How to Steam Blue Crabs Maryland Style 

very matter of fact for a video. this guy gets to the point . no BS . two thumbs up

Finally! Someone who knows what they're talking about. I'm from Baltimore born and raised. I moved to California and finding blue crab has been a journey. Finally found a location that sells them and I will be following your method tonight. Thanks bro!

Seen a lot of people explain, but he is the best..ice slowing crabs is great and most people don't even know this...also most didn't know water is virtually not needed...vinegar, beer and a drop of water...

I've seen many crazy videos on how to steam crabs the MD way. It made my DMV-raised wife upset because many of them were off their rocker, violating the traditional MD techniques. She didn't get upset about this one. This guy does it the right way.

He's a cop... Just get that vibe

This is actually an excellent video. I was born and raised in Maryland. It’s true he doesn’t explain the reasoning behind some of common mistakes but I think that was in the interest of brevity. For example, you don’t keep crabs in water because a dozen or so crabs will go through the oxygen in standing water relatively quickly and they will literally suffocate in water rather than in the air. Putting them on ice is great if you have the extra time, it’s a solid step. Beer, vinegar etc is all a personal preference but most folks in Maryland steam with some type of beer combination. And most importantly, he makes it clear that they are to be steamed and not boiled - excellent video.

I used to live In Baltimore years ago and this is as close to how its done on RU-vid that I've ever seen-Bravo-CB3

THIS GUY DOES IT THE RIGHT WAY , JUST LIKE HE SAYS, TESTED AND TRUE, THANKS MAN!!!!!

Nothing like scrapple for breakfast and steamed crabs for dinner. Marylander by birth, living in Indiana. Now I'm craving steamed crabs. Great video - blessings

What's the difference between Coor's and water?

u have a awesome backyard...

Thank you for this video, its straight to the point and informative. We live on the beach in De and I have been dying to make blue crabs for my family, now I can. Two thumbs up!

I live in North Georgia and vacation a lot in Savannah and Tybee Island,Ga. While there one year i came upon Joe's Crab Shack right before you cross over the bridge to get to Tybee Island. We were starving and i mean starrrving and the waitress was very nice and described everything to us thoroughly and while sipping our sweet iced tea i was watching the cooks and how they were dressing the blue crab and lobster for the evening menu.He calls me back and showed me how to steam blue crab the right way and it was done EXACTLY like this guy did his and i wonder if he ever worked at Joe's.haha The guy turned out to be the owners son and told me when we get headed home from our vacation to stop by and he would fix me up. Well,i had almost forgotten til someone with us mentioned if we should stop by and have some more authentic crab before heading home and then i remembered.We ate there again,had drinks in these coconut figures that were done up like monkey's and my god he stuffed our stomachs good then brought over a bag full of live blue crab and told me to get them in a cooler and ice them down to shock them. We went and bought a cooler and iced them down before getting on the interstate heading home. I steamed those crab exactly the way he showed me and they were just like Joe's. I can't find fresh seafood in North Georgia but if you ever go to Tybee Island,Ga. stop by The Crab Shack on the right side of the road just before going into Tybee. You will thank me for it,trust and believe that.

I really appreciate this video. I live, well, not in Maryland anymore and where I live they don't know how to steam crabs: they tend to boil them. Bleh! I'm very happy to see someone do it the proper way. I have followed your instructions and they turned out perfectly. I use Old Bay and a little sea salt to season them and the beer I use is actually Narragansett. Other than that I follow your instructions to the letter. Thanks for posting this vid!

I was going to boil blue crabs until i seen this video. It will be my first time and this is the best video out there imo. Short and straight to the point.

Why are people hating on this guy?

yes I'm a Maryland girl . so many memories of eating fresh crabs

"You'll know they are dead when their bodies go limp" Thanks Charlie Mason.

Good video, direct and to the point. Thanks. Just what I was looking for. I'm 2,000 miles from fresh blue crab so I'm buying some that are shipped live and wanted to learn the right way. I've watched a few other vids and they go on and on about this and that. I used to go to MD on business before I retired and fresh blue crab is great stuff, but you can't get it here. (or it's been frozen for who knows how long). So I'm gonna try this out. Happy 4th of July!

Don't hate. When I first started watching this video, I was like.. "Oh so this guy thinks he knows..." But his way of cooking them actually looks pretty damn good. The vinegar, beer and seasoning. Can't wait to try this method. Adding corn in the husk on the top would be a nice touch too. That green husk corn taste would make for nice seasoning. Thanks Gregory, for the video!

