Ingredients Seafood Shellfish Crab We're Sharing the Simple Secret to Steaming Dungeness Crab 5.0 (1) 1 Review Light and flaky fresh-picked steamed crab paired with a rich, zippy butter dip is all you need for your next simple and delicious meal. By Ali Ramee Ali Ramee Ali Ramee is a recipe developer and food stylist for Dotdash Meredith. A College of Charleston graduate with a communications major, Ali began her culinary career in the kitchens of chef Hugh Acheson in her hometown of Savannah, Georgia. After an internship with America's Test Kitchen in Boston, Ali moved to San Francisco to continue her culinary education in some of the top tier restaurants in the city, like Flour & Water and Petit Crenn. Ali began working as a food stylist and recipe developer for the meal kit company Sun Basket before making the move to Dotdash Meredith Food Studios. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Published on December 18, 2023 Tested by Tricia Manzanero Stuedeman Tested by Tricia Manzanero Stuedeman Tricia is a recipe developer and tester for Dotdash Meredith with a focus on baking and pastry as well as a passion for all things food-related. She has developed over 1,200 recipes, which have appeared both in magazines, online, and in cookbooks alike. She is a former Baking and Pastry Editor with experience in food styling, video production, and crafting culinary curriculum for more than a dozen culinary and lifestyle brands. Meet the Food & Wine Test Kitchen Rate PRINT Share Trending Videos Photo: Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Christine Keely Active Time: 50 mins Total Time: 1 hr 15 mins Yield: 8 servings The secret to flawless steamed Dungeness crab starts with the quality. Fresh Dungeness crab is an ingredient that needs little more than a silky butter sauce to make a simple, indulgent, memorable meal. Frequently asked questions What is Dungeness crab? Dungeness are cold-water crabs, 7 to 9 inches in width, and 1 1/2 to 2 pounds in weight, found off the coasts of Northern California, Oregon, Washington, and Alaska. They’re prized for their flaky, sweet, juicy meat. Historically, Dungeness crab season started at the beginning of November and lasted through June. In recent years, environmental stressors and the conservation policies to address them have led to a delayed start and early end to the season. The 2023 season is expected to start in mid-December. The Complete Guide to Dungeness Crab How long do you steam Dungeness crab? Using steamer baskets and covered pots, you'll steam crabs until the shells turn bright orange, 18 to 20 minutes, before plunging in an ice bath for 10 minutes. Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen Use leftover picked crabmeat for crab cakes, crab melts, or a creamy crab bisque. You can also use leftover lemon-garlic butter with roasted potatoes, pasta, or as a savory drizzle over toasted bread. Suggested pairing Lemony, fairly rich Sauvignon Blanc, such as Merry Edwards Russian River Valley. Ingredients 8 (1 1/2-pound) live Dungeness crabs 1 cup unsalted butter 2 tablespoons grated garlic (from 6 large cloves) 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest plus 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice (from 2 large lemons) 3 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (from 1 small bunch) Lemon wedges, for serving Directions Divide two steamer baskets between two large pots. (If using only one pot and one steamer basket, work in two batches, breaking down the first batch of crabs while the second batch cooks.) Fill pots with water until water line is just below bottom of each steamer basket, about 1 to 2 inches deep. Bring water to a boil over high. Divide crabs evenly between steamer baskets. Cover pots, and steam crabs until shells turn bright orange, 18 to 20 minutes. Meanwhile, fill two large bowls with ice and water. Remove steamed crabs from pots, and plunge into ice bath; let stand 10 minutes. Remove crabs from ice bath. Remove crabmeat and tomalley from shells; transfer crabmeat to a bowl, and discard tomalley. Discard crab shells. Combine butter, garlic, and salt in a small saucepan over medium-high; cook, stirring occasionally, until butter is melted and foaming, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in lemon zest, lemon juice, and parsley. Serve crabmeat immediately with lemon-garlic butter and lemon wedges. Originally appeared in Food & Wine magazine, December 2023 / January 2024 Rate It Print