What is the proper cooking time for steaming whole stone crabs? Is there any reason to avoid them?
In several pages of Google results, I found no information at all on cooking time, average market prices, recipes, etc. for whole stone crabs. I made my own estimation for cooking time last time I tried, which worked sufficiently well, but would like to hear a more authoritative answer for food safety reasons.
Additionally, what's the reason for the lack of information? I have heard the assertion that they're not very palatable offered as a reason for why they're rarely eaten, but I found them perfectly tasty, though quite different from blue crabs. There was quite a lot of meat in the body, and it seems unlikely that I'd be alone in finding them palatable. I also understand that in Florida it is illegal to land whole stone crabs, but there is no such restriction in many other areas, where they're commonly sold. Is there any reason why one should not eat whole stone crabs?
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How long should you steam stone crabs?
Put uncracked claws into a steamer basket and set over steamer pot of boiling water over high heat. Cover and steam until heated through, about 5 minutes. In the meantime, melt butter in a small pan, being careful not to brown it. Remove from heat.How long does crab need to be steamed?
Put the crabs in a steamer basket or insert or simply pile them into the pot and let the bottom crabs boil slightly and act as a platform for the other crabs to steam. Cover and cook 10 to 20 minutes, depending on the size of the crabs.How do you know when stone crabs are cooked?
You can determine this by simply inspecting the shell. A fully cooked crab claw will look bright red or orange\u2014the color most people think of on crabs. An undercooked or uncooked crab shell will be green or brown in color.Why Stone Crab Claws Are So Expensive | So Expensive
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