Use dry grass or tissues to start the fire.
Cooking crab on a beach fire is an ideal way to finish off a successful camping and fishing trip. You can embrace the great outdoors by absorbing the sounds of the ocean, while cooking in a rustic style on an open fire. Crab is a nutritious and tasty meat, and boiling it up is a quick and easy way to prepare it. It is unlikely you have many condiments or vegetables at hand, so keep the recipe simple by using whatever you have available.
Instructions
1. Place three large stones in a triangle formation in the fire before you light it. These are to raise up the large pan, so the fire can heat the water from below. Make sure they are close enough to support the base of the pot.
2. Fill the large pot with fresh water - do not use seawater because it is too salty. If you are near a fresh water source like a stream or river, use that provided it is safe to drink. Balance the pot on the stones in the fire, so the water heats up.
3. Soak the crab in more freshwater while the water boils. This is to remove excess sand, salt or mud. Thoroughly clean the crabs to remove any gunk which is caught in its claws or shell. Then cut up some vegetables. Use any vegetables you have available, although onions, fresh corn and potatoes are suitable for this recipe.
4. Add any seasoning you have available to the water. Salt, pepper, garlic, chili or herbs would work well. However, since you are on a beach the supplies are probably limited. Cooking in this way is not fancy, so work with what you have got. Throw a large pinch of anything you have available into the pan for flavor.
5. Place the crab in the water when it is boiling. Uncooked crab floats, and as it cooks it will sink slightly. This will take around 15 minutes, but varies according to how much meat is in the crab and its size. Also add all the vegetables, as these will take about the same time to cook.
6. Remove the crab from the boiling water once they are cooked, or when they have sunk. Test that they are cooked by opening a claw. If the meat is firm, white and tender, then it is ready - if not return it to the water for a few more minutes.
7. Take out the vegetables from the pot after the crabs. Check that they are cooked by pricking them with a knife. The vegetables should be tender, and if you lift them with a knife, they should slip off. This is when they are cooked and ready to eat.
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