Cooking/Steaming Crabs

[bigcountry]

I posted in know how section, but this may be better suited. 

So I have two prong question.

I am able to steam up less than 1/2 bushel at a time in my stainless pot with a handmade stainless steamer rack 2" from the bottom.  I put in 2 cup vinegar, and 1 or 2 water.  This seems to work out for me at 35min.

So I get this fancy bayou classic pot that will hold 1 bushel.  Same recipe as above and 2" rack from bottom.   One, the liquid from the crabs fills up the bottom with a bushel.  How do you guys cook a whole bushel at a time?

Second, 80% of these crabs were over 7" but was super lite, and was filled with water.


Is there  a method for steaming light crabs?  any help would be appreciated

[buddscreek]

    i throw the light crabs back, imo not worth the effort

[bigcountry]

Lesson learned.  During summer I throw back, but are usually small or 6" lites.  But these were monster 8".  Lesson learned. 

[Harford Crabber]

With my bushel pot I usually put about 1/2 gal. of water and 12 oz vinegar when I'm steaming full, heavy crabs.  I leave gas burner on full open while putting crabs in pot and  bring water to a good hard steam, then turn it way back so it's just a small steady steam for 25 minutes.   Years ago I used to use just a couple cups of water until that one time it ran dry while I was away from pot in the house.   Stuuuuunk up and ruined the whole bushel...crabs were inedible... that ain't never happenin again.   

But you're right about poor crabs leaving more water in pot than you start with.