Basic Blue Crab Boil
This one is more of a “how-to” than it is a recipe, but if you’ve never cooked fresh live blue crabs in your own kitchen, then you will need to know how to do your own blue crab boil.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
Add enough salt so it tastes salty like the ocean and add 1 packet of crab boil seasoning, or Old Bay seasoning.
Quickly add live crabs, so they all cook for the same amount of time.Cook crabs for 15 to 20 minutes, depending on size. Yes, you must use live crabs because crab meat can spoil very quickly and will make you sick. If you want a more humane way of cooking them, put them in an ice water bath for 10 to 15 minutes before you put them in the pot, this puts them in a dormant state and you’ll feel better about what you just did. Also, you’ll want to be careful handling live crabs. It’s a pretty smart idea to use long metal tongs to avoid getting pinched.
When ready, the shells will turn orange/red in color.
Remove from pot and let sit until cool enough to handle.
Crack open, and enjoy.
If you want to serve your crab with a side or two, fresh boiled blue crab goes well with french fries, slaw, salad, corn on the cob and mashed or baked potatoes.
Or, if you want a more complex recipe for a blue crab boil, follow our recipe for Frogmore Stew, and simply substitute the blue crabs for shrimp.