“How sweet, fresh blue crab meat!”

Either picking crabs yourself or ordering from a Chesapeake Bay picking house, blue crabs from Maryland just taste sweeter!  Some say it’s the perfect mix of salt and fresh water in the largest estuary (bay) in the world, or the fact these crustaceans have to hibernate during the winter.  Preparing for the cold months requires a hefty appetite.  Snails, oysters, clams, fish, and other tasty bay sustenance help the blue crab develop tasty fat.  This fat adds to the already delicately flavored salty-sweet meat. From the very early days when Marylanders found the courage to catch the snapping crab and cook him, the savory meat was celebrated as AMAZING! They termed the blue crab as “Beautiful Swimmer that is savory.”  Not many species have the description as “tasty” or “savory” in its name.  Everyone must try this delicious delicacy! 

Don’t get crabby over these crab facts!

• Marylanders prefer steaming crabs in large pots and have been known to pour a Natty Bo in the water mix for that hoppy steam.
• Southerners love a boil and throw in corn and sausage for a juicy meat.
• Blue Crabs find favor all along the Eastern Seaboard of the US and rival the West Coast’s Dungeness Crab.
• Chesapeake Crab Connection is awarded the Best supplier of blue crabs nationwide!

What should you serve with a seasoned catch of steamed crabs?

• Buttered Corn on the Cob.  Sprinkle Old Bay on the cob to add to the Bay theme.
• Fresh Coleslaw with Cottage Fries.  Deep-fry potatoes to a golden-brown and shred garden ripe vegetables for a cool slaw.
• Pickled Cucumber Salad.  Sweet, cool cucumbers calm down the palate after a few hot bites of Old Bay!
• Carrot Salad.  Load this healthy choice with raisins, cranberries and even cherries!
• Tartar Dipping Sauce.  Mix mayonnaise, pickles, capers and lemon juice for a smooth dip for your salty-sweet crabs.
• Remoulade Dipping Sauce.  Celebrate your crab feast with a French-style tartar.  Anchovies and horseradish add a bit of sophistication to your feast.

Before your crowd tears into the delicious food spread, take a picture!  Feast your eyes on perfectly spiced and heavy blue crabs delivered right to your kitchen from Chesapeake Crab!  Appreciate your filled bowls of your choice sides that give a variety to your meal.  Don’t forget the crab paper, mallets and seafood forks to pick mounds of tender salty sweet lump meat from the crabs! It all comes down to your crab feast chant, “Eat more crabs!”

Crab Picking Tips

• Cover the picnic table with crab paper and plenty of paper towels.  Give your hungry crew a mallet, claw cracker and seafood fork.  Don’t forget the ramekins filled with hot butter and a refreshing beverage.
• Grab your first crab and snap off all the legs.  Save the claws for cracking and the smaller legs if you pride yourself in picking every last morsel.  (We don’t blame you!) Pull up on the apron.  This creates a hole at the top shell. Pry off the top shell and break the crab in half.  Scrape away the gills. Pull large jumbo meat from the back-swimming legs and find lump along the two large crab halves.  Savor a freshly caught and steamed blue crab from USA waters!

See our tremendous catches here.