Firm meat vs. mushy meat

[Mookie]

I steamed up a 1/2 bushel this weekend and some of the crabs had real nice firm back fin meat and some were really mushy.  Wasn't sure if I was doing something wrong during the process and was hoping you guys/gals might have some tips to prevent this.
in this particular batch I cleaned the crabs 1st because that's how my wife likes 'em.  I steamed them in a huge steamer pot over a large propane burner that I have.  I used water, a little vinegar and 1 beer.  They were steamed for about 30 minutes with the lid just alittle cracked to let the steam out.
can I do something different?

[Crab Shack]

If you didn't use something to keep the crabs off the bottom out of the liquid when you  were steaming the batch, that might account for some of them being mushy.

[Dreampixels]

I steamed up a 1/2 bushel this weekend and some of the crabs had real nice firm back fin meat and some were really mushy.  Wasn't sure if I was doing something wrong during the process and was hoping you guys/gals might have some tips to prevent this.
in this particular batch I cleaned the crabs 1st because that's how my wife likes 'em.  I steamed them in a huge steamer pot over a large propane burner that I have.  I used water, a little vinegar and 1 beer.  They were steamed for about 30 minutes with the lid just alittle cracked to let the steam out.
can I do something different?

how orange where the top shells? no signs of green blotches?

[Mookie]

I should have clarified that.......its a double boiler type pot where the liquid is in one pot and the crabs are in a smaller pot with holes that drops inside the bigger pot.

[Mookie]

I didn't see any green blotches but the top shells were off because I cleaned the crabs alive, ripping off the top shell and cleaning out the gills, and all insides before I steamed them.

[Dreampixels]

I didn't see any green blotches but the top shells were off because I cleaned the crabs alive, ripping off the top shell and cleaning out the gills, and all insides before I steamed them.

Ok - my experience with mushy crabs has been this - under done - or dead for a PERIOD of time - meaning I have no idea how long they were DEAD.

I mark any crab that does not move going in the steamer that does not move - I have found few of my caught crabs to ever be mushy - however if I buy a bushel and do the same I get some marked crabs that are mushy which leads me to believe it is a matter of how long they have been dead.

Any other example of how long they have been dead is your method, removing the back shell kills them - normally CBC are not mushy.

I say under done because if you look at Crab meat before it is cooked it is of a jelly consistency - cooking them changes that consistency.

[soggybottomboyz]

30 minutes cooking cleaned crabs is to long.  Only about 15-20 minutes, about like steaming shrimp.

Also you need to have the water boiling (moving), had a buddy cook up some crabs couldn't get the flame kicking on the steamer the crabs took forever to turn red..........meat was mushy.  Turned out he had moisture in his propane line.  Took a compressor and blew out the lines and then had a good hard flame.

Hope this helps,

Soggy

[Mookie]

Thanks guys!
I know the crabs were alive and well when I cleaned them and they didn't sit for more than a few minutes before going into the steamer after they were dead.
Its possible that I had tooo much liquid in the pot causing the ones that were on the bottom to get a little wet.  I agree that I cooked them too long as well because I normally cook them that long for uncleaned crabs.
thanks again for the advice!

[Dreampixels]

Well I speak for myself here but if Soggy were to agree - I We would be more then willing to help you with the next batch as taste testers

[soggybottomboyz]

count me and my beautches in

[Mikie]

My experience has been a lot of people put too much liquid in the bottom which allows for the bottom layers of crabs to get wet. You need enough to keep from boiling the pot dry, but not enough to boil up into the crabs. It's a trial and error thing, based on your setup and how you cook 'em.

[Mookie]

My experience has been a lot of people put too much liquid in the bottom which allows for the bottom layers of crabs to get wet. You need enough to keep from boiling the pot dry, but not enough to boil up into the crabs. It's a trial and error thing, based on your setup and how you cook 'em.

I definitely think this is one of my issues.  I've had the pot run dry on me before and there's not much worse than that so I think I may be overcompensating.  Next time I will use less liquid and keep an eye on it so it doesn't run dry.

[flounderpounder]

crabs were dead or not hot enough steam 

[registereduser]

dont crack the lid to let steam escape, less time

[jinocrab88]

I learned from all these post still haven't found a recipe yet for steaming crab

[flounderpounder]

I learned from all these post still haven't found a recipe yet for steaming crab

1/2 beer  1/2 vinegar......get full steam going.....put crabs in.....put spices on....cover and cook on full steam for 25 mins....


hows that

[IR Crabber]

Ok - my experience with mushy crabs has been this - under done - or dead for a PERIOD of time - meaning I have no idea how long they were DEAD.

I mark any crab that does not move going in the steamer that does not move - I have found few of my caught crabs to ever be mushy - however if I buy a bushel and do the same I get some marked crabs that are mushy which leads me to believe it is a matter of how long they have been dead.

Any other example of how long they have been dead is your method, removing the back shell kills them - normally CBC are not mushy.

I say under done because if you look at Crab meat before it is cooked it is of a jelly consistency - cooking them changes that consistency.

I would like to try this.  How do you mark them??

[Dreampixels]

I would like to try this.  How do you mark them??

Pull the apron off - or I break a point off

[captaincrab55]

dont crack the lid to let steam escape, less time

Good Advice...     

btw, to the OP, how many BTU's does your burner put out??

[capt. ron]

Mookie

Your problem wasn't to much water it was not enough.  Put just enough water to cover the crabs and boil them for 5 minutes and let soak for 10.  UMM UMM good.

Ronnie

 

[Mookie]

Thanks for all the help guys.
I have no idea how many BTU's my burner is but its a Bayou Classic single burner and the red knob on the regulator says 10PSIG.  I couldn't find the btu's listed anywhere.

[shedhunta]

My guess would be too much water in pot causing lower crabs to get wet.  I have done it.  I also agree on not cracking lid.  The steam will find its way out.  I try not to open pot and peek at them.  I usually go 20-22 mins on live crabs or 15 on crabs that I have already cleaned first. 

[Crab A Lot]

    I think the reason the crabs are mushy is the crab don't have enough time to harden up and fill up with meat. Check the next time you are eating crabs, how some claw shells are so easy to open and on other there really hard to open,this is just my opinion.  We don't let the crabs molt completely I call them Whites

[captaincrab55]

Thanks for all the help guys.
I have no idea how many BTU's my burner is but its a Bayou Classic single burner and the red knob on the regulator says 10PSIG.  I couldn't find the btu's listed anywhere.

Sounds like you may have a burner with a good BTU output, since you have the red regulator...    Start your steam time when steam shoots out the pot with the lid on tight....     Time for 25 minutes and no more....     Keep in mind that one must start with Quality crabs...

[jinocrab88]

Thanks fp