Cleaned live as opposed to not cleaned before steaming?

[hockeynut17]

[CRABGUY]

http://www.blue-crab.org/forum/index.php/topic,4292.0.html

[MagnumTRex]

Personally I like to clean them first. I think it's best ot clean them live.  To do this safely, place the crabs in a cooler and cover them with ice for at least 10 minutes or so and this will put them to sleep.   I ice my crabs down at the end of the trip about an hour and half away from home so thy're out when I get home.  Just make sure to have the drain plug open to let the melted water out for th ride. 

Once they're good and sleepy go ahead and remove the shell and clean out the insides except the meat of course.  Cleaning them live like this makes sure you don't boil out any of the flavor and it's not as easy to over cook the crabs.  When you do cook them don't over do it with the seasoning or the cooking time.  Cleaned crabs need less seasoning and all crabs if overcooked turn to mush.

[mike2u]

Whats your steam time for them.. Say like 1dz. ( time ) or 2 dz time.. I was told about 20 minutes for 1 or 2 dozen at a time. 

[DocSmith]

Regardless of the amount, I cook them for 25 minutes after good steam starts coming out from underneath the lid.  If you are in doubt, or to calibrate your cooking time, check crabs in the center of the pot with an instant read thermometer.  Yeah, wear gloves. Stick it into the center of the crab through the shell.  Crabs need to be cooked to more than 160 degrees for at least one minute to kill bacteria.  They turn red after just a couple of minutes, so never use color as an indication of doneness (like they say on the Old Bay can.)

Doc

[CRABGUY]

 20 MINUTES OF "USEABLE" STEAM
TO ME THATS WHEN IT STINGS MY HAND

[mike2u]

Thank You,,, Thats what I've been doing.. 20 to 25 minutes.