Live Hard Crabs

How to Cook Live Blue Crabs

Crack open some blue crabs and enjoy them with your favorite seasonings. Cooking live crabs is easy. Add 1 part water and 1 part apple cider to a large pot or steamer. Once the liquid is boiling, add your crabs to the pot in layers – sprinkling crab seasoning between each layer. Cover the pot and steam for 30 to 40 minutes until the crabs turn orange. Steam should begin escaping the lid about 10 minutes in. Check for dark red or green spots before removing the crabs from the heat to ensure they are fully cooked. 

Please note that consuming raw or undercooked animal foods may increase your risk of contracting a foodborne illness, especially if you have certain medical conditions.

How Many Live Crabs Should I Order?

The number of crabs in a bushel depends on the size. Crabs range from standard (5-5.5 inches) to colossal (6.75 inches and up). There are between 84 to 96 standard crabs or 48 to 60 colossal crabs in a bushel. 

We do everything we can to package your crabs so they make it to your door alive. Unfortunately, some crabs don’t make it due to environmental factors. When you receive your order, only consume live crabs. The average mortality rate is approximately 20% when ordering live Maryland crabs. We offer store credit if death loss is more than 20%. You can also order our steamed crabs instead to ensure 100% edibility when your crabs are delivered. 

Crab Dynasty ships live crabs via 1-day UPS delivery. If you order more than 1 bushel, each order must be made separately.