Come Get Crabs In Baltimore!
Written: May 08 '00
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Product Rating:
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Pros: many good places to choose from
Cons: maybe too many
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| MsBayLady's Full Review: Baltimore |
From May until October we eat crabs almost every single weekend. Usually we steam the crabs that we have caught in the tributaries of the Chesapeake Bay but I have a long list of favorite crab houses for when the catch wasn't so hot. I also use these places when I wish to show off to friends from out of town. They all look upon their meal, in a dumbfounded manor, because they have no clue what to do with it.
Since most people think of Blue Crabs when they think of Maryland, we have no shortage of excellent crab houses in every area of the city. I've grown up and lived in the North/Northeast area of Baltimore and Baltimore County for most of my life, so most of my favorites are in that area but there are a few that are so great, I drive across town.
Male crabs are what most people eat and most self-respecting crab houses don't even serve females. The males are usually a few more dollars a dozen but you want to get them anyway. You can tell the difference because on the bottom shell, the male has a pointy shape and the female has a round shape.
Obryckis
Obryckis has been around for over 50 years. It is located on Pratt Street in the Fells Point section of town. Fells Point is a major night-life area, so this is an excellent choice for dinner before a night on the town. Obryckis is consistently voted Best of Baltimore by Baltimore Magazine for steamed crabs. Because Obryckis will only serve Maryland crabs, they are closed during January and February. They also offer plenty of other delicious dishes made from fresh Maryland seafood. Obryckis is pricey and a dozen crabs can run $50 but they are well worth it, each and every time.
Bo Brooks
Bo Brooks is located on Belair Road in NE Baltimore. Bo Brooks has also been around for quite a long time. They used to sell their crabs out of the basement of a rowhouse across the street from their current location. When I was young, we used to have to wait in a long line that went all the way down the alley and across a side street. Bo Brooks also serves other seafood but are known for their hard shell steamed crabs. The building is very small but does have a bar. They are also one of the more expensive places for crabs but you are sure to be satisfied.
A1 Crab Haven
A1 is located on Old Eastern Avenue which is in the Essex area of Baltimore County. A1 is another place that is known by most locals for having great crabs. They also have excellent steaks and other seafood. Their crabs run around $30-$40 a dozen but are so big that you don't need many before you are stuffed.
Al's Seafood
Al's is also in Essex but is on Easter Boulevard. As soon as you walk in, you will notice a nautical theme with nets, anchors and pictures all over the place. This is my kids' favorite place to go and eat crabs. Al's also has some of the best seafood dishes in the area. I always have a tough time deciding what to choose. Al's is much more moderate in their prices but I have never left unhappy whether I ate steamed crabs or another dish.
Ocean Pride
Ocean Pride is located on York Road in the Lutherville area of Baltimore County. They have a very casual atmosphere but the food rivals that of the fancier places. Not only do they have excellent steamed crabs but they are also known for their soft-crab sandwiches and the hugest crab fluff I have ever seen. Crab fluff is along the line of a crab cake but I like it better. They also have a nice bar and a large room for parties. I've never been to a party there but my husband's bachelor party was held at Ocean Pride and from what he can remember it was quite adequate.
Carney Crab House
Carney Crab House is in the Carney section of Baltimore County on Joppa Road. This is a very casual place that is on two levels. On the main level, it is a medium scale restaurant with a bar. We always sit in the downstairs section because they have jumbo screen tvs and video games. For obvious reasons, Carney Crab House runs a very close second with my kids. They also have a very reasonably priced kids' menu with lots of choices.
The Barn
The Barn is where we always had work related parties. This place is most known as a club. They have live music Thursday through Sunday. The club part is huge and has a great stage and audio sound. My husband used to play here often on weekends. Many people don't know but if you go downstairs there is a smaller bar and restaurant. The Barn gets some of the best crabs around and they make the best drinks out of all. They are also known for their huge and delicious burgers and steaks. The Barn is located on Harford Road in Carney.
Eating Crabs
If you want to look like you know what you're doing, don't call it eating crabs. Here in Maryland we don't eat crabs, we pick them.
Picking crabs looks difficult but is easy enough that most 6 year olds can do it without a problem.
Step 1- Pick off all of the fins and claws. You do this with a twist and pull. You may get some meat on the end, just scrape it off with your teeth. If you want to, you can pull the fins apart and squeeze the meat out of them. Break the claws in half and give them a hit with your mallet on the white side. Then pull the meat out of there and eat it.
Step 2- Flip the crab over so you're looking at the bottom. There will be a narrow looking thing in the middle. This is called the apron. Pick the top out and pull it off. Then put your thumb in the space made where the bottom of the apron was and put the rest of your hand on one of the point areas of the top shell. Pull off the top shell.
Step 3- Clean the squishy things off. These are actually the lungs but most people call them devils. They get this name because you will get an awful stomach ache if you eat them. Then clean out the junk in the middle of the crab.
Step 4- Now your down to the picking and eating part. Crack what is left in half. Then take your knife and cut those two sections in half. You will find little sections that have meat in them. Pick it on out, eat it and love it. If any of your sections are empty, that is because the meat came out when you pulled off the fins.
Steaming Crabs
We generally steam our own crabs. It is actually a very easy thing to do and the difference between one recipe and another is the seasoning. Seasoning is usually a combination of peppers and spices. You can make decent crabs by buying Old Bay seasoning and following the directions on the can.
Crabs must be alive when they are steamed or you will get sick. You can tell if they are alive by looking at their mouth. If it falls open, the crab is dead and shouldn't be used.
Step 1-Put crabs in sink with ice. This isn't totally necessary but it stuns the crabs so that they don't shake all the seasoning off in the pot.
Step 2- Prepare your seasoning and put the liquid in the bottom of your steaming pot. The liquid is 1 beer and an equal amount of vinegar. Some people use water in place of beer but, trust me, it just isn't the same. Put the rack in the bottom of the steaming pot. The liquid should be just below the rack.
Step 3- Put a layer of crabs in the pot. Top with salt (either table salt or course salt). Top that with seasoning. Keep doing that until pot is full or you use all of your crabs. Put the lid on the pot and anchor it with something. We either put weights on it or bungie the lid on by hooking the cords on the handles of the pot. Steam at medium heat.
Step 4- If you can't stand the sound of crabs trying to claw their way out of the pot, Get The Heck Out Of The Kitchen for a half hour or so. Crabs are done in about 45 minutes. When you look at them, they should be a reddish orange color.
Be sure to cover your table well with newspaper. When crabs are freshly steamed they will be extremely hot and very juicy.
I hope you enjoy having crabs, I know I do!
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
MsBayLady
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Member: Jacquie
Location: Baltimore, MD
Reviews written: 98
Trusted by: 214 members
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