Crab boil seasoning

[Cloud-Nine]

I need a source for some GOOD crab boil seasoning. The only thing I have found is at Safeway and it comes in little boxes. I need a larger quantity than that. Any ideas on different brands or mixes?
Thanks
Dick

[Critr Gitr]

Zatarain's Pro-Boil .................. since Pete saw fit to edit the link (just trying to help out my ifish bruthas) just google search and you can find it ... lots of good stuff .. for a years I had to have friends ship it to me - now you can get it yourself

[Livin the Dream]

I shake "old bay" all over the crab and in the water...then steam em. Gives em great flavor!

AL

[Hummingbird]

CB,
If you lok close to the zatarran's it looks an smells just like Pickling spice. It does have some red pepperflakes in it also. I just buy it in bulk from WINCO. I put about two handfuls of rock salt in my water about 8 gallons and add a handful of the pickling spice. steam the crab for 12 to 15 minutes after they come back to the boil and Wellah!! Great tasting and never a compliant. I also think the crab meat lasts a few days longer, but, I also store the meat in tupperware with no air in them .Reduce to smaller containers as you go. I really have had crab meat last a full week and it tasted great. Tight lines and heavy Pots, Tom

[wthr4d]

Puffin gave me his recipe on the USCG day and I forgot what he said!!! what I know is that he does the best I have ever tasted!!

Puffin- care to comment??

Paul

[Freakwater]

REX® Dry Crab Boil


"Industrial size packaging is also available from 5 gallon pails to 55 gallon drums for both wet and dry products. REX® also supplies bulk spices, seasoning blends and custom blends to processors in 50 lb. boxes or 200 lb. drums."


Freakwater

[Wreckless]

Great tip Freakwater, thanks

I'll also chime in and say a hand full of Cayenne will give the crabs a KICK, especially if you clean 'em then boil.......Be careful with the red peppers, though, I almost ruined a batch of crab........They were HOT!!! good but HOT!!!!!

[Hammer Down]

Cloud-Nine,

I got the below from 'Pilar' aka John Wells. He got it from 'Puffin' aka Jon Arndorfer. You owe them a bite of the finest crab you will ever have...after cooking per their instructions below.

Now all you need is the crab...I believe there is a spot or two in Tillamook bay that may hold a few of the crusty critters...Chicken worked for us last weekend, we got 11.


From 'Pilar' and 'Puffin'...
Go to the meat counter at Albertsons, Safeway and Freddies. One of them will have it. Look for 'Old Bay' Crab boil. It is in a yellow and blue box about twice as thick as a pack of cigarrettes. 'Zaterains' is a close second. I would not mess with any other brand. These are mesh bags full of spices in a cardboard box. You will also need some bulk pickling spice. I get mine at Winco. Actually Winco may have the Old Bay. I have never looked for it there. Last thing is the peppers you get at the pizza joint. You know red with the seeds in it.

Grind the pizza peppers in a blender or chopper until they are dust.

Or you can use the Louisiana fish fry brand crab boil for the extra heat. This comes in a yellow plastic bag and is a red dust. This is what we used the day you liked the crabs.

So now you need 12 nice crabs, a 5 gallon pot with a lid and crab cooker. Big flame is good it shortens the waiting. The turkey cooker kits are perfect. You get a burner and a big pot for $40. Try to find one with a steel enameled pot they seem to last longer than the aluminum ones. Also when you are crabbing get at least 5 gallons of seawater. Not in the bay. If I think about it I get the seawater 30 miles offshore while TUNA! fishing. Not much chance of any sewage or other crap in the water then.

Boil 3 gallons of water or 2/3 of a potful. Add at least one old bay spice bag, I use two. Add a handful of pickling spice, don't be shy. And last add about 1/2 one of those bags of the red dust the Louisiana fish fry shrimp and crab boil. If you did this right . opening the lid makes your nose burn and your eyes water.

