Photo: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Claire Spollen; Food Styling: Torie Cox
Blue crabs, once called the “pride of the Chesapeake”, can be found throughout the Coastal South when in season, which typically lasts from late April to October. If you’re lucky enough to get your hands on some live blue crabs, there’s no better way to enjoy them than in an old-fashioned crab boil, or “crab feast,” as they say around the Chesapeake Bay.
How to Make It
Step 1
Combine water, beer, Old Bay, salt, lemons, garlic, and onions in a large (8- to 10-quart) stockpot; bring to a boil over medium-high. Add potatoes, sausage, and corn, and cook until potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes. Using a slotted spoon; remove all solids from pot, and spread in a single layer on a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper or newspaper.
Step 2
Return cooking liquid to a boil; add crabs, and cook until shells are bright orange and crabmeat flakes easily, about 10 minutes. Serve crabs with potatoes, sausage, corn, and lemon wedges.
