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 A large pot for boiling crabs

Are you looking for easy solution on how to boil crab? Do you want to know the proper cooking times for your type of crab? Maybe you are out of practice and need a little crab boiling refresher?

Look no further – we’ve got you covered! We will teach you everything you need to know about boiling crab and processing it for later.

First off, there are a few things that you will need to properly boil your crab.

 

Equipment:

  1. A large sized pot. Use the biggest pot you have. You need a pot big enough to be able to have your crab fully submerged in boiling water. If you have caught (or bought) a lot of crabs then you may want to invest in a pot suitable for cooking all your crabs. Otherwise, your large catch will take a lot of time to cook.
  2. A good pair of tongs. Tongs are such an incredible tool when handling crabs; it’s worth your money to by an easy to manage pair.
  3. Sea salt or crab boil seasoning. I like to boil my crabs in only salted water and season after. A lot of people swear by a crab boil spice. Try out both methods and pick your favorite.
  4. Something to count time; a timer, clock, watch or what-have-you.
  5. An empty sink to put the crabs in once they are cooked.

 

Ready to get started?

Directions:

  • Add enough water to your pot to fully cover your crabs while the water is rapidly boiling.  
  • Place your pot on high heat and bring to a boil.
  • While you are waiting for the water to boil add your salt or crab boil seasoning. Use about 1/3 cup of salt to a gallon (4 litres) of water. Use your seasoning according to the directions on the package.
  • Once the water has boiled, use your tongs to pick up your live, whole crab and add them to the water. The crabs must be fully covered in water to cook evenly.
  • Bring the water to a boil again and start your timer.

 

Crab Boiling Times:

Dungeness crab small (6 1/4”) = 18 minutes

Dungeness crab large (above 7”) = 20 minutes

Red Rock crab = 12-14 minutes

Blue Swimmer crabs medium = 10 minutes

Blue Swimmer crabs large = 12 minutes

 

You will notice the shells will turn a brilliant red color when they are done.  Once they are cooked remove them from the water with the tongs and put them in the sink. Run cold water on them or fill the sink with cold water on to stop them from cooking further.

Now you can either clean and crack them to get their meat out or you can freeze them for later use. We’ll show you an easy way for cleaning crabs here or simple steps to take when freezing your crabs here.

Do you have any other questions about boiling crabs? We will be happy to answer any questions you have. Just leave your questions in the comments below.

 

 

How to Boil Crab
 
 
We will teach you everything you need to know about boiling crab and processing it for later.
:
: Entree
Ingredients
  • A large sized pot. Use the biggest pot you have. You need a pot big enough to be able to have your crab fully submerged in boiling water. If you have caught (or bought) a lot of crabs then you may want to invest in a pot suitable for cooking all your crabs. Otherwise, your large catch will take a lot of time to cook.
  • A good pair of tongs. Tongs are such an incredible tool when handling crabs; it’s worth your money to by an easy to manage pair.
  • Sea salt or crab boil seasoning. I like to boil my crabs in only salted water and season after. A lot of people swear by a crab boil spice. Try out both methods and pick your favorite.
  • Something to count time; a timer, clock, watch or what-have-you.
  • An empty sink to put the crabs in once they are cooked.
Method to the Rad-ness
  1. Add enough water to your pot to fully cover your crabs while the water is rapidly boiling.
  2. Place your pot on high heat and bring to a boil.
  3. While you are waiting for the water to boil add your salt or crab boil seasoning. Use about ⅓ cup of salt to a gallon (4 litres) of water. Use your seasoning according to the directions on the package.
  4. Once the water has boiled, use your tongs to pick up your live, whole crab and add them to the water. The crabs must be fully covered in water to cook evenly.
  5. Bring the water to a boil again and start your timer

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