Your boiling crab legs/claws in sizzling hot water. The meat will expand fully in its shell. If you pull them out and crack them open, the meat will still be expanded, thus, will stick to the shell. Cooling down the shell with cold water will cause the meat in the shells to shrink back away from the shell...
Killing the crab prior to cooking is humane and instantaneous, but it also avoids the crab from shedding limbs through shock, which often happens when boiling alive. This shedding of limbs will allow water to flood into the crab and effectively boil out the flavour.
Fill large stockpot or Dutch oven half full with water; add seafood seasoning and salt. Heat to boiling. Add crab legs. Cook 3 to 5 minutes or just until heated.
The pigment responds strongly to heat, though: Once you dump a crab or a lobster in a pot of boiling water, it's body chemistry changes: The pigment—astaxanthin—gets separated from the membrane—the crustacyanin—transforming your dinner into that ruby-hued tone we know so well.
Some say the hiss that sounds when crustaceans hit the boiling water is a scream (it's not, they don't have vocal cords). But lobsters and crabs may want to since a new report suggests that they could feel pain.
While the astaxanthin is still in the crustacyanin, the crab appears blue. But when exposed to heat, the astaxanthin breaks free from the crustacyanin. This activates the pigment and turns the shell red, giving cooked crab its characteristic color.
Cook the crabs for about 18-20 minutes, depending on size. The crabs are done when they turn orange and the meat flakes when tested with a fork. Carefully remove the crabs from the pot with clean tongs and serve on a platter with a sprinkling of seafood seasoning and some lemon wedges.
Boiling ensures the seasoning gets evenly distributed throughout the crab and keeps it moist. If you steam the crabs all the seasoning ends up on the outside shell and eventually on your fingers.
Once water returns to a boil, cook 12–15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Turn off heat and allow crabs to soak, covered, 10–12 minutes.
It minimizes the risk of food poisoning
So, to minimize the risk of food poisoning, crustaceans are often cooked alive. That said, many consider the practice to be unethical as crustaceans are living things and consequently, can feel pain.
The most important thing about cooking blue crab to note is that you cannot cook crabs that are dead; as soon as they die they start to rot and become toxic. If you are cooking fresh crabs, they must be alive.
A report, commissioned by the United Kingdom government, evaluated evidence from 300 studies to conclude that cephalopods — such as octopuses, squid and cuttlefish — and decapods — crabs, lobsters and crayfish — are capable of experiencing pain and, therefore, shouldn't be boiled alive.
Once cooked and cooled, peel back the top shell and rinse the crab with water to remove the guts and gills.
Cooking Tip
Once the crab is in the pot, bring the water back to a boil and cook for 11 minutes. After 11 minutes, remove the cooked crabs and rinse or submerge them in cold water to stop the cooking process. Place the crabs on ice or serve.
If any part of your crab's flesh has become mushy and semi-solid, this is an indication that it was not alive when cooked. This is also the reason why you should not buy dead raw crabs for yourself.
Boiling crab is a rich source of protein, vitamins, and minerals. It is also low in fat and calories, making it a healthy option for those who are watching their weight.
Boiling is the most popular cooking technique for all crab varieties. It is the easiest method and preserves the most flavor. To do so, put a large pot of water to boil. Add lots of salt to it.
Vinegar - Vinegar adds amazing flavor to the crabs, but it also helps soften the shells and make them easier to pick. Plain white vinegar is all you need here, but if you don't have any, white or red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar is fine. Avoid balsamic or anything with a lot of flavor.
What are the food safety risks of consuming these raw crabs? Raw crabs may contain different pathogens, including bacteria (e.g.Vibrio cholerae and Vibrio parahaemolyticus) and parasites (e.g. Paragonimus westermani, also known as lung fluke).
Remove the lid and shut off the flame. Add ice to the pot to stop the crabs from cooking and help them absorb the seasoning. Crack a beer and wait while the crabs soak for 10 minutes. Pull the basket out of the water, let drain, and serve.
Cooking & Serving Tips
Place live crab in boiling salted water and cook for 18-20 minutes (after the water returns to a boil), turning the shell bright orange. Immerse in cold water to cool before cleaning. Fresh Whole-Cooks can be served chilled or heated in a steamer, broiler or oven for 4 to 5 minutes.
Inspect the Shell
A fully cooked crab claw will look bright red or orange—the color most people think of on crabs. An undercooked or uncooked crab shell will be green or brown in color.
When molted properly, they come back up looking normal, just slightly different in color or shape. You have experience the crab recover from his molt, his pincher has turned blue because he is a Caribbean (Purple Pincher) and they often will have dark purple or blue pinchers. Congrats!
A fully albino crab is very rare.”
Meat with mushy texture originates from soft-shelled crabs, a problem which can easily be rectified by culling. Black discolouration on the other hand, is likely caused by the enzymatic oxidation of polyhydroxy- phenyl and aminophenyl compounds in the tissues.