Joe's Crab ShackŪ BBQ Crab
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Joe's Crab ShackŪ BBQ Crab
by Todd Wilbur
The waitress said that I'd be tempted to lick the shells clean from my order of "BBQ Style" Dungeness crab at Joe's Crab Shack. She was right. Even though it's called "BBQ" on the menu, there's no grilling involved here. Instead, a
super flavorful seasoning paste is brushed on steamed crab of your choice just before it's served to your table. With that bit of knowledge under my belt, the only thing I had to figure out was how to clone that seasoning. When I analyzed a sample of the dark red paste I first noticed the distinctive flavor of Old Bay. That's a good start. After adding a lot of salt to the blend along with paprika for color J was definitely heading in the right direction. But the taste was missing something until I invited a little MSG to the dance. (You'll find it in the spice aisle of your supermarket under the brand-name Accent.)
After just a bit of sugar and a touch of cayenne pepper for extra zing, I had a dry rub that was a dead ringer for the original blend. Now it was just a matter of adding some vegetable oil to the seasoning to create a paste that could be brushed on Dungeness crab, snow crab, or king crab legs after the crab is fully steamed. Next time you have a crab cookout, give this one a try and you'll serve up crab that's "shell lickin' good."
INGREDIENTS:
5 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon MSG
1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
INSTRUCTION:
1. Stir together all dry ingredients in a small bowl.
2. Add oil and stir well.
3. Brush generously on steamed crab just before serving.
Makes enough for at least 8 servings.
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