Dungeness crabs
are native to the Pacific Northwest. Named for the town of Dungeness, Washington, these delectable and sweet crab are best served fresh from the ocean. Many fishermen will cook them live on the boats after catching them. Dungeness crab stop eating once caught, which makes their meat spongy and softens their shells from calcium deficiency.
Instructions
1. Be careful handling fresh Dungeness crabs. Handle them from the very back of their shell, but beware that their pinching claws can reach quite a ways back.
2. Refrigerate the Dungeness crabs for 1 hour or place them in the freezer for 30 minutes before cooking them. This will slow down the crab's metabolism and make them easier to handle. It also is considered a more humane way to handle them before placing them in a boiling kettle.
3. Fill the pot with enough water to cover the crabs by at least two inches. Seawater or saltwater adds a great flavor to the crab. If using tap water, add 1/4 cup of salt per crab you're cooking in the pot.
4. Place the pot on the stove, cover and turn the burner to high until the water boils. Try to time this step so the water is boiling when it's time to remove the crab from the refrigerator or freezer.
5. Add peppercorns and fresh squeezed lemon to the water, if desired.
6. Place the crab in the pot, keeping the burner on high, and boil the crab for 10 minutes.
7. Pull the crabs out of the pot after 10 minutes, and soak them in a cold water bath or rinse them until they're cool enough to handle.
8. Crack open the shells (see Resources) with nut crackers and then serve with a wedge of lemon and your choice of dipping sauce. Use the forks to pick the meat out of the shells.
Tags: Dungeness crabs, burner high
