INGREDIENTS

INSTRUCTIONS

Note: You can use bricks wrapped in cloth to raise your rack about six
inches off the bottom. It's best to keep the crabs on ice. If you are
unable to do so, make certain to wet them before you season them. The
water helps the seasoning adhere to the crab's shell. PREPARING THE
POT: Begin by placing the rack in the bottom of the pot, raising it
with the bricks, if necessary. It is important that the crabs not get
wet while they're being steamed. Add about six cups of water (enough
to reach halfway to the rack or bricks), so the water can boil  without
submerging the crabs, and 1 tablespoon of vinegar. Vinegar  adds some
zing to the crabs, and also keeps them from tasting too  fishy. Next,
pour in eight ounces of beer. STEAMING THE CRABS: Make a  layer of
crabs, and cover the crabs with one-eighth to three-quarters  of an
inch of of crab seasoning. Rob recommends using as much  seasoning as
your taste buds can handle. Keep the lid off the pot  until the steam
starts to rise through the crabs. Then cover, and  steam for thirty to
forty minutes, or until the crabs are bright red.  Remove them with
tongs or rubber gloves. According to Rob, using  rubber gloves makes
handling easier, preventing you from burning your  hands -- or
inadvertently dropping any crabs. "PICKING" THE CRABS:  Let the crabs
cool slightly before you handle them. Dump them onto  sheets of brown
kraft paper or newspaper. You'll need small wooden  mallets and paring
knives for this -- and your bare hands! Break off  the pincer claws and
legs, and set them aside. Place the crab on its  back, and insert the
tip of your knife into the "apron," the flap on  the underside of the
shell. Pull it up and back to pry off the shell.  Next, pull out the
gills and the "dead man' fingers," the spongey  matter surrounding the
gills. Fold the shell inward, and crack it in  half. Cracking it
inward, rather than outward, makes removing the  meat easier. After
pulling out the white top meat with your fingers,  pull back on the
back fin (it looks like a lump) near the back of the  shell. This meat
is particularly delicious. Save the claws for last.  Insert a paring
knife about a third of the way into the soft-ish  white joint, then
twist to separate the claws into two pieces. Use a  wooden mallet to
crack the shells. Serves 6.  Cuisine: "Mexican" Source: "Martha Stewart
Living -  (www.marthastewart.com)" S(Formatted for MC5): "by Lynn
Thomas -  Lynn_Thomas@prodigy.net"  Per serving: 24 Calories (kcal); 0g
Total Fat; (0% calories from fat);  trace Protein; 2g Carbohydrate; 0mg
Cholesterol; 3mg Sodium Food  Exchanges: 0 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat;
0 Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 0 Fat;  0 Other Carbohydrates  Recipe by: Recipe
from Rob Cernak  Converted by MM_Buster v2.0n.

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Nutrition (calculated from recipe ingredients)
----------------------------------------------
Calories: 45
Calories From Fat: 4
Total Fat: <1g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Sodium: 24.6mg
Potassium: 22.3mg
Carbohydrates: 5.7g
Fiber: <1g
Sugar: 1.5g
Protein: <1g