As Summer season ebbs into Fall, many of us are taking to the nice outside to absorb these final vacation-y vestiges of the season. If you’re a fan of outside exploring or al fresco cooking, we’ve got some enjoyable ideas for reheating your blue crabs.

Why we love reheating and consuming blue crabs outside—

In case you’ve ever traveled all through the nice Chesapeake Bay area, you could have seen of us eating on blue crabs exterior. Not solely will we love the outside, communal good-times of blue crab feasts, it additionally gives a lot simpler means of fresh up. Sure, blue crab feasts could be a messy affair, between all of the cracking and snacking, however that’s all a part of the appeal and attraction. Blue crabs are additionally the proper protein for al fresco cooking and eating. They’re compact, self contained, pre-cooked, and naturally scrumptious. No want for an abundance of different substances, seasonings or utensils!

Security First!

• Earlier than diving into our cool outside cooking strategies, we needed to determine and share a few of our prime security ideas —quite a bit, of which, (lol) come from a number of private or acquainted ‘whoopsies’. Naked with me…
• You need to just be sure you are cooking away from flammable objects (dry grasses, picket constructions, and so on…). You should definitely test overhead as effectively for any low-hanging branches or roof constructions.
• Don’t depart your prepare dinner web site unattended (particularly when you’ve got little people about—or, like me, impatient uncles that may nab a crab the minute a again is turned).
• If you’re tenting, test with native park personnel about waste storage and disposal. Wildlife is as a lot a fan of blue crabs as we’re, we don’t need to invite critters to our crab feast (they positively don’t RSVP).
• Ensure to have a pair oven mitts or oodles of dry towels out there to move scorching stuff from prepare dinner floor to eating floor.
• And, hold a hearth extinguisher helpful, simply in case.

Reheating on a Charcoal or Fuel Grill

The identical methodology of reheating crabs indoors can be utilized outside with a grill! All you will have is both an oven-safe steamer pot (no plastic components) or roasting pan.

Steamer Pot Technique– Place the bottom of your steamer pot on the grill grates, straight over your warmth supply. Fill the bottom with the advisable quantity of liquid (water, beer, broth, and so on…), place the steamer insert on prime, and canopy with the lid. When you see steam, it’s time to add your crabs. Reheat for 5-10 minutes (relying on the dimensions of your steamer basket and variety of crabs) or till the crabs are piping scorching.

Roasting Pan Technique– Place the bottom of your roasting pan, full with wire rack insert, on the grill grates, straight over your warmth supply. Fill the bottom with simply sufficient liquid to the touch the underside of the wire rack insert. Cowl and preheat till you see steam. When you see steam, add your crabs, and reheat for 5-10 minutes or till the crabs are piping scorching.

Reheating on a Campfire

Whether or not grate or no-grate, you may simply reheat crabs over an open fireplace.

Grate- We love a great cast-iron camp pot, particularly if it comes with a steamer basket. Now, you gained’t have the ability to steam as many crabs at a time (relying on the dimensions of your camp pot), however we’ve got a hack for that as effectively.

Place the bottom of your steamer pot on the grates, straight over your campfire. Fill the bottom with the advisable quantity of liquid (water, beer, broth, and so on…), add the steamer insert, and canopy with the lid. When you see steam, it’s time to add your crabs. Reheat for 5-10 minutes or till the crabs are piping scorching. In case you’re reheating in batches, place a steel or aluminum pan close to your campfire (however away from the direct flame), ladle just a little little bit of the new liquid into the pan. As soon as the batch of crabs are reheated, switch them to this facet pan, and canopy with foil to maintain heat. Rotate the pan often for even entry to the heat.

No Grate– As soon as your roaring campfire has dwindled to the new coal stage, clear a patch within the middle (giant sufficient area to snuggly accommodate your cast-iron steamer pot). Rigorously place your steamer pot within the clearing, fill with the advisable quantity of liquid, add the steamer insert, and canopy. As soon as your pot is ready, shovel or place among the scorching coals nearer to your pot (if essential). When you see steam, it’s time to add your crabs. Reheat for 5-10 minutes or till the crabs are piping scorching.

Reheating on a Camp Range

The identical methodology of reheating in a steamer pot works for camp stoves as effectively. Simply be certain your steamer pot isn’t too giant to your camp range (we are not looking for our coveted crabs to tip over).

Place the bottom of your steamer pot on the camp range. Fill the bottom with the advisable quantity of liquid (water, beer, broth, and so on…), add the steamer insert, and canopy with the lid. Convey the liquid to a simmer over medium-high warmth. When you see steam, it’s time to add your crabs. Reheat for 5-10 minutes (relying on the dimensions of your steamer basket and variety of crabs) or till the crabs are piping scorching.

Cooler Steaming

You might have seen this cooler-cooking approach used with recent corn. We discover that what’s good for corn is equally good for reheating crabs! Be sure you use a sturdy, high-grade plastic cooler (not styrofoam), with a drain plug, when utilizing this reheat approach.

Place your cooler near your work floor (much less distance to journey with scorching liquids) and place your cooler so the drain plug is dealing with downhill or away from folks and your campsite. Line the underside of the cooler with a pair wire racks and add your crabs. Place a big pot in your grill, campfire, grate or camp range, fill 3/4-full with liquid (water, beer, broth, and so on…), cowl, and produce to a simmer. As soon as simmering, rigorously pour the new liquid into your cooler, filling with simply sufficient liquid to the touch the underside of the wire rack. Cowl and steam for 10 minutes or till the crabs are piping scorching. Open the lid, rigorously take away the plug (I like doing this with a pair of tongs), and drain away the new liquid earlier than retrieving your crabs.

You Have the Means…All You Want Now are the Crabs!

Whether or not you’re tenting or grilling, no feast is full with out blue crabs! We’ve oodles of blue crab choices out there on our web site, from jumbo to straightforward. Click on the hyperlink right here to discover extra!