of the pot). Then add a single layer of iced crabs and cover generously with J.O. Then just keep layering. Cover pot, light fire, and cook 20 min from first puff of steam. You dont have to crank the heat like boiling crabs. Just a good strong medium to get it steaming. This also makes for a much quieter and more social environment. (Unless you need an escape from the wife and kids. Thats where a roaring boiling fire comes in handy
My buddy moved here from Maryland a few years ago and introduced me to them. I was very skeptical at first. But its a great experience. My wife almost PREFERS the steamed over boiled. My older family (the +60yo crowd) thoroughly enjoys them as well. The seasoning is nothing like a regular cajun crab boil seasoning. The seasoning they all use is J.O. No.2
When steaming, the crab has a much firmer consistency, even in the empty crabs. And you taste much more of the briny crab flavor as opposed to an overload of heavy spice/seasoning like boiling. I love drinking the crab boil water just as much as the next guy, but something about that steam is a very pleasant change of pace. Another steam plus, is that you can leave them in the hot pot indefinitely. We only take out what we are immediately eating so everything stays hot & fresh.
Gaston is correct on the method. My buddy uses an old keg with a custom aluminum stand off insert in the bottom and aluminum top to steam them. When I steam, I just add a couple all thread rods through the holes in my regular basket and place a perforated plate on that. Pretty sure my buddy only uses regular white vinegar, no beer. Ive done both ways, including apple cider vingear in place of regular white. His are always better. But fill the pot up to the bottom part of your standoff/grate (couple inches of vinegar is fine. Just enough to not steam out dry over the course of cooking, otherwise you'll burn a hole through the bottom of the pot). Then add a single layer of iced crabs and cover generously with J.O. Then just keep layering. Cover pot, light fire, and cook 20 min from first puff of steam. You dont have to crank the heat like boiling crabs. Just a good strong medium to get it steaming. This also makes for a much quieter and more social environment. (Unless you need an escape from the wife and kids. Thats where a roaring boiling fire comes in handy
Posted on 7/5/24 at 9:46 am to Y.A. Tittle
Friend,
Sometimes at Uncle’s annual lobster steam one of his clients brings a bushel of jumbo blue crabs with the implied understanding that Uncle steam them in the style you describe above. They always turn out marvelously.
It may not be a popular opinion in south Louisiana, but steamed blue crab are superior to boiled blue crab.
Yours,
TulaneLSU
Sometimes at Uncle’s annual lobster steam one of his clients brings a bushel of jumbo blue crabs with the implied understanding that Uncle steam them in the style you describe above. They always turn out marvelously.
It may not be a popular opinion in south Louisiana, but steamed blue crab are superior to boiled blue crab.
Yours,
TulaneLSU
Posted on 7/5/24 at 10:02 am to Antib551
quote:
The seasoning is nothing like a regular cajun crab boil seasoning. The seasoning they all use is J.O. No.2
What’s the difference here? No way I can procure that today, but it was what the folks I saw in the vids were using.
If I use a Louisiana powdered crab boil (I have Zatarains I think) would that be no bueno?
Posted on 7/5/24 at 10:12 am to Y.A. Tittle
quote:
say how they’ve tried the “Louisiana style” boiled and that steamed are so mix better because the meat doesn’t get “mushy.”
They are “mushy” because they are overcooking them. I’m betting that they were boiling them for the same amount of time that they would have normally steamed them instead of boiling and letting them soak.
Posted on 7/5/24 at 10:24 am to Y.A. Tittle
COMPLETELY different. And yes, likely no way to procure today...
Not really sure how to describe it, but its essentially mainly a flake salt that melts with the steam but doesn't completely liquify and run off. I dont really have a comparison or alternative on flavor to a cajun seasoning.
You could try the regular crab boil but it wont be anywhere near a true Maryland steam. Something about the salt in J.O. is different. Maybe a lower sodium than normal salt. It's not really a "salty" flavor like regular powder crab boil. I would think regular LA or Zat powder will be far too spicy and salty. And in fact, it will probably just completely melt and run off, leaving you with zero seasoning on the shell or in the meat.
I would personally just order some J.O. on amazon for next time. Or if you can get it in one day on Amazon just leave the crabs iced and they'll easily be good a day or 2.
