Blue crabs are known for their sweet taste and heavy texture. Although they are common from Texas to Massachusetts, they are most prevalent in the warm Gulf of Mexico waters off of Louisiana. The Louisiana Seafood Promotion and Marketing Board says most years, Louisiana produces between 40 million and 50 million pounds of blue crabs.
Louisiana blue crabs have a distinctive blue tint to their shells that turns red when fully cooked. Each crab normally weighs between 5 to 8 pounds, but very little of that is meat. If they will be consumed as a main meal, you should allot two to four crabs per person depending on the size of the crabs. They are sold as #1 (jumbo), #2 (large) or #3 (medium).
Instructions
1. Pour the water into a stockpot large enough to hold 12 quarts of water and leave 4 to 6 inches of space at the top. Add the salt, wet and dry crab boil, Creole seasoning, hot pepper sauce, onions, potatoes, lemons or lime and garlic. Turn heat to high, cover and bring to a full, rolling boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer the mixture for 20 minutes.
2. Add the sausages and corn, if desired, and crabs to the pot. Push and stir until they are fully immersed. Turn the heat back to high, bring to a boil, cover and boil for five minutes.
3. Turn off the heat, and fill the pot as much as possible with ice to stop the cooking process. Cover and let stand for 15 to 30 minutes. Drain and serve.
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