Looking for advice on boiling Blue Crabs

[SGM Chef]

Hi Yankee00,

Regards your original question, you could try what I do and how I think of it. I think in terms of seasoning pasta water as a start. The difference is Blue Crab has a sweet flavor where pasta does not so, instead of "like the ocean" salt level I cut it down to about 75% as salty as my pasta water. The sources of salt for me would break down like this 75% white salt, 25% Old Bay and for every gallon of water a half a green pea size bit of Anchovy paste for background hint of ocean... 11 years in D.C. and I miss those Softshells the most....

All that explanation to say "Season to taste". The audience determines the seasonings I use in a group setting. This is just a rule of thumb as a starting point for me.

FWIW, I use a metal tea ball for adding flavors to pasta and Crab boil water without having the leaves, stems, and chunks end up on a plate.

Good Luck!

 

[Yankee00]

Hi Yankee00,

Regards your original question, you could try what I do and how I think of it. I think in terms of seasoning pasta water as a start. The difference is Blue Crab has a sweet flavor where pasta does not so, instead of "like the ocean" salt level I cut it down to about 75% as salty as my pasta water. The sources of salt for me would break down like this 75% white salt, 25% Old Bay and for every gallon of water a half a green pea size bit of Anchovy paste for background hint of ocean... 11 years in D.C. and I miss those Softshells the most....

All that explanation to say "Season to taste". The audience determines the seasonings I use in a group setting. This is just a rule of thumb as a starting point for me.

FWIW, I use a metal tea ball for adding flavors to pasta and Crab boil water without having the leaves, stems, and chunks end up on a plate.

Good Luck!

Thank you, Chef. As someone who is NOT a chef, I typically use coarse Kosher salt for pasta water. However, I go light since it is only for a family of three. It's funny to me how some seafood takes salt while others do not. When I steam Maine lobster, I add salt to the water. However, I tried to do the same thing when steaming Alaskan snow crab legs and they came out WAY too salty, even though like blue crabs and lobster, the meat is sweet. I guess that's one of the reasons I am not a chef!

 

[caseydog]

Thank you, Chef. As someone who is NOT a chef, I typically use coarse Kosher salt for pasta water.

I use sea salt. I'm not a chef, either, but sea salt started off as salted water, right? Seems like a logical choice.

CD

 

[Yankee00]

I use sea salt. I'm not a chef, either, but sea salt started off as salted water, right? Seems like a logical choice.

CD

Captain Obvious, at your service?

 

[Yankee00]

Captain Obvious, at your service?

I have attempted to use Himalayan Sea Salt in everyday cooking as my wife assures me that it is healthier. Sadly for me, coarse sea salt used in a grinder like I have at home, is not easy to gauge. Based on my personal experience, this type of salt is much less salty than coarse or table salt and is very difficult to season properly on things like green beans and other vegetables.

 

[dragnlaw]

LOL... Yankee00 - salt is salt, there is no such thing as healthier salt. Unless of course, there is an added ingredient which they will/should have put on the label. If you consider the trace amounts of minerals present in Himalayan salt to make it healthier, well, perhaps. As I don't know exactly what that mineral is (too lazy to research it) I can't really say. I do know that mineral is what gives it its pink colour.
Hopefully the purveyor's of the Himalayan salts will have a healthier life style due to their expanded wealth, but not sure on that one either.
Again... JMHO

Actually just did look up a bit - it seems that same minerals are found in Sea Salt.
Himalayan salt is 98% sodium chloride and 2% trace minerals. calcium, iron, zinc, chromium, magnesium, and sulfate, all at varying safe levels below 1%

 

[Yankee00]

LOL... Yankee00 - salt is salt, there is no such thing as healthier salt. Unless of course, there is an added ingredient which they will/should have put on the label. If you consider the trace amounts of minerals present in Himalayan salt to make it healthier, well, perhaps. As I don't know exactly what that mineral is (too lazy to research it) I can't really say. I do know that mineral is what gives it its pink colour.
Hopefully the purveyor's of the Himalayan salts will have a healthier life style due to their expanded wealth, but not sure on that one either.
Again... JMHO

Thank you, dragnlaw. I am the LEAST healthy person in my household and have always called BS on "healthy salt", but as a husband, you know how well that works...

 

[caseydog]

I have attempted to use Himalayan Sea Salt in everyday cooking as my wife assures me that it is healthier. Sadly for me, coarse sea salt used in a grinder like I have at home, is not easy to gauge. Based on my personal experience, this type of salt is much less salty than coarse or table salt and is very difficult to season properly on things like green beans and other vegetables.

I have some Himalayan sea salt in my pantry, in an unopened bottle. I've had it a good five years. It is one of those things I bought on a whim, and never found a use for.

CD

 

[dragnlaw]

ahh, com'on casey, open that bottle. You know you want to. Use it to impress the squirrels sitting on the fence watching, next time you season the meat on the grill.