Steamed Blue Crabs with Old Bay

Ingredients

• 2 dozen live blue crabs
• 2 cups apple cider vinegar
• 2 cups beer or water
• 1 cup Old Bay seasoning
• 1/4 cup kosher salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 2 lemons, cut into wedges

Before you cook

• Keep the crabs cold in a cooler with a wet towel over them so they stay sluggish and easy to handle.
• Mix the Old Bay and kosher salt together in a bowl.
• Cover a table with brown paper or newspaper and set out mallets and paring knives.

Steps

1. Pour the vinegar and beer into a very large steamer pot and set the rack above the liquid.
2. Bring the liquid to a hard boil over high heat.
3. Grab each crab from behind with tongs and lay it in the pot, building a single layer on the rack.
4. Sprinkle that layer generously with the Old Bay and salt mixture.
5. Keep adding crabs and seasoning in layers until the pot is full.
6. Cover the pot tightly and steam for 20 to 25 minutes, until the shells have turned bright orange-red all over.
7. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat.
8. Lift the crabs out with tongs and pile them on the papered table.
9. Dust the pile with a last handful of Old Bay.
10. Serve with melted butter, lemon wedges, and plenty of napkins.