Boiling Crabs
For some of you boiling crabs is the hardest part about crabbing and for good reason. If you haven’t just killed your crabs with a sharp blow to the head, then you will be boiling them alive. I know it’s horrendous sounding. There’s no way to sugar coat it. Not everybody can do it either so don’t feel bad.
There is a way around doing the actual killing deed; buy cooked crab from a grocery store or restaurant.
But you just caught this crab and you like it fresh so…get yourself prepared.
Things you need:
- A Huge pot, for more than one crab
- A large soup pot for cooking one crab at a time
- Tongs-invest in a good pair of tongs as you will use them often
- Gloves- these are optional, you do need to handle the crabs
Method to the Rad-ness:
- Fill your pot about 3/4 full with water and bring to a boil on high heat.
- If you want to add salt or sea salt (I don’t, but you might) add about one tablespoon or less per litre.
- Pick up your live crab and drop it in the boiling water. You can do this by grabbing the back legs, one of the back legs or flipping the crab over and rubbing it’s belly until it falls asleep. *make sure that the crab(s) are fully submerged in the water.
- Cover the pot with a lid and bring the water back to a rapid boil. Reduce the heat to medium.
- Once the water is boiling again start your timer.
Dungeness boiling time: Sixteen to Twenty minutes
Blue crab boiling time: Ten minutes
Red Rock crab boiling time: Eight to Ten minutes
Once the crabs have been cooked, soak them in cold water to stop the cooking process.
Now you are ready to start cleaning the crabs or, when they are entirely cool, freezing the crabs.
Return from Boiling Crabs to Home
- A Huge pot, for more than one crab
- A large soup pot for cooking one crab at a time
- Tongs-invest in a good pair of tongs as you will use them often
- Gloves- these are optional, you do need to handle the crabs
- Fill your pot about ¾ full with water and bring to a boil on high heat.
- If you want to add salt or sea salt (I don’t, but you might) add about one tablespoon or less per litre.
- Pick up your live crab and drop it in the boiling water. You can do this by grabbing the back legs, one of the back legs or flipping the crab over and rubbing it’s belly until it falls asleep. *make sure that the crab(s) are fully submerged in the water.
- Cover the pot with a lid and bring the water back to a rapid boil. Reduce the heat to medium.
- Once the water is boiling again start your timer.
- Dungeness boiling time: Sixteen to Twenty minutes
- Blue crab boiling time: Ten minutes
- Red Rock crab boiling time: Eight to Ten minutes
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