Not really sure how to describe it, but its essentially mainly a flake salt that melts with the steam but doesn't completely liquify and run off. I dont really have a comparison or alternative on flavor to a cajun seasoning.
You could try the regular crab boil but it wont be anywhere near a true Maryland steam. Something about the salt in J.O. is different. Maybe a lower sodium than normal salt. It's not really a "salty" flavor like regular powder crab boil. I would think regular LA or Zat powder will be far too spicy and salty. And in fact, it will probably just completely melt and run off, leaving you with zero seasoning on the shell or in the meat.
I would personally just order some J.O. on amazon for next time. Or if you can get it in one day on Amazon just leave the crabs iced and they'll easily be good a day or 2.
Posted on 7/5/24 at 10:32 am to Antib551
quote:
Something about the salt in J.O. is different.
Someone in one of the videos was mentioning it was almost rock salt like.
I’m bout to deep dive into this seasoning to try to figure out if it is something I can replicate in some sort of way.
Posted on 7/5/24 at 10:34 am to Antib551
I've had them both ways, more often steamed. I prefer steamed. My inlaws are from Maryland and my FiL, would add beer and vinegar to a pot, place a rack inside the pot to keep the crabs above the liquid and apply seasoning to each layer of crabs. They used Old Bay sometimes, but mostly Wye River.
The only problem I had with it was that I could not really keep up with them. They'd been doing it all their lives and crabs were destroyed at a record pace.
I like shrimp done that way too.
The only problem I had with it was that I could not really keep up with them. They'd been doing it all their lives and crabs were destroyed at a record pace.
I like shrimp done that way too.
This post was edited on 7/5/24 at 10:35 am
Posted on 7/5/24 at 10:36 am to Y.A. Tittle
quote:
They all seem to say NOT Old Bay.
Old bay is like Budweiser….no one admits that they use it, but it is probably the most popular seafood seasoning on the planet! It is actually very good seasoning.
Posted on 7/5/24 at 10:38 am to Spankum
quote:
Old bay is like Budweiser….no one admits that they use it, but it is probably the most popular seafood seasoning on the planet! It is actually very good seasoning.
I may just go with that since it’s readily available. I actually have some but probably not enough.
Posted on 7/5/24 at 11:01 am to Gaston
quote:
The texture and flavor is better to me, than boiled…but I’d pretty much do anything for boiled crabs as well.
I would say the texture is better, but I don’t like the flavor as much. I always end up with some kind of butter/seasoning dip with steamed that isn’t as necessary with boiled.
Posted on 7/5/24 at 11:03 am to Y.A. Tittle
when i lived in PA i would steam crabs every year a couple times, mostly for a friend who hosted a large gathering of 30-50 people for an annual "crab crack". He knew i was a coon arse with my own set up so i got asked to be the cook.
Took some trial and error but they are a delicious crab. i still personally prefer the boiled crab. Juicer and more flavor. The steam is cleaner and firmer meat though. i did my absolute best to convert those yankees to boil but they wouldnt have it
if you go about it absolutely do not skip icing your crabs before cooking.
Took some trial and error but they are a delicious crab. i still personally prefer the boiled crab. Juicer and more flavor. The steam is cleaner and firmer meat though. i did my absolute best to convert those yankees to boil but they wouldnt have it
if you go about it absolutely do not skip icing your crabs before cooking.
Posted on 7/5/24 at 12:03 pm to caro81
quote:
if you go about it absolutely do not skip icing your crabs before cooking.
What's this all about?
Posted on 7/5/24 at 12:22 pm to deeprig9
quote:Icing crabs should be done whether boiling or steaming. For boiling (and maybe steaming), the cold sleeping crabs do not drop their claws and legs. Awake crabs will drop appendages when they hit the hot water. For steaming its more to allow you to neatly layer and season the crabs. Wild awake crabs will knock all the seasoning off and you wont be able to layer them or apply seasoning evenly.
What's this all about?
Posted on 7/5/24 at 12:35 pm to caro81
quote:
"crab crack"
Those yanks smash ‘em with a hammer? I’d love to watch that.
Posted on 7/5/24 at 2:04 pm to Gaston
quote:
Those yanks smash ‘em with a hammer? I’d love to watch that.
they had these tiny little wooden hammers. it was cute.
at one point i had about 10 people around me as i taught them how to properly clean a crab. My mom taught me, and she was taught by her grandma who worked in a crab picking place.
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