Blue Crabs for the Win!

If there's one thing I LOVE about living in Charleston, SC it's blue crabs! If I had time I would probably eat them everyday. LOL. It's one of my favorite foods to enjoy with family and friends. People joke about it all the time in their best gullah dialect and say "Dem girls from Charleston love a blue crab"! And we do!

We host what we call "crab cracks" all the time with a group of family and friends. We sit around the kitchen table, cook some crabs, pour some drinks and have great conversations. For some reason it's one of those things you eat with a group because eating them alone isn't as fun. 

My favorite is the female crab when she's carrying eggs also referred to in our community as "cheese". The orange stuff is what's used in authentic she crab soup and it has such a distinct flavor. We love when it's available to use in our She Crab Soup at Carolima's Lowcountry Cuisine. In order to distinguish between the male crab and the female crab you must look at the apron. The male crab has a thin apron while the female crab is wide and ridged.  Male crabs are typically meatier but the female crab meat tastes sweeter in my opinion.  

In Charleston we tend to boil our crabs while in other places like Maryland they steam their crabs. I prefer boiling them because I think the seasoning goes through and through. When the crabs are steamed they typically only sprinkle a crab seasoning on the top of the crabs once they're finished cooking.  Truth be told though, I would eat them either way! 

If you're ever interested in having a crabbing experience be sure to hit up our girl Tia with Casual Crabbing with Tia for a great time. She will take you out on the boat and help you catch crabs then come back on shore and prepare them for a good ol' Charleston Crab Crack.  Let her know Carolima's sent you. 

How do you enjoy your blue crabs?

Photo credit: www.fisheries.noaa.gov