Maryland Steamed Blue Crabs
Whole Chesapeake blue crabs steamed over vinegar and beer, blanketed in Old Bay seasoning and eaten by hand on newspaper-covered tables.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Total
- 45 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 310 kcal
Equipment
- •Large steamer pot
- •Wooden mallet
- •Crab knife
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 310 kcal
- fat
- 15
- carbs
- 3
- protein
- 34
- calories
- 310
Instructions
- 1
Pour vinegar and beer into a large steamer pot. Bring the liquid to a boil.
- 2
Place a steaming rack above the liquid so the crabs do not touch it.
- 3
Layer live crabs on the rack. Sprinkle each layer generously with Old Bay and salt.
- 4
Cover tightly with a lid. Steam over high heat for 25-30 minutes until the shells turn bright orange-red.
- 5
Carefully remove the crabs with tongs. Pile them onto a newspaper-covered table.
- 6
Serve right away with mallets, crab knives, and melted butter.
Chef's tips
Steam crabs on a rack instead of boiling them in liquid so the meat stays sweet and tender. Work in batches and season each layer with plenty of Old Bay and salt.
Storage
Refrigerate picked crab meat up to 2 days in an airtight container.
Reheating
Best eaten fresh; whole steamed crabs can be re-steamed briefly for a few minutes but meat toughens with reheating.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Boiling the crabs directly in the liquid instead of steaming them above it
- •Not using enough Old Bay seasoning and salt between each layer
Serving suggestions
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