How to keep the seasoning on?

[mdguy25]

Does anyone know how the crab houses serve you the crabs with lumps of seasoning on them?  Do they dump a  ton on there after they are done steaming?  I steam crabs almost every weekend of the summer and I can't seem to keep the [curd] on the crabs.  I pile it on before steaming and when I take them out there is very little on the shell.

[125blackfire]

Correct me if I'm wrong but they put seasoning on before and after they are done steaming.

[CrabDog]

I steam my crabs in beer and JO #2  it contains "shaved" rock salt and that makes it stick to the crabs better..once I pull em out of the pot a I shake on some more JO#2  seems to coat em fine... when they steam they do loss the coating to a point so I add some afterwards...little or a lot is up to you.. I do my kinda medium....enough to coat em... not sure what spice you are using but that is what makes the JO#2 work well is the shaved salt ..... it is their crabhouse blend.... Also you may have too much liquid in the pot and it is boiling p and wahsing them off.. make sure you have a steam plate at least 3- 4 inches high on a good size pot... even an inch of liquid willl boil up 2-3 times .... and that makes the crabs watery and wil wash off a lot of seasoning

[Mikie]

It helps to make sure the crabs are wet before you sprinkle on the seasoning. I soak all of my crabs in the laundry sink for at least 30 minutes before putting in the pot. They purge out a lot of waste and sand and the shells are wet which helps the seasoning stick. Put in a layer of crabs - sprinkle seasoning on that layer and put in another layer, etc., etc.. If you don't want to bother with soaking them, get a spray bottle and mist each layer after you put them in the pot before applying the seasoning.

Sometimes I'll get a spot in the pot where the steam condenses on the lid and drips on a few crabs and washes the seasoning off, but otherwise they stay coated in seasoning.

[CrabDog]

It helps to make sure the crabs are wet before you sprinkle on the seasoning. I soak all of my crabs in the laundry sink for at least 30 minutes before putting in the pot. They purge out a lot of waste and sand and the shells are wet which helps the seasoning stick. Put in a layer of crabs - sprinkle seasoning on that layer and put in another layer, etc., etc.. If you don't want to bother with soaking them, get a spray bottle and mist each layer after you put them in the pot before applying the seasoning.

Sometimes I'll get a spot in the pot where the steam condenses on the lid and drips on a few crabs and washes the seasoning off, but otherwise they stay coated in seasoning.

yeah good point Mikie,, I forgot to mention I do like you do by placing a layer of crabs ....say about 6 and then coat with JO #2 then another layer of 6 and coat etc.... I like the idea of wetting them too....but layering them like we do makes a big difference.. if you just dump spice at the end.... it covers the top ones heavy and the others don't get much and I think you end up wasting a lot spice that falls through to the bottom of the pot into the liquid..... and Spicy ain't cheap...    
I am going to try wetting them next time.. I keep in baskets with cold wet towels and ice on top so I guess mine get somewhat wet.. but I am going to try your idea this year.. may save some JO ....

[Mikie]

One other thing that may help - I icepick all of my crabs before they go into the pot. Not moving around when the heat starts probably helps keep the seasoning on.

[flounderpounder]

I ice bath mine and then season before( 2-3lbs a bushel)...and sprinkle some on after( about 1 lb)....most is washed off from condensation running down over the crabs..im gonna cover my pot with burlap instead of a metal lid and try that this year....

last year I tried and squirted yellow mustard over the crabs and then doused them with seasoning...that helped it stick   and I use dry mustard in my custom mix so it blends well

[JIMMYCRAB]

I ice bath mine and then season before( 2-3lbs a bushel)...and sprinkle some on after( about 1 lb)....most is washed off from condensation running down over the crabs..im gonna cover my pot with burlap instead of a metal lid and try that this year....

last year I tried and squirted yellow mustard over the crabs and then doused them with seasoning...that helped it stick   and I use dry mustard in my custom mix so it blends well

Try putting the dry mustard on when the crabs are wet. It sticks like glue and will hold the seasoning on. I did that years ago working in a crabhouse.

[mdguy25]

Thanks everyone.  I think it's the condensation, I always spray them off first and go in layers.  They never do look as good as the crab house but I will be damned if they don't taste better.

