Ingredients
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4
dozen live blue crabs
2 pounds ice
1/2
ounce bay leaves (about 48 leaves)
1
cup paprika
1
cup celery salt
2
tablespoons cayenne
Two
12-ounce bottles lager beer
3
cups apple cider vinegar
Directions
Rinse
the crabs with cool water and transfer to a large cooler. Top with ice and let
sit until the crabs are still, about 1 hour.
Meanwhile,
to make the seafood seasoning, grind the bay leaves in a spice grinder until
finely ground. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the paprika, celery salt and
cayenne.
Pour
the beer into a 36-quart stockpot with a basket insert and add the vinegar, 2
tablespoons of the seafood seasoning and 6 cups water. Stir to combine. Add the
steamer basket (the liquid should be below the basket), cover and bring to a
boil over high heat.
Put
12 crabs in a single layer, shell-side up, on the steamer rack. Sprinkle
liberally with about 1/4 cup seafood seasoning. Repeat the process, layering
and sprinkling, with the remaining crabs and seasoning. Cover and steam until
the crabs are bright orange all over (there should be no traces of blue or
green), 20 to 25 minutes.
Transfer
the crabs to a large platter or rimmed baking sheet–or spread them out directly
on a table covered with butcher paper — and serve with crab mallets for
cracking the shells.
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