4 Crab Cooking Methods - Costas Inn (2024)

FAQs

Which cooking method is best for crab? ›

Boiling crabs is one of the most well-known and popular techniques for preparing crabs. You'll just need a large pot, a pair of tongs, and your favorite seasonings.

Boiling, steaming, and broiling are three popular ways to cook crab legs (our recipe below shows you all 3 methods!). Each method results in tender, juicy crabmeat, so which method is “the best” depends solely on the time and tools you have available. Boiling: Requires a large pot and time to bring water to a boil.

In a large pot (make sure it is large enough to cook your crab, I had a 2 lb crab and used an 8 quart pot that was half filled), add water and a heavy amount of salt. Bring to a boil. Using tongs, lower your crab into the water and cook 8 minutes per pound of crab. My crab was 2 lbs, so I cooked it 16 minutes.

We also want to cook our live crabs in the most humane way possible. Before cooking your live crabs, immerse them with tongs (preferably really long BBQ tongs) in a bowl of ice water for a few minutes. This will stun the crabs a bit so that they are less aware of what is going on.

“Steaming is a great way to maximize sweetness as well as texture for the delicate, lush meat. Sometimes when boiling you run the risk of overcooking, and it can be difficult to extract meat if done improperly. By steaming the shell, it acts as an oven, allowing the crabmeat to cook in its natural juices.

One of the most popular ways to cook a crab, especially in Maryland and along the eastern shore, steaming provides an even and gentle cook for the delicate meat. The extreme heat caused by the method brings exquisite flavor into it without as much of a threat of overcooking.

Steaming, grilling, and heating in the microwave are methods for cooking crab legs, but boiling is one of the best ways to cook crab legs and the method highly recommended by the Better Homes & Gardens Test Kitchen. The water gets into the shells, keeps the meat moist, and helps the meat heat through quickly.

Crab legs are generally sold pre-cooked and flash-frozen. Steaming is the preferred cooking method to reheat them to serve at home because the gentle, moist heat helps preserve the pure, sweet taste and tender texture of the meat.

Cook the crabs for about 18-20 minutes, depending on size. The crabs are done when they turn orange and the meat flakes when tested with a fork. Carefully remove the crabs from the pot with clean tongs and serve on a platter with a sprinkling of seafood seasoning and some lemon wedges.

This compound is odorless when the crabs are alive, but once they're killed, TMAO slowly transforms into TMA (trimethylamine), which has an unfortunately distinct smell. But that doesn't mean the seafood has gone bad or is unusable. And there's an easy way to restore a fresh smell: Give it a simple milk soak.

How are crabs commonly cooked? ›

Boiling is more common, but steaming crabs emerge from the pot less water-logged and more filled with their own crabby juices. To Boil: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add enough salt so it tastes as salty as the ocean.

Fill your pot to about 2/3's full of water, add salt (about 1/2 cup/gallon of water) and seasonings (optional/your choice), then, bring to full boil. Carefully add the whole crab to the water. Make sure the crabs are all covered in water.

When a crab dies bacteria will quickly destroy the meat so it is important to either cook the crab while it is still alive or immediately after it has died. A crab that has limp claws or whose antennae isn't twitching when you pick it up is close to death and should be cooked immediately.

Place live crabs in freezer for approximately 15 minutes to numb them prior to cooking. Freezing the crabs before you cook them is more humane and makes it easier to place them in the pot because they won't be moving around as much (or trying to kill you).

Crabs can be killed by rapid destruction of both nerve centres by piercing both ganglia from the underside of the crab with a pointed spike (e.g. a thick, pointed pithing instrument, an awl or a sharp-pointed knife). Spiking must not be performed on lobsters because they have a long chain of nerve centres.

There are a few ways to cook a king crab legs. I prefer not to boil crab legs because they can easily become waterlogged, which reduces the flavor. My favorite methods are steaming and baking and both are so easy to do!

Frying. Frying is probably the most popular method of cooking fish. Shallow frying: The fish should be seasoned and lightly coated with flour or crumb before frying to protect it and seal in the flavour. Use a mixture of oil and butter when frying and turn the fish only once during cooking, to avoid breaking up.

Mayonaise, mustard, Worcestershire, lemon juice, and old bay are the only seasonings used. Is it better to bake or fry Maryland crab cakes? I prefer baking because you don't add additional calories via the cooking oil. Baking crab cakes with little filler is also easier and they are less likely to fall apart.