I love this style crabs because they're clean before cooking!
- salt to taste
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup celery diced
- pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup parsley chopped
- 1/4 cup onion diced
- 1 dozen crabs cleaned and body shell removed.
- 1/2 pound butter melted
- 2 bulbs garlic minced
- 1/2 can whole tomatoes hand crush
- 2 containers chicken broth
- old bay seasoning optional sprinkle on after cooking
- pinch crushed red pepper to taste 1/2 teaspoon
- Carbohydrate 52.377726030262 g
- Cholesterol 121.9029494375 mg
- Fat 53.3918167349206 g
- Fiber 9.33021273976475 g
- Protein 7.09900471040639 g
- Saturated Fat 30.294521391567 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (600g)
- Sodium 1225.45225641912 mg
- Sugar 43.0475132904973 g
- Trans Fat 3.58045512767979 g
- Calories 692 calories
Step-by-step
- I pre clean the crabs, removing the shell and it's innards!
- In a large stock pot, melt butter over medium-high heat.
- Pour in olive oil to prevent butter from burning.
- Add garlic, onion, celery, black pepper, parsley and bay leaves.
- Stir constantly to prevent garlic from scorching.
- Season salt and pepper.
- Add chicken broth and tomatoes, to pot and bring to a boil, add crabs gently, so you don't break the claws off.
- Cook 5 to 6 crabs at a time in pot for about 10-12 minutes basting with the garlic mixture.
- Place on platter.
- You may sprinkle with old Bay seasoning .
- You can continue to make more crabs with mixture by adding more chicken broth.
- I usually make a white sauce ( garlic and oil fettuccine, if I have a big crowd.
- Hot bread too!
Home cooks frequently drop raw seafood directly into cold liquid, which dramatically lowers the cooking temperature and creates a rubbery texture instead of a tender bite. Shellfish requires immediate contact with active heat to set exterior proteins before moisture escapes into the pot. Culinary historians note that early preparations of hard-shell crustaceans in coastal regions relied heavily on aromatic fat-and-oil bases to insulate delicate meat during prolonged simmering. Combining butter with olive oil raises the smoke point substantially, allowing minced garlic and aromatics to sweat without turning bitter or acrid over medium-high heat.
Processing crustaceans ahead of schedule introduces distinct storage challenges because raw crab meat degrades rapidly at standard refrigerator temperatures. Cleaned bodies with the top shell removed should be held at 38 degrees Fahrenheit or lower and consumed within twenty-four hours to prevent microbial growth. Freezing whole cooked crabs in their broth is rarely recommended due to the high water content of celery and tomatoes, which causes cellular rupture and turns the delicate tissue mushy upon thawing. Instead, isolate the aromatic garlic sauce base separately for up to three months in an airtight container before combining it with newly thawed or fresh seafood.
Managing batch sizes prevents the cooking liquid from dropping below a gentle boil, which is crucial when working with a dozen large specimens. Submerging five to six units simultaneously ensures uniform heat distribution across every claw while maintaining the integrity of the fragile appendages. Basting the upper carapace continuously with the surrounding chicken broth and tomato reduction encourages the flavors to penetrate the thick outer membranes without requiring total submersion. Replenishing evaporated liquid with warm broth between batches maintains the proper sodium concentration and keeps the sauce from concentrating too fast.
Serving this preparation alongside a starch like fettuccine or crusty bread utilizes the abundant fat emulsion left in the vessel. The emulsified mixture of olive oil, melted dairy fat, and rendered crustacean juices acts as a rich coating that adheres efficiently to long pasta strands. Adjusting the final seasoning with Old Bay just prior to plating adds a dry spice contrast that cuts through the heavy butter profile. Proper timing ensures the garlic remains fragrant rather than scorched, balancing the acidity of the hand-crushed tomatoes against the natural sweetness of the white meat.