Add the twelve crab and fire as hard on the burner as it will go. When the pot starts to boil again time for exactly 10 minutes. Make sure you back off the fire when it starts to boil or it will come over the top and put out the fire. Remove the crab and in a bucket mix them with ice to cool. 10 minutes in ice does the job. Or soak in fresh seawater to cool. You only need to soak for 2 to 3 minutes if you use water. Note soaking in water removes much of the spicy flavor. Stack them face down to drain the water out. When you ice for the trip home try to avoid letting them soak in the melt water in the bottom of the cooler. I stack them on top of a beer box or a full bag of ice so they are not on the bottom of the cooler. The idea is to stop cooking after 10 minutes. Overcooking crab will ruin it in flavor and texture. This is true for all seafood. You can refire the pot and do twelve more.

I have done as many as 36 in one load of water by boiling 3 batches. Or you can renew each time it just takes longer.

'Puffin' does this too. I do not know his spice mix as he now grinds it all together and just brings a bag of premade spice. What he does different is pretty close to the Louisiana crawfish boil. DO onions, corn and red potatoes in the same water as the crabs. I think he cooks them separate as the times are different. Ask him and he'll explain. Corn done this way requires no butter and the taters are good plain too.

Bon Apetit.

[TundraIII]

Zatarains is great....Winco's pickling spice is great too....a pair of nylons cut up into pieces will make a perfect boiling bag to contain the spices.

[Cloud-Nine]

Thank you HD, Thats just what I was looking for. I will get the ingrediants and give it a try this weekend.
Thank you Puffin and Pilar for the basics.
Dick

[Good News Tuna]

I second the Winco pickling spice. Its cheap and tastes great.

[Reel Creel]

Small hand full of rock salt

[Hammer Down]

C-9,

You're welcome for the information. If you really want to try something that will elevate you to legendary connoiseur status try this:


Crab Boil Recipe - Puffin

Several medium potatoes halved. Celery stalk quartered. Two heads garlic whole. 4-6 ears corn shucked and halved. 6-12 crab whole. Salmon halibut or both, 3-inch chunks. Three medium onions halved. 1pt to 1qt cider vinegar. Two to five gallons sea water depending on pot size. Two large handfuls pickling spice. One small handfuls small hot chilies. Bring spices vinegar chilies and water to a rolling boil. Add all ingredients except fish starting with veggies. Put crab on top and cover return to boil five min. add fish continue to boil 10 min. remove from heat pour off liquid. Serve with loaves of bread and cold beverage of choice. Tear bread cover with butter (not margarine) squeeze garlic out of cloves on bread. Devour with seafood veggies and beverage. Enjoy life and wonder what poor people are doing.

Puffin posted this one awhile back. Funny how sometimes so few words, can say so much. Enjoy!

[flapbreaker]

All this sounds good but am I the only one who doesn't like to boil crabs whole? I guess the brains and food they ate kind of makes me quessy.

[MikeN]

We like to clean our crabs first, break them in half and boil in rock salt or ocean/bay water.

The meat is sooo white and flavorful. It does not have the yellow tinge or gut taste to it.

Some people say it takes the flavor out but it is the only way we cook them now.

There is never any left over!!!

[Tyeebuster]

I cooked up some crab yesterday and ried the Old Bay seasoning and the results were awsome. In the past I used Rock salt and Pickling Spice with very good results. I tried the Old Bay because I read it on this thread.

I picked up the Old Bay seasoning at Costco for around $5 for a large container. I also found a "taste alike" Old Bay recipe on Google it is as follows:

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 Tbsp Celery Seed
1 Tbsp Whole Black Peppercorns
6 Bay Leaves
1/2 Tsp Whole Cardamom
1/2 Tsp Mustard Seed
4 Whole Cloves
1 Tsp Sweet Hungarian Paprika
1/4 Tsp Mace

In a spice grinder or small food processor, combine all of the
ingredients. Grind well and store in a small glass jar.

Thanks for the tip!!!!