Here in Maryland one of our favorite pastimes is picking crabs. Everyone seems to have their own technique for eating crabs and always swears it's the best way. JCW and I have totally different methods. He pulls off all of the legs at the beginning and I leave them on until the very end. We recently headed to
Dockside for some picking.
Maryland crabs are covered in
Old Bay seasoning. Old Bay has been around for over 70 years and is often used on seafood, corn, fries, chips and eggs...just to name a few.
JCW & EAS
Onion rings are a great side dish when eating crabs because as delicious as crabs are they aren't very filling.
Another favorite side are hush puppies and fritters.
If you have never picked crabs you know it can be a little dangerous because the moment a shell cuts your hand you are immediately altered when the Old Bay gets in the cut and starts to burn...it's a small price to pay to take part in such a tasty exercise.
Maryland is definitely known for their crabs and Marylanders are accustom to paying fine dining prices to sit at a picnic table, get there finger nails dirty and risk personal injury to pick crabs. As easy as it is to buy a container of jumbo lump crab meat and eat it with a fork it will never come close to picking your own crabs.
We had wonderful crabs at
Dockside and it's a lovely atmosphere...crab houses aren't often known for their ambiance. You have the option of sitting outdoors or inside in the AC. I even managed to find a little shopping hon!
Do you enjoy Old Bay and picking crabs?
31 comments:
I'm SOOOO jealous.
Hopefully we get back up there one more time before crab season ends!
Great eatery! Always voracious at the thought such a feast. The shades and dress and are a perfect complimentary to your surroundings!
Love the Canton Dockside, too. I must confess that I have never been inside since it's so great outside. Have you been to On the Bay in OC? If the temps less than 100 next week, will give them a try.
Coming here is hazardous to my health!~ I always leave wanting to eat good food....yum yum yum. Is there anything better than crabs with old bay? NO!~
I love crabs! I do get lazy though and let someone else do most of the picking so then I can mooch off them!
I'm impressed with how clean you and JCW are. Though I am a very meticulous crab picker, I tend to get pretty messy. I find that the two most important tools in crab picking are a good crab knife (JMOC got me a monogrammed one for Christmas years ago) and a straw for your beer.
Haven't been to Dockside. May have to check it out. We tend to carry out and pick them on the patio. Have you guys tried Gibby's or Captain Trey's on York Road?
Yummy! I love crabs but need more patience!! I love Old Bay on french fries. Heaven.
Mmm Yum! We've had some great ones recently at Ocean Pride and Mr Bills. Have you been to those two places? Reminds me to get out my crab mallets and knives my sister got me for my wedding…I love my nice silver ones!
I am with JCW. Off with the legs! I don't even bother to pick the claws. Usually give them to my nephew.
This post made me long for the beach - love Old Bay and crab legs - yum! Those T-shirts are great, too. :) And, in your last post, I had not heard of Tkees, but will have to try a pair out. They look comfy.
Hush puppies with crabs are a must. I could eat two dozen crabs and still be hungry. :-)
I agree with Laur about Ocean Pride- we were there last month and had a yummy lunch.
Love the picture of you holding the crab. My husband took a very similar one of me last year. :-)
http://www.pinkandgreenpup.com/2010/06/checking-off-to-do-list.html
Delicious! I love picking grabs and I put old bay on pretty much everything. I need to get back to MD soon!
~KAH
http://cocktailsandfriendship.blogspot.com/
Got this from a friend in MD -
MD Crab Cakes
2 lbs Crab Meat
1 Pkg Saltine Crackers – crumbled
2 Tsp Old Bay Seasoning
2 Tsp Salt
½ Tsp Ground Black Pepper
1 Tsp Celery Seed
½ Cup of Mayonnaise
¼ Cup Mustard
½ Tsp Worcestershire sauce
4 eggs beaten
Add and mix all of the ingredients in the order listed. Try not to handle the crab meat too much.
After you form a crab patty, place it between a sheet of waxed paper and continue in this fashion until you’ve used up the mixture. Place the formed patties in the refrigerator for an hour.
Put three tablespoons of butter in a heavy skillet and brown the crab cakes on each side. Don’t over cook them, just brown them.
2 lbs of crab meat should yield 12-16 crab cakes.
yummy!!
Lilac and Grey
Crabs are good eaten in Baltimore...hun! :0)
Those are some pretty fancy duds for crab pickin' missy. I'm usually the girl you encounter in the ladies room once your done, hogging the sink with soap up to my elbows, enough papertowel to warrant an environmental scolding, and whipping out the dental floss for I am meeessyyy. I wear things that can tolerate a good Hazmating. Annnd my pickin' style; legs off first (put in the communal pile divyed up by my sister for eating and my mother for next day Maryland crab soup making), all the yummy "mustard" I can scrape outta the corners of mine and anyone elses shell, NO vinegar and I prefer J.O. #2 seasoning to Old Bay. Got some Chester River jumbos, to be served just so, on deck for a Saturday night celebration...XXOO
I love crabs!! I wish I lived closer to the water so I could eat them fresh more often. I may love Old Bay seasoning even more hahaha. I seriously put it on everything. Old Bay Chips = amazing
I'm going to say that I'm probably the only Maryland born girl who doesn't pick crabs! We have crab lines in our creek and I watch this guy out there everyday in all kinds of weather working to get those crab to sell to market - it's a lot of work and can understand why the price of crabmeat is so high ... so in saying that ... Give me a crabcake and I'm one happy camper ... and by the way - don't eat oysters either!
Katie from
www.westiejulep.blogspot.com
YUM! Love crabs & Old Bay!
This post just made me miss home even more! Some people don't understand the "eating crabs" lifestyle, but I'm glad that you do. I've always said that you don't know me until you've seen me eat crabs, haha. It's pretty serious. I just get in the zone. Mmmm hush puppies!! :)
That looks like so much fun!
We eat crabs in St. Michaels and at Sambo's in Smyrna,DE....MD crabs get Old Bay...the Delaware Bay Crabs at Sambo's are cooked with Sea Salt...bith delicious...and you forgot to emphasize the pitchers of ice cold beer that must be present when picking crabs!
Delish! You are making me hun-gry! I love seafood and it is fabulous where we live on the coast, but I think I may need to experience these Maryland crabs! ;)
I like to save my claws and then dip them all in butter. I normally don’t get very messy eating crabs...the key is to wait until the seasoning drys and then brush it off. I have been to Gibby's, Captain Trey's, and Ocean Pride. I have yet to try Mr. Bills or On the Bay. Silk Regimental, thanks for the crab cake recipe...it sounds delicious! I think they sell OJ seasoning at Bass Pro. What’s the difference between OJ and Old Bay? There’s plenty of time to get picking this summer...enjoy! xx
eating crabs is an all evening affair for me....takes me FOREVER to crack them
Hi Erin - I think the crabs are out-shined by your Tunic - LOVE it! ;o)
Happy Thursday---
Linda
I have actually never picked crabs...but I LOVE Old Bay seasoning! Your pictures are making me hungry!
Yum! I love Old Bay and I love crabs! Looks like fun :)
xoxo.
My very favorite thing to do in MD!
just yum!!
nothing says summer like a day at the beach eating tasty seafood
I LOOOOVE me some crabs, though I am horrible at picking them! I prefer JCW's method of pulling the legs off first. One of our favorite seafood restaurants, Skiligallee has a crab sautee which is delicious---it is basically crab pre-picked and soaked in butter for you, hehe!
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