Charleston Crab Crack

  • Level: Easy
  • Yield: 2 dozen crabs plus 1 3/4 cups cocktail sauce
  • Total: 40 min
  • Active: 20 min
A traditional crab crack is one of my family's favorite things to make when we all get together. After the crab is boiled, you dump it out on a table covered with newspaper and everyone digs in and gets crackin'. A little drawn butter and some homemade cocktail sauce is all you need to serve with the sweet blue crabs.
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Ingredients

Crabs:

Two 12-ounce cans beer

One 6-ounce can seafood seasoning, plus more for serving 

2 Vidalia onions, coarsely chopped 

2 dozen live blue crabs 

Melted butter, for serving

Cocktail Sauce:

1 1/2 cups ketchup

2 tablespoons prepared horseradish 

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce 

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (about 1/2 lemon) 

3 cloves garlic, minced 

Kosher salt

Directions

Special equipment:
Low Country boil pot, optional
  1. For the crabs: Place a large pot of water over medium-high heat outside or indoors. (I like to use a Low Country boil/turkey frying pot.) Add the beer, seafood seasoning and onion and bring to a boil. Boil 10 minutes to season and allow the flavors to develop.
  2. For the cocktail sauce: While the water boils, stir together the ketchup, horseradish, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice and garlic in a medium bowl. Season with salt if desired.
  3. Add the crabs to the boiling water. Cook until the crabs are reddish-orange and cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain the crabs and spread on a table covered with newspaper or butcher paper. Sprinkle with additional seafood seasoning. Serve with melted butter and the cocktail sauce.

Let's Get Cooking!

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