Big Bend Florida Sportsman Guide

Crab Recipes

Crab Stew

Author Tom Keels 

Clean and segment crabs. Count on 6 medium size crabs per person. 

In a large pot start a 1 to 1 oil/butter and flour rioux. Cook until the color of your shoe tops (really that is how I learned it). It is actually a rich brown gravy color. The darker the rioux, the richer the flavor, but you are playing chicken with it, so be careful. 

Cut and dice 2 large onions and 12 cloves of garlic. 

As soon as the rioux is the right color add the onions and garlic and stir constantly for about 3 minutes to sweat them. 

Add in the crab bodies and claws. Stir and coat crabs with the mixture. 

Add hot water to the pot and leave about an inch below covering the crabs. The water from the crabs will provide more water than you think. 

Bring back to a boil and add salt, black pepper(the more the better), and cajun seasoning to taste. 

Reduce heat to a simmer, and stir occasionally. Cook for about 2-3 hours. Serve the stew over white rice with garlic bread      

Crab, or anything else...boil !!

Author Capt. Ken 

You need a huge steamer to start with. A canner with a basket or grate to support your food several inches above the boiling water works great.  

Add a couple of inches of water to your pot along with a bag of Zatrains Crab Boil. And get the pot boiling. Place your corn and potatoes in the basket first and allow to steam for about 20 minutes. Add seafood in this order: Oysters,(3 minutes) then add Crabs, Scallops, and Shrimp. Steam for an additional 10 minutes with lid on.(of course)  

If you add a huge amount of seafood, you will have to adjust the time upward. For gutbusting servings for 4 the times mentioned above work fine.  

Wash the seafood before putting it in the pot. Oysters especially should be sprayed with the garden hose and a pressure nozzle.  

Serve with some of Sharon's Cole Slaw and my Hushpuppys.  

One thing additional: If you like steamed cabbage, steam it in the same manner with the Zatarines Crab Boil in the water. Good stuff!

She Crab Soup

Author Capt Ken 

This is a personal favorite of mine. Unfortunately, She-Crab Soup is mighty rich as you shall soon see. As a "once in a while" delicacy, it is mighty fine.

Here is how to get started. Catch enough crabs to yield a pound of crab meat. In case you don't know much of crabs, that will be between a dozen and a dozen and a half crabs.

Here is how I clean 'em. Actually, I do it two ways. When I can, I clean them live then steam them. It just seems more hygenic to clean them live. Helluva lot faster too.

First, slow the crabs down by dumping them into an ice chest that has about as much water as ice. You need enough room to completely cover all of your crabs at once. It takes ten minutes MOL to get them to the point that they are completely safe to handle.

Next, break off the claws then, grab one point of the shell with one hand and the legs on that side of the crab with the other then all you have to do is pull and the shell comes off the crab. It doesn't take much pull at all. Remove the apron (little flap underneath) and discard. Pull away the gills and entrails then rinse. Clean them outside and use a hose to wash the innards away. (low pressure)

Next, steam the crab bodies and claws for 5-7 minutes. Break the body in half and remove meat from the pockets in the shell. Next, crack the claws and remove the meat.

Alternatively, you can dump the live crabs into boiling water with a packet of "Zatarines Crab Boil" and boil them for 20 minutes then clean as above. Of course, you will have to cool the crabs for about 20 minutes before you can pick the meat out.

Now, you should get lucky and find roe in a few of the crabs. You can't miss it. The roe will be red-orange. Add the roe in when you add the crab meat to the soup. The crab roe gives She-Crab Soup its pale orange color.

She-Crab Soup

This recipe makes approximately 6 cups. Cooking time is 80 minutes.

Ingredients:
1Qt. whipping cream
1/8tsp salt
1/8tsp black pepper
2 fish bullion cubes ( I use fish stock that I make but Knoor Fish Buillon is fine)
2 cups water (if you use the buillion cubes)
1/4 cup unsalted butter (don't use margarine)
1/3 cup flour
2 TSP lemon juice--(bottled is fine)
1/4tsp ground nutmeg
1pound fresh crab meat (it is already cooked if you use it like described above)
Garnish W/chopped parsley
1/3 cup GOOD SHERRY not the cooking kind.
Prep:
Combine 1st 3 ingredients in a heavy sauce pan; bring to boil over med heat (it will stick and burn if you aren't carful) Reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour then set aside.

Stir fish buillion and 2 cups of boiling water until completely dissolved.

Melt butter in large heavy sauce pan over low heat. Add flour, stirring constantlyuntil smooth. Gradually add fish broth. Cook over medium heat until thickened.
Stir in cream mixture until thoroughly heated.
Add lemon juice, nutmeg, and crab meat.

Ladle into individual serving bowls, garnish with parsley and add a spoonful of good Sherry to each bowl.

This is the good stuff.

Crab Dip

Author Clint 

I got this off Emerl's site. I've made it several times and it's very good!

1 pound lump crabmeat, picked over for shells and cartilage
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
1/2 cup chopped pickled jalapenos
1/4 pound Monterey Jack cheese with jalapenos, grated
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon hot sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated
1 recipe Toasted Croutons, recipe follows

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Combine the crabmeat, garlic, jalapenos, Monterey Jack, Worcestershire, hot sauce, salt, and mayonnaise in a medium-size mixing bowl. Toss gently to mix. Spoon the mixture into a medium-size mixing bowl. Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese evenly on the top of the crabmeat mixture. Bake until golden brown and bubbly, about 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and let sit for about 5 minutes before serving with the croutons.

TOASTED CROUTONS:
1 loaf French bread (about 8 inches in diameter and 15 inches long), ends trimmed and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch thick slices
5 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange the bread slices on the baking sheet and brush them with half of the olive oil, then sprinkle them with 1/8 teaspoon of the salt and 1/8 teaspoon of the black pepper. Turn the slices over, and brush them with the remaining oil, and sprinkle with the remaining salt and pepper. Bake for about 6 minutes, then turn the baking sheet around in the oven to ensure even browning. Bake until the croutons are lightly browned, about 6 more minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool completely before serving.
Yield: about 32 croutons