[Ronster]

It helps to make sure the crabs are wet before you sprinkle on the seasoning. I soak all of my crabs in the laundry sink for at least 30 minutes before putting in the pot. They purge out a lot of waste and sand and the shells are wet which helps the seasoning stick. Put in a layer of crabs - sprinkle seasoning on that layer and put in another layer, etc., etc.. If you don't want to bother with soaking them, get a spray bottle and mist each layer after you put them in the pot before applying the seasoning.

Sometimes I'll get a spot in the pot where the steam condenses on the lid and drips on a few crabs and washes the seasoning off, but otherwise they stay coated in seasoning.

Good and descriptive advice.

[CaptMoose]

I saw a video on TV about a cooking crabs.  They used a piece of cardboard to cover the pot with the lid on top of that to hold it down.  The cardboard absorbs the water instead of letting it condense and drip down on the crabs.  Might want to try that.

[Stevo]

It helps to make sure the crabs are wet before you sprinkle on the seasoning. I soak all of my crabs in the laundry sink for at least 30 minutes before putting in the pot. They purge out a lot of waste and sand and the shells are wet which helps the seasoning stick. Put in a layer of crabs - sprinkle seasoning on that layer and put in another layer, etc., etc.. If you don't want to bother with soaking them, get a spray bottle and mist each layer after you put them in the pot before applying the seasoning.

Sometimes I'll get a spot in the pot where the steam condenses on the lid and drips on a few crabs and washes the seasoning off, but otherwise they stay coated in seasoning.

When I worked at a seafood rest. as a kid, we soaked in Ice Water.... this slowed the crabs and greatly reduced the number of lost claws and legs. it is much quicker than an ice pick too!

[flounderpounder]

Try putting the dry mustard on when the crabs are wet. It sticks like glue and will hold the seasoning on. I did that years ago working in a crabhouse.

dry mustard is a high dollar spice though ...oh forgot I get that free too....how much do you usually sprinkle on?

[jefftoleft]

When I worked at a seafood rest. as a kid, we soaked in Ice Water.... this slowed the crabs and greatly reduced the number of lost claws and legs. it is much quicker than an ice pick too!

I give mine an ice water bath before steaming also works great.

[IH8JEEP]

Give them a ice bath. Makes them wet and dorm it. Try using only water to steam. The beer and vinegar makes the water foam more. Adjust your temp. gage on your steamer. Once the lid is on you do not need HIGH heat. Just enough flame to keep a good steam. Try without crabs and set your gage to a nice steam without the water foaming up. Then mark that spot on your gage. Now when you go to steam your crabs you know where to set your temp. gage for a good steam but not to much to cause water to rise and foam and wash off the spice.

[tugcapt]

It helps to make sure the crabs are wet before you sprinkle on the seasoning. I soak all of my crabs in the laundry sink for at least 30 minutes before putting in the pot. They purge out a lot of waste and sand and the shells are wet which helps the seasoning stick. Put in a layer of crabs - sprinkle seasoning on that layer and put in another layer, etc., etc.. If you don't want to bother with soaking them, get a spray bottle and mist each layer after you put them in the pot before applying the seasoning.

Sometimes I'll get a spot in the pot where the steam condenses on the lid and drips on a few crabs and washes the seasoning off, but otherwise they stay coated in seasoning.

I do pretty much the same thing, ice water bath in a cooler after I get them home.  They calm down and go in the steamer without fighting and boy is that water dirty afterwards. I sometimes ice pick the jumbos to keep the claws on, but not all the crabs.  I layer seasoning and I use a high dome steamer lid, with the steam port/hole that allows you to control the steam.  I leave it open til I see steam, then close it.  The dome lid keeps the condensation rolling to the sides of the pot.  Old wok lids work great.

[Mr. Ray III]

I never mess with ice baths or icepicking crabs. Of course I do get up at 2am and get home at 3pm so I don't feel like messin with anything (cept cougars).  Spray them with the hose to get seasoning to stick and layer them in there.  I don't lose many legs and I don't care anyway cause they aint even worth picking.

[nanjemoycat]

Texas Pete before the dry seasoning.

[CRABGUY]

CLEAN THEM FIRST THE STUFF NEVER MOVES

[JIMMYCRAB]

dry mustard is a high dollar spice though ...oh forgot I get that free too....how much do you usually sprinkle on?

Not too heavy. Just enough to coat the top of the crab and get nice and sticky. I know a Wholsale crab dealer who gets it pretty cheap in 50#ers.  He will sell it by the #. A lot better than buying the little retail jars. He's not far  from where you crab in the Patapsco. Let me know. I can hook you up. But its not as cheap as FREE!!