Tag Archives: blue claw crabs

Inspired by Blue Claws – Catching Crabs (Part IV)

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Blue Claws live in the bay where there is lots of warm water and muddy floors. Maryland has become known as a premier place to get Blue Claws because of the Chesapeake Bay. We like to catch them at our secret channel marker on the Barnegat Bay. I can’t tell you exactly where if I wanted to, but I’ll hint that it is near West Point Island. If you don’t want to go crabbing, or they are not biting, then try the fish markets.

catching-crab.jpgCatching crabs is not hard and it is especially fun for kids. What makes it so easy is that crabs have got to be the stupidest creatures on earth. All you need is some string, some bait and a net. Our crab tackle box is actually setup with a spring clamp (you can get at any bait and tackle shop), a string, and a clothes pin. You put the bait in the clamp, lower it to the bay floor, and use the clothes pin as a tie-off so you don’t lose your line. When the line goes taught, slowly pull them up and net ‘em. Tip: have the net in the water before the crab reaches the surface so you don’t have to splash. And don’t worry, because of their stupidity they will hang on for a long time, even right out of the water, before they realize, “hey, this isn’t normal”.

There are traps you can use, too, where you just pull them up, but they aren’t as fun and I don’t find them as effective either. Lastly there is the Maryland crab trap you leave in overnight; good if you own a space for it.

For bait, you can use just about any meat. Raw chicken parts and pieces are cheap and easy to get. You can also use mossbunker (a bait fish), or any other fish. I found squid works especially well.

Keep your crabs in a bucket, and cover them with a wet towel. An ice pack will keep them calm and cool. Their pinch will hurt and can cut you, so keep your fingers away. If one gets loose, step on it from behind (with sneakers please) and pick it up it up holding it from behind one of the rear fins; or use tongs.

Have I wandered too far off the Hop Talk theme? Not at all, because enjoying a cold beer while out in the hot sun with a nice bay breeze is the best. You can crab from a bulk head, by a bridge, or out in a boat. Enjoy a hefe, like Victory’s Sunrise, or Sam’s Summer Ale. (And remember, if you are driving the boat, drink responsibly.)

Inspired by Blue Claws – Grandpa’s Crabs (Part III)

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Many people have never had Atlantic Blue Claw crabs, or can only get them at a restaurant. Most people usually think of Alaskan King crab legs when they hear the word “crab”. While King crab is excellent, it is expensive due to the how they are caught and sometimes they are too salty for my taste. Do not confuse King crab with Snow crab… Snow is that awful stuff you get at the Chinese buffet.

crabs-in-pot.jpgAtlantic Blue Claw crab is much closer to its west coast cousin the Dungeness crab. Blue Claws have clean white and sweet meat. The claws themselves have a darker meat which is just a tad saltier, but just as sweet. Getting the meat out of a Blue Claw is work. There are tricks to make it easier, but I don’t know if I can articulate the methods without pictures or video. Because it is work, many people just can’t be bothered; to those I say, “go buy yourself a bag of potato chips for a quick fix snack.” The point isn’t to eat ‘til you’re full, which is whole point of my previous entry; it’s a social thing.

Blue Claws are also a healthy, protein rich, low fat, snack. Forget a dipper of butter; you don’t need it. All you need is the crab and beer. What kind of beer? I recommend your favorite.

There are many ways to prepare crab in order to add as much other flavors as you like whether you boil or steam them. As far as I know, my Grandpa’s recipe is no big secret. As a matter of fact, it’s not much of a recipe at all because it is more like throwing in a bunch of ingredients in your own proportions. I do have a list of ingredients and instructions which you can follow as closely as you want.

Grandpa’s Crab Boil
Fill a 5 gallon pot halfway with water and bring to a boil with the following ingredients, portions can vary:

  • Apple Cider Vinegar, about a cup, more or less
  • A bottle of beer, or more, if can part with it
  • Chopped Onion, about 3 medium yellow is good
  • Some Bay Leaves
  • Mustard Powder, about a tablespoon
  • Cloves, a bunch
  • Old Bay, a tablespoon or three
  • Cayenne pepper, a teaspoon
  • Crushed red pepper, a bunch od shakes
  • Whole Pepper Corns
  • Maybe some garlic cloves
  • Salt, about 3 tablespoons
  • Oh yeah, and add the crabs only after it is at a rolling boil. Two dozen easily fit in this pot.

Now if you want to steam your crabs, you can still make the liquid portion with beer and vinegar and then put some of the powdered seasons directly onto the crabs. When steaming, the seasonings don’t penetrate into the crab, but they do stick to the shells and when you are eating them and licking your fingers, you are sure to get a mix of flavors. If you like them spicy, go with the steam method; but if you don’t want the crab sweetness and goodness hidden, go with the boil.

Whether you boil or steam crabs, do so for about 10-15 minutes. To tell if they are done, they should turn bright red and the legs should be easy to pull off.

Wondering where you get them? Hang in there for the final blog entry!