Hard Shell Crabs

At Roger Dize Seafood, we harvest only the freshest, liveliest male hard crabs, and female hard crabs. Enjoy the sweet, flakey meat of male Blue Crabs, and savor the sweet meat of female Blue Crabs. Get a variety of hard crabs to compare and contrast their texture and taste. Male Maryland crabs are offered in the following sizes, whether live or steamed: standard (5-5 ½ inches), large (5 ½-6 inches), and jumbo (6-6 ¾ inches). Female Maryland crabs come in a variety of sizes, whether live or steamed: small (4-5 inches), medium (5-6 inches), and large (six inches and up). Crabs are measured point to point across the widest part of their shells. Order your male and female crabs today!

If you order live crabs, please see our “Shipping Info” page. When your male crabs arrive, it’s advised to cook them as soon as possible after arrival. Don’t know how to steam crabs? Here’s how.

Prepare your large, two-part steamer pot, by adding to it enough water, vinegar, and flat beer in equal parts to cover the bottom by half an inch. Place the boiler pot on the stove or grill. Bring the liquid to a full boil. Add your hand-selected live crabs. Layer the hard-shelled crabs in the steamer pot and add seasoning to taste. Cover your steamer and place it on the boiler pot. Let the crabs steam for approximately 20 minutes, until they’re a bright red.

While they’re steaming, prepare your table. Cover it with heavy dark brown paper, or newspaper. Set out crab mallets, crab knives, plastic beer cups, paper towels, vinegar and melted butter for dipping, and extra seasoning. Dump your freshly steamed, hot crabs in the middle of the table.
To order steamed hard-shelled crabs, you can get them with no seasoning, light, medium or heavy seasoning. How do you reheat them? It’s as easy as putting them in your microwave. Just place a damp towel over your crabs to keep them moist. Cook on high for one or two minutes. Or, if you wish, warm up your male crabs in the oven at 375 degrees for ten minutes.

If you want the experience of cooking steamed crabs, then all you need to do is prepare a large, two-part steamer pot, by adding to it enough water, vinegar, and flat beer in equal parts to cover the bottom by half an inch. Place the boiler pot on the stove or grill. Bring the liquid to a full boil. Layer your crabs in the steamer pot and add seasoning to taste. Cover the steamer and place it on the boiler pot. Let them steam for five minutes.

Test the hard-shelled crab by cracking a claw. If the meat is hot, the crabs are done. If the meat is not hot, allow the crabs to steam for another five minutes, and test your crab again. Try not to steam them past ten minutes, or else the meat can become dry. There isn’t an appreciable loss of quality from reheating, but bear in mind, the crabs have already been cooked.

While your crabs are steaming, cover your table with heavy brown paper or newspaper. Set out your crab mallets crab knives, plastic beer cups, paper towels, vinegar and melted butter for dipping, and extra seasoning. Dump out the hot male and female hard-shelled crabs into the middle of your table. And then, enjoy!