Category: Recipe

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Recipe: Maryland Style Steamed Shrimp

Do-It-Yourself has never tasted so good as with this quick and easy recipe for steaming shrimp – in the Maryland “style” of course – often called “Old Bay Shrimp.” Here’s what it takes…

Ingredients:

SouthBmore Shrimp on a Plate
Steamed Shrimp Ready to Serve
  • 1 pound raw shrimp (the shell can be on or off)
  • ½ cup water
  • ½ cup beer (Don’t use an expensive brand. A simple Budweiser will do.)
  • 3 tablespoons Old Bay Seasoning

Directions:

  1. Combine water, beer, and Old Bay Seasoning in a large pot and bring it to a boil.
  2. Place a steaming rack in the pot over the water and add the Shrimp. If you would like your shrimp to be a bit spicier you will want alternate layers of shrimp and sprinkling Old Bay Seasoning to taste.
  3. Cover and steam for 2 to 3 minutes until they are done. You will know they are done when they have turned pink.

Variations:

  • You may wish to use ½ cup of water instead of beer.
  • Some people like to add a couple of celery stalks chopped into large pieces to the pot. If you choose to do this, add the celery when you add the water, beer, and Old Bay Seasoning.
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Recipe: Steamed Maryland Blue Carbs

Do-It-Yourself has never tasted so good as with this easy recipe for steamed crabs. So, you want to know how to cook crabs? Here’s what it takes…

Ingredients:

Steamed Crabs with Old Bay Seasoning
  • 1 dozen Maryland Blue Crabs
  • 1 cup beer (Don’t use an expensive brand. A simple Budweiser will do.)
  • 1 cup white vinegar
  • 1/4 cups Old Bay Seasoning (or more if you like them spicy!)
  • MORE Old Bay Seasoning!

Directions:

  1. In a large pot, stir together the beer, white vinegar, and Old Bay seasoning.
  2. Place a steaming rack in the pot making sure that the steaming rack is above the liquid.
  3. Bring the liquid to a boil then place Maryland Blue Crabs in the pot on the steaming rack.
  4. Sprinkle your desired amount of Old Bay on top of the Maryland Blue Crabs.
  5. Cover and steam until they are done, approximately 20 minutes (for large crabs). You will be able to tell if they are done because they will be bright orange in color instead of blue/green.

Variations:

  • You may wish to use 1 cup of water in place of the cup of beer. However, true Marylanders use the beer.

Tips:

  • The best way to eat Maryland Steamed Blue Crabs in to expect to get messy! Lay down some newspaper or brown craft paper, get out some knives and mallets (used in helping to open the crabs and to get the meat out, and enjoy!
  • Wait until the crabs have just started to cool down to a comfortable temperature for touching them and that is the time when you will have your best shot at pulling big chunks of crab meat out when you pull the legs off.
  • You may choose to serve Maryland Crabs with little cups of melted butter or extra Old Bay Seasoning for dipping.
  • Marylanders love to have their steamed crabs with fried chicken and corn on the cob on the side.
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Recipe: Maryland Cream of Crab Soup

Do-It-Yourself has never tasted so good as with this “favorite” creamy and smooth Maryland cream of crab soup.

This is not your “regular” Maryland crab soup (which is vegetable based and also delicious) – this is creamy and smooth – Maryland cream of crab soup. So, you want to make up a pot for weekend guests or just for your family? Here’s what it takes…

Cream of Crab Soup

Ingredients:

  • 1 quart half and half
  • 1 pint milk
  • 2 pints heavy whipping cream
  • 1 pound Maryland jumbo lump crab meat
  • 1 tablespoon fresh parsley
  • 3 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning
  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon pepper
  • cornstarch

Directions:

  1. Bring the milk, half and half, and heavy whipping cream to a boil.
  2. Add the crab meat, fresh parsley, Old Bay seasoning, butter, salt, and pepper. If you like spice, you may choose to taste the soup at this point to see if you need to add more Old Bay seasoning.
  3. When the Cream of Crab Soup starts to boil, make a paste of cornstarch and water and gradually add the cornstarch mixture to the soup until it is your desired level of thickness.
  4. Serve in a bowl, or even better, a bread bowl and sprinkle a pinch of old bay on top of the soup and add a sprig of fresh parsley to garnish.

Fun facts about this recipe:

  • Maryland style crabs are blue crabs, the kind of crab that is found in great quantities in the Chesapeake Bay which is in Maryland and Virginia. The Old Bay seasoning is one other factor that makes this Cream of Crab soup a Maryland Cream of Crab Soup. Old Bay seasoning is a very popular seafood seasoning that was developed by McCormick & Company which is based out of the Baltimore, Maryland area.

Tips:

Buy:

  • Don’t always have time to make your own?
  • Pick up some already made Maryland Cream of Crab Soup from your local market or even from Amazon.