Love me some crabs. The family is having some later on this evening, I can't wait. Had crabs a few days ago, but I'm craving them again, lol.

Please make more videos! You have a great matter of fact / get to the point style

I steam crabs for four minutes but I’m glad you steamed them whole. It’s so annoying when people rip them to pieces and then steam them.

I try this way and I was not disappointed even my family enjoyed them thank you for showing me the right way

I think in the south boiling is common thing for crabs craw fish and shrimp. I dont see too many people steaming them here but i plan to steam my crabs tonight! Thanks for the video

Thanks for sharing your recipe. It's looks great and I look forward to trying you way of steaming blue crabs.

I've been thinking about trying this sometime this summer. Thanks for the video. You answered a lot of questions for me.

Prepping for my move to Bmore county; "The county!" Video is perfect, very informative, yet concise and to the point. Like this guys style.

THAT IS THE BEST CRAB COOKING VIDEO EVER!! i would have loved another 10 minutes of how to crackem n eatem.. WELL DONE!!!! im hungry now!

Hey Greg, where did you get your crab picking knife. Can't seem to find one here in VA.

I love this video straight to the point thank you

The crabs are like “NOOOOOO!!!!!!” when you pour the seasoning onto them.

Thanks for a great video and you have a super nice back yard. You have it going on sir

Great video. Leaving out the water and just using vinegar and beer did the trick. A nice good dry steam resulted in non-soggy, non-watery, delicious crabs. Thanks for taking the time and effort for posting. I'm in NC and couldn't find the last missing ingredient - Natty Boh :)

I grew up around the Chesapeake in Virginia and learned how to steam crabs when I was 10 or 12. This is pretty much how we did it except we used Old Bay "Crab Boil" seasoning - actually a more traditional seasoning for crabs and shrimp. The beer is typical but any kind of alcohol will work. It doesn't add flavor to the crabs, but alcohol produces steam at a lower temperature. Water steam is hotter so cooking times are reduced if you use water, and reduced even further if you put a weight on the top of the pot. The vinegar helps keep the boiling water from frothing up as the crabs drip protein rich juices into the water. After being in southern Louisiana for the last 13 years, I learned the various methods for boiling crabs and shrimp. The main difference is that the crabs hold more water and make a bigger mess as you pick them when boiled. You have to choose your spices more carefully when boiling because unlike steaming, the boiling water carries the spices into the inside and flavors the meat. Steamed crabs the spices get on your hands as you pick the crab and introduce the spices more that way than during the cooking process. A really good tip: If you are not one to sit down to a picnic table covered in news paper and spend several hours picking crabs with your friends and family, but prefer to pick the crabs in the kitchen and use the meat to make crab cakes or stuff a fish fillet , or to cut into your seafood gumbo, stop cooking the crabs at the point where you still see darkness (sorta' bluish brownish copper) on the crab's back. This is about 80% cooked (for most people) but it allows you to further cook the meat in whatever dish without turning the meat into a stringy pulp. They are a little more difficult to pick but worth it to have whole crab meat chunks floating around in the Gumbo.

I guess the reason some people don't like him is because he is actually speaking to the adults not the children. Outstanding video...thank you!

Love the way he’s handled the crab and preps so professionally and with little drama. My only complaint is way too much salt in the all purpose seasoning to use so much of it and with beer and no water I would be running for the water tap.

"I steam with beer" (shows two cans of water)

Great video, thanks for making it and keeping it real.

Great Job! Straight and on point, easy, and accurate MD steamed crabs. Remember, the J.O. #2 spice is the key. If not available, Old Bay Seasoning is you're next option. Enjoy.

I enjoyed this vid bc I can finally see how to get the seasoning to be caked up on it. I hate that boiling them means they lose that factor...

I love his yard decor

Thanks! First time and turned out perfect following your approach.

I'm a Maryland girl. Born and raised. You just nailed it bro! I use Milwaukee's best ice though. Makes for a juicy crab.

Now I am homesick. That is how it is done! Right down to the brown paper laid out on the table. :)

This dude a G. I’d like him to narrate all experiences and parts of my life.

No nonsense. That's how you cook a crab in Maryland. This old girl's been catching and cooking crabs all my life in Maryland and this video is 100% correct.

Nice video, Mr. Watkins. Thank you for sharing. How do you like that pot? Seems like a decent pot for steaming small numbers of crabs.

Very nice video . I as most Marylander's do it slightly different , but the basic principles are there . Good job . Just don't give all of the secrets up :-)

Love this method - just cooked my crabs with beer and vinegar (and JO #2) for the first time and they are amazing!!!!! Cheers from Hanover MD!!!

Thank you! For doing this the right way!

Why are people calling him an arrogant A-hole, he came across as very likeable to me

Love it, great video buddy. Just the way it should be done, but need that corn too although you did mention it

wow! looks delicious! thank you for making this video!

Outstanding video! I will be definitely making these.

he knows how to cook them right though...nice job bud

I been boiling crabs in water all my life and they NEVER came out mushy. But I like the Steamed also.

One of the best videos I have ever watched.Great job.

Best video, to the point and explained well. Nice job!

The guy is cool!! Way too many sensitive folks commenting!!

Thanks for your tips and time!

Very good video straight to the point and easy to follow I hope you make more videos

One of the best tutorials out there. I tried this and used beer this time instead of water and the difference in the results were so impeccable. Thumbs up from me.

You have enough old bay on them?

Omgosh my mouth is watering!! This is exactly how we do it!! Great job!!! Yummmm yes, I’m from Woodbine, Md 😆👍🏻😆

Excellent video - brief and to the point. He’s not trying to be a personality but give succinct instruction so it’s a stylistic difference, for some that are complaining. He does do it right! And it’s pretty humane in my opinion to go from catatonic/slowed down to steamed - crabs won’t have felt much pain as it’s quick. At most, he could’ve kept them iced just a wee bit longer for complete catatonic state, if he wanted to be a bit more humane. (I don’t think he was or cares- again that’s his choice)

I grew up in MD and this is actually the proper way of doing them. Most people use Natty Boh though. But it's a personal choice.

Freaking great video. I love the way you deliver the message. Concise and simple. Thanks for posting it.

Straight to the point. True Marylander!! Nice work. Looks good

Quick and simple. Might give it a try this weekend

I’m from West Baltimore I don’t see any arrogance from this guy. He’s straight to the point .Just the way we do it here.... Great Video.

This is going to sound SO dumb, but I'm going to ask... so can crabs breathe under water and out of water?

It's crab season again. Supposed to have some crabs in May. We're buying ours from Captain's Catch here in Delaware. But I can't wait to go crabbing again this year. It's so much fun.

Perfect tried it and it tasted wonderful

How to know you're a Marylander : Coors light and Crabs. Lol

Nice video

Hey I followed u to the letter on how to do this for my first time steaming crabs and they turned out amazing thanks soooo much I to am from Maryland

Excellent tutorial!

Vinigar 👍 yes at last!! Never heard it mentioned over in the US for shellfish but over in the UK, Where i grew up we always add it 🦞 gives a strangley sweet taste to our Brown crab and Lobster. Use also now in Denmark for fresh water Crayfish (native) super stuff vinigar 🦞

6:33 aw he’s waving goodbye lol

It's nice of him to post the video in the first place

All this time ive been cooking them wrong. Wow! Thanks for this awesome video:)

Camera work and sound great and very little unnecessary chatter making presentation longer, which many do.

Are you feeling it now Mr krabs.

Great vid! Love that back yard decor. Go Terps!

From New zealand. Totally agree with other videos suck. Thanks chief. Just returned from MD this morning and was looking at some authentic. Yours is the best and easiest is found. Only thing, I forgot to buy ol bay to bring back to NZ.

He showing you the right way I’m for. Virginia

When u steam them don't they die slowly and painfully?

no need for hate comments people have their own ways of cooking crabs. he has his way you have your way we all have unique ways of cooking

those look amazing great job

lol light beer but this guy seems full himself about crabs even though he literally buries them in seasoning, disgusting

Anyone thinking about the crabs were like "what the fuck" when he dumped the seasoning on its head

This is the way!...Coastal Virginian here..But have ties to Bmore...this video is short and to the point of Maryland style crabs...great job Gregory!

I’ve always wanted to try crabs this style but do you even taste the seasoning since it’s on the shell?

I want this so bad 😭 it's so good 😍

why is it i feel slightly bad for the crabs being steamed alive lol 😔

Seems like you think cooking is a tough guy thing?

Great Video! I’m steaming my own crabs for the first time!

Cool video! Thanks for posting 👌

I prefer waterboarding my crabs