The Maryland Crab Feast is a time-honored, quintessential dining experience for any occasion, especially when on a getaway to the Eastern Shore, where the crabs are locally caught and the side dish ingredients are fresh from the farm! To help make your crab feast a success with your guests, here is a recipe for a memorable, and tasty, feast.
The Essential Ingredient
Maryland caught Blue Crabs are usually boiled with Old Bay seasoning and/or beer. Generally, three crabs per person will satisfy. But if you have a particularly hungry crowd, count on four to five per person!
If you’re so inclined, you can steam the crabs yourself OR you can source your steamed crabs from these Talbot County Seafood Markets.
Don’t want to do the picking? Check out this crab cake recipe!
Prefer not to cook at all? Bring your crew to one of these restaurants for steamed crabs. Or, if crabs aren’t your thing, reserve a table at one of the many eateries in Talbot County.
The Must Have Sides!
Corn on the Cob – Fresh from the field corn on the cob is a must have for the Maryland Crab Feast. Whether you eat it plain for slathered in butter, be sure to liberally sprinkle the Old Bay on the kernels!
Optional, but Traditional Choices:
Cucumber salad – Fresh cucumbers, vine-ripened tomatoes, and thinly sliced red onions are the heart of this dish. Add any dressing you like but olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and salt and pepper make this dish light and tasty.
Coleslaw – Yes, cabbage is good for you. But when mixed with mayonnaise, carrots, and a dash of sugar, it becomes a cool side dish on a warm day.
Potato salad – Farm-fresh red potatoes make the best potato salad! Just add your favorite vegetables and stir up with mayonnaise or serve warm with a little butter and parsley.
Watermelon – A summer classic, thirst quenching dessert, you can cut it up and mix with other fruit or eat it straight off the rind.
To purchase the farm fresh veggies you’ll need for your sides, visit the Easton Farmers Market and/or St. Michaels Farmers Market, or any of the numerous farm stands along route 50 and throughout the county.
Supplies for the Feast
You will need plenty of roller paper or newspaper on the table to pour the crabs onto, paper towels, and tools – crackers, mallets, and picks – so that you can get every bit of the crab.
Enjoy your Maryland Crab Feast!
