Cooking Crab [split from S.F.]

[walker]

How do you cook them? Do you steam them? Once the Chron had an article on microwaving them in a plastic ziplock and I tried it with a live lobster. It struggled and I felt guilty. The article tried to say it was not more painful than submerging in boiling water.

[Melanie Wong]

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/4734...

[realspear]

Most of the time I just drop them in the water. But for barbecue, I buy them just before cooking and have the market cut them into pieces. I've done it myself, but it's incredibly messy and I don't have a heavy enough cleaver to do it quickly.

[xanadude]

Microwaving works (I use a pyrex bowl with a lid) as well as steaming, especially if you're only doing one crab...definitely a solid method. Don't overcook it. You can kill the crab first...

[Fine]

I remember one years ago in the Chron that said putting them in cool water was the least cruel: They went to sleep as it came to a boil. Honest! I tried it for a while but couldn't stand the sound of their struggling!

[ML8000]

Putting them in the freezer for 15-20 does the same, gets them sleepy and not so jumpy.

[ML8000]

A microwave in a plastic bag? That's just wrong. Also, getting a crab in a plastic bag...if it's kicking, I can't see it.

Any way, steaming keeps the crab moist, unless you over cook it. Some people toss the crab in shallow boiling water, some put a plate or low streaming rack in the bottom of the pot.