Crab/Shrimp Boil...As Promised by Kel de Texas
Must make some things completely clear from the beginning:
(1) When it comes to Southern Cooking, Soul Food and Country Cooking are synonymous. This fact may not be clear to those of you born and raised north of the Mason-Dixon line. Crab Boils, Shrimp Boils, Crawfish Boils, etc. have been favorites along the Southern coasts for years. Those critters don't know the ehnicity of the boilers.
(2) When I say "Shrimp/Crab Boil", I really mean Shrimp/Crableg boil, utilizing the long legs of crabs not really found in the South. The succulent meat of the indigenous blue crab, especially the backfin portion, is much too fine to be wasted in this simple recipe. They deserve their own entree or crab salad.
(3) In preparing this meal, as with most things in life, timing is most important. In fact, I have a friend who for years has had the vanity car tag "TYMING", as well as the e-mail address tyming@... to emphasise this important point. Different ingredients require different cooking times. Put all the the ingredients in the pot at one time and risk some items being under cooked (the potatoes) while others (especially the shrimp) are tough as shoe leather.
So let's begin:
For you who insist on adulterating this dish with Kilbasa Sausage, I have included the instructions for this, although I do not recommend its inclusion.
Ingred
ients: 1 bag of Zatarain's Crawfish, Shrimp & Crab Boil (Old Bay Seasoning for Seafood is a suitable substitute) ; Salt per box instructions; Kilbasa Sausage, one-two links / person (optional); Corn on the cob (1/2 to 1 ear /person); Shrimp (1/2 lb. per person) - even when we are at the beach we purchase the E-Z peel frozen Shrimp - 21 to 30 count per lb. - makes life much simpler; Crab legs (1 cluster / person); New potatoes [Oh where is Dan Quayle when I really need him?] (4 - 5 / person). Of course, you may increase amounts if you are feeding a bunch of gluttons; Large pot with 1 to 1 & 1/2 qt. water.
Add seasoning to water. Bring to a rolling boil. Salt per box instructions.
Time: 0:00 - W/ Kilbasa add them................W/O Kilbasa
0:10 - Add New Potatoes and gently boil....................0:00
0:30 - Add Crab Legs.....................................................0:20
0:42 - Add Corn on the Cob..........................................0:32
0:47 - Add Shrimp..........................................................0:37
0:50 - Remove from Heat/Steep..................................0:40
0:55 - Serve Hot.............................................................0:45
Be sure to have Texas Pete or generic hot sauce available for patrons.
Need lots of napkins, or better yet, rolls of paper towels.
Serve with cole slaw, cornbread (preferably fried Hushpuppies) & Sweet Iced Tea.
Dessert: Banna Pudding
It may not be Epicurean, but it sure is good.
posted by the doc at 4:17 PM
15 Comments:
Reminds me of hot summers on the Outer Banks.... in the one butt kitchen ;)
Howdy, from a Kel de Texas friend - Sounds yum!!!!!
Thanks, I don't eat shellfish, but someone threw a ham at me, so I'm here.
Doc,
We used to have crawfish/shrimp boils all the time. My New Orleans friends would take over and the food was delicious. Only problem is when it comes to shellfish I'm pretty lazy and just want to eat the meat, so, I would just eat the shrimp. Don't get me wrong I love crawfish as long as it is in a dish.
If he prefers the meat without the work, DCMASSOLE would do better at a pig-picking, if he isn't Jewish.
Questions about a Southern pig-picking?...Talk to The Doc.
I'm with DCMASSHOLE. I *love* crawfish, but it's so much work.
And Doc, thanks so much for the recipe. Putting it in my recipe book for when I'm missing New Orleans...
It is one of the best..those of you lucky enough to have the pulled pork sandwhiches at the UT Kick off party should know that was from The Doc.
Doc,
My religion does not have dietary restraints except on Fridays during Lent and matter of fake I love BBQ. My southern friends during the summer get the smokers out and make their own sauces and rubs. It is a carnivore friendly place with beer can chicken, smoke venison, pulled pork started the day before, brisket, rabbit, and sometimes alligator if someone just came up from the swamps all being prepared. It always good to have a National BBQ judge next door helping out.
Kel, I agree with you about the UT tail gating games. The drinking, conversation, and food are great. One problem is the porto-potties run out of toliet paper very early on. Thank God for the woman with the baby wipes.
DCMASSHOLE,
Sounds like my kind of eating. Maybe I can join you someday.
Nothing like inviting oneself to a gathering involving food.
Eastern North Carolina Bar-B-Q is the best. I will have to bring some to see what the judge says. Although, I was impressed with the brisket in Austin.
A meal without meat is like a...I don't know what it is like...But it isn't good.
Although, I'm from Mass not know for BBQ, I did go to school in Texas and very partial to its BBQ. I think I like Texas BBQ because I love beef.
I have to comment, eastern carolina BBQ is the bomb diggity, and the best if you are going to go the pulled pork route. Got to throw some Brunswick Stew up in the mix also, and some sweet tea.
Doc, you austentatiously just put "banana pudding" and thats it. There are sooooooo many kinds of banana pudding, some are excellent, some taste like it came out of a vending machine. You must specify that its banana pudding with Vanilla Wafers and homemade gelatin with maraigne topping, baked in the oven for 10 minutes, to lightly crisp the maraigne to a nice brown. It is soooooooo important!!!
Yeah I am from the south and Massacheusetts has nothing on it.
You're so right, Jason M. Personally, I have never had any banana pudding except the kind you described...the kind you get at covered dish suppers at the church. Stupid me...I thought when I said banana pudding, everyone would immediately know what I was talking about. But, we were not all lucky enough to have been brought up on such desserts, complete with "Niller Wafers".
I am not Jason M., but it ok, you don't have to post this :-)
Sorry about that Jason (NOT Jason M). Your message was right on. How do you stand it existing on the British dietary offerings. I worked there for three months after college, and I never got used to the food there. Breakfast was OK, but the bacon was always undercooked,limp, and greasy. That "High Tea" in the afternoons was for the birds. And boiled meat? Bet you need a Care Package.
ptwannabe...agreeing with Jason M...reminds me of the Outer Banks in the one butt kitchen...hahaha. Oh, Jason, you make me laugh...I prefer it without the sausage....I do not really like seafood tasting like sausage, potatoes tasting like sausage, etc. Top it off with a bottle of Texas Pete and it is all over. Oh, and wash it all down with SWEET TEA.
The banana puddin' does remind me of eating after church...but not the cover dish meals...those remind me broccoli casserole topped with Cheese Nips...I don't know who made it, but I loved it....I think Jason and I were the only kids that ate it in the whole church...plates of it.
The nanner puddin' reminds me of eating at the hospital...I used to love that....and the whole town ate there after church, it seems so odd to me now. Don't get me wrong, dad, I loved it as a kid...but, if you asked me to go eat at the hospital cafeteria now, I would think you were kidding. And it is actually kind of gross...germs and all....but their fried chicken ROCKED...and Jason and I loved that salad bar. And don't forget the nanner puddin' or cherry jell-o parfeits. Our whole town would eat there....why? Did you have rounds to do or something...I don't even remember eating with you and mom...just at the kiddie table in a dress, right after church. I loved it...the mashed potatoes...picking out just what I wanted to eat....the ladies that served the food. I felt like a celebrity...as your daughter...like they were all supposed to know me....and let me eat anything I wanted...JELLO.
Funny, when I was lying in that very hospial, dying from MONO, I do not think I hated anything more than the sight of the cherry jello...and chicken broth. I hated it...no wonder I lost so much weight. (Emily)
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