Blue Crabs
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Blue Crab Information
Highly prized by seafood lovers, blue crabs are usually steamed or boiled, either whole or with the top shells removed. In the Mid-Atlantic region they are traditionally seasoned with a spicy crab seasoning in the steamer and again when served.
Maryland, Virginia and North Carolina are among the top blue crab harvesting states of the USA.
Table of Contents
What are Blue Crabs?
The Atlantic blue crab (Callinectes sapidus) is a member of the Brachyura - an order of crustaceans having a reduced abdomen, or "apron," folded against the ventral surface (or belly) of the animal. The blue crab is found in inshore environments from Nova Scotia to Argentina.
Male crabs can be distinguished from females by the shape of the abdomen. The male has a T-shaped abdomen that is held tightly against the body until maturity when it becomes somewhat free. The immature female has a triangle-shaped abdomen that is tightly sealed against the body. The mature female's abdomen becomes rounded and can be easily pulled away from the body after the final molt.
Breeding female blue crabs carry fertilized eggs under their abdomen. The mass of eggs resemble a sponge, hence the term "sponge" crab. It takes about two weeks for the eggs to "ripen" and be released into the water to hatch. It is illegal in many states to possess sponge crabs.
Large males, often called Jimmy crabs, usually have brilliant blue claws and legs. The mature females or "sooks" can be distinguished by the bright orange tips on their claws. Males typically grow larger than females, sometimes reaching 7 or 8 inches in point-to-point width. Some males have been reported to grow to about 10 inches.
Blue crabs eat a variety of foods, including fishes, oysters, clams, snails, shrimp, worms and other crabs. They sometimes burrow into the bottom with only their eye stalks visible, lying in wait for prey. Crabs are opportunistic feeders, eating whatever is available.
Most of the crabs caught commercially are taken in crab traps. A trap is a rectangular device made of chicken wire about 2 feet wide. It has inverted funnels in the sides, through which the crab can enter, but will have difficulty leaving. The trap is baited with freshly dead fish. It is said that crabs can detect and locate the source of fish oil from a distance. In some areas, crabs are also caught in trawls and by trotlines.
Buy Chesapeake Bay Blue Crabs Online
How to Steam or Boil Blue Crabs
In Southern Atlantic and Gulf Coast cuisine, crabs are sometimes boiled rather than steamed and seasoned with a "crab boil" seasoning.
A lesser known method of cooking crabs is to fry the cleaned bodies in oil, sometimes being dipped in egg and breaded before frying.
Blue crabs are picked and eaten right after cooking, or may be cooled and the meat removed later, either to eat on the spot or saved for use in crabcakes and other crabmeat recipes.
During cooking, it is critical that blue crab meat reach an internal temperature of 70 degrees C (158 degrees F) for at least one minute to insure the destruction of the bacteria Vibrio cholerae, which may contaminate blue crabs.
For safety, steam the crabs for 25-30 minutes or boil them for approximately 15 minutes. Either method is effective.
Blue Crabs from Amazon
Crab Art - Hats, T Shirts and More
"Jimmy" Crab Hat by fish_fishing_seafood
Blue Crab T Shirt
For an extensive collection of crab, fish and seafood logos,visit fish_fishing_seafood online store.
Books About Blue Crabs
B is for Blue Crab: A Maryland Alphabet Edition 1. (Discover America State By State. Alphabet Series) by Shirley Menendez
Illustrated by Laura Stutzman Located just below the more...0 points
Chesapeake Bay Blues: Science, Politics, and the Struggle to Save the Bay (American Political Challenges) by Howard R. Ernst
This book addresses the Chesapeake Bay as a politi more...0 points
Crabby & Nabby: A Tale of Two Blue Crabs by Suzanne Tate
All about blue crabs and their life cycle from the more...0 points
Blue Crabs: Catch 'em, Cook 'em, Eat 'em by Peter Meyer
Blue Crabs: Catch 'em, Cook 'em, Eat 'em is a prac more...0 points
Catching & Feasting on Blue Crabs by Rich Faler
"Catching & Feasting on Blue Crabs" is more...0 points
All About Blue Crabs: And How to Catch Them by Russell Roberts
A light hearted look at how to find and catch the more...0 points
Blue Crab Links
- Chesapeake Bay Information
- Chesapeake Bay news, events, information, photo galleries, t shirts, gifts and more.
- How to Prepare and Steam Blue Crabs
- Crabs are steamed either whole or after having the shell removed and the bodies cleaned.
- Buy Crabs and Crab Meat Online
- This online Amazon store has crabs, crab meat, crab legs, crabcakes and other crab foods.
- Crab, Shrimp and Lobster Articles
- Articles on white shrimp, brown shrimp, pink shrimp, royal red shrimp and rock shrimp, blue crabs, king crabs, snow crabs, dungeness crabs, American lobsters, rock lobsters and other varieties of seafood.
- Crab T-Shirts, Stickers, Gifts
- Crab Logos and Art - Blue Crabs, Steamed Crabs, Dungeness Crabs, "I Pinch"
- Chesapeake Bay Crab Feasts
- Around the Chesapeake Bay, crab feasts are a summer tradition. A crab feast starts with a basket of blue crabs, a steamer and a group of friends.
- What Are Soft Shelled Crabs?
- Soft shelled crabs are a form of the Atlantic blue crab, also known as the hard crab.
- Seafood Steamers
- This page may help in choosing and buying high quality seafood steamers for cooking shrimp, crabs, lobsters, clams, oysters, mussels and other shellfish.
Seafood
Creamy Blue Crab Dip
1 (8 oz.) package of cream cheese, room temp.
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 Tbsp. minced green onions
milk
salt and pepper to taste
8 oz. cooked blue crab meat
In a small bowl, combine cream cheese with Worcestershire sauce and green onions. Beat until creamy, adding milk to achieve desire consistency. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Gently fold in crab meat and transfer mixture to an ovenproof casserole dish. Bake in preheated 325 degree oven for 15-18 minutes or until hot. Serve with cracker or French bread.
More seafood recipes can be found at Fresh Seafood.
More Seafood Information
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lemonsqueezy
Sep 20, 2010 @ 8:08 am | delete
- Amazing lens on blue crabs! I couldn't have said it better myself.
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luvmyludwig
Sep 10, 2010 @ 7:33 am | delete
- the Creamy Blue Crab Dip recipe sounds heavenly! going to favorite so I can find it again, can't wait to try it!
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AndyPo
Nov 2, 2008 @ 12:36 pm | delete
- A very interesting lens (5*)
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naturegirl7
Oct 23, 2008 @ 12:11 pm | delete
- Very informative lens. 5*'s and favorite. Thanks for joining the Naturally Native Squids group. Don't forget to add your lens links to the appropriate plexos and vote for them.
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