Sometimes Plan B turns out better.  We made a run to the surf at Freeport to pick up a whiting for a photo.  Guys had been hammering them in the surf all week and all we needed was one.  Yeah, should have been there yesterday.  The weatherman blew the call, again, and sparing the details it was a water haul.  However, when we were getting live shrimp I noticed that the bait stand had many feisty jumbo blue crabs begging to go home with us.  On the return home a dozen or so jumped into the back of the truck and disappointment was dashed by anticipation.  The crab/shrimp/crawfish/lobster boil thing is pretty much all the same.  There are plenty of variations on the theme and a few tricks but by and large it’s a no brainer.  Fill a pot bigger than you think you’ll need 2 thirds full of water and add your boiling spice of choice plus a few halved lemons and limes.  Bring to a boil and dump in the red potatoes (or fingerlings but not russetts) let them go for about 5 minutes at a rolling boil then in with the corn (note to self, use frozen corn until local is available) and give that about 5 more minutes.  If you are only doing shrimp and sausage put the sausage in with the corn and at the 5 minute mark cut off the heat and add the shrimp.  Test after 3 minutes for doneness, I’m sure they will be good to go.  If you’re doing a combo boil like we did it is a bit more involved.  Add the crabs after the corn has been in for 5 minutes and go for 5 minutes more, add the sausage with the crab.  If shrimp are joining the party, after the crabs have been in for 5 chunk in the shrimp and cut off the fire.  Use the same 3 minute check as above.  You now have a culinary dilemma, should you go with full spiciness and overcooked seafood or use the external coat of spice and retain optimum seafood texture, or go full I-10 Cajun tourist crazy and max out both internal and external spiciness and not care about rubber seafood?  Although I did not do it this time, my preference is optimum seafood texture and add spice as needed.  This time I tried something popular with the guys on 2Cool, boil then wet steep then dry steep.  It maxxed out the spiciness but rubberized the shrimp and toughened the crab past what I like.  It would work for crabs and crawfish with better timing but I’ll never do it to poor little shrimp again.  The added dry steep is simple, just drain and dump the boil into an ice chest and sprinkle some reserved boiling spice over the top, mix, close the lid and come back after however many beers last 10 minutes.

Pour the boil onto a table, cleanliness is optional, and go for it.  You’ll need plenty of paper towels and unless you wimped on the spice, plenty of cold beverages.  After you