Blue crabs in the North Carolina coastal waters are so plentiful they can come by the bushel. Yes, even you can catch them by yourself at nearly any access point to saltwater. Bring along a friend or two and see how many you can gather for a tasty dinner feast. But of course, make sure you’re abiding by the local laws. Or, just stop at the local seafood market. If you are looking for ways to cook blue crab, there are quite a few choices.

How Many Blue Crabs Feed One Person?

To determine how many crab’s you need per person, how much meat does one crab yield:
Each blue crab yields about 2 ounces of meat. 

On average, it takes six blue crabs per person for a meal.

What Parts Of The Blue Crab Are Edible?

When it comes to how to cook live blue crab it is essential to know what parts of the blue crab are edible.
The claws- which have sweet and juicy meat.
The legs- as you pull off each leg one at a time, the meat will often be found where the legs detached from the body.
The backfin- backfin meat is found within the body of the crab. Break the crab in half and pull the meat from the inside back section of the crab.
The mustard- It’s colored greenish-yellow and is soft and mushy. This is the digestive portion of the crab, which is found under the shell when peeled away. While it is edible, the texture and color may be enough to simply decide to rinse it away. 

4 Ways To Cook Blue Crabs In North Carolina

Let’s move into the four methods of how to cook blue crab.
One tip when it comes to ways to cook blue crab:
When you’re dealing with a live crab, they can move quickly and inflict a painful pinch. Placing the live blue crabs in a bucket of ice water before cooking them will help mellow them out for handling. This is an important step when it comes to how to prepare blue crab.

Method 1: Boiling

How to boil North Carolina blue crabs:
Use a large pot filled with water and bring it to a boil.
Some feel that beer provides added flavor. Pour in some beer if you like the taste.
Season the boiling pot with Old Bay or any other seasoning that you prefer.
Carefully add the crab to the pot in a short period, so they all cook evenly. 
Cook the crabs until they float to the surface or about 10 minutes.
Remove the crabs while avoiding burning yourself.
You’re ready to serve up your guests.

Method 2: Steaming Blue Crab

Directions for steaming blue crabs:
Gather a pot that is fitted for a steamer basket and lid.
Fill the pot with only an inch of water and or a water beer combination and bring it to a boil.
Add your favorite seasonings to the pot, and keep some on the side to sprinkle on top.
Carefully place the crabs in the steamer basket and the remaining seasoning and cover.
Steam them off for about ten minutes.
Carefully remove the crabs; steam burns are extremely painful this is important to avoid when cooking blue crab.
It’s time to dig in.

Method 3: Roasting

How to oven roast North Carolina Blue Crabs:
When blue crab cooking heat up the oven to 400 degrees.
While the oven is heating, boil, or steam the crabs for just a couple of minutes.
Once they are boiled, take off the shell and remove the lungs and mustard in the center part of the crab’s body.
Mix the cleaned crabs in butter that has been melted.
Coat them in your favorite seasoning.
Place them on a baking sheet pan in a single layer.
Cook them for about ten minutes.
Taste the sweet combination of the flavors.

Method 4: Grilling

Another popular option when it comes to ways to cook blue crab are grilled North Carolina blue crabs:
Fire up the grill and let it heat up.
Like cooking them in the oven, partially pre-cook the crabs in a steamer pot of boiling water for just a few minutes.
Clean out the byproduct in the crab before slapping them on the grill.
Mix up the blue crabs in melted butter or oil and your favorite seasonings. 
Place them on the grill and flip them after four minutes. Eight minutes of total cooking time should do.
Enjoy the smokey rich flavor.

Best Way To Cook Blue Crab: Pick From Any Of The Four

These are just a few of the ways to indulge in the crustaceans of the local waters. The process is simple and the results are amazing. Mix and match a few of the methods in one sitting and ask around what everyone prefers. Not long after you’ll be planning a repeat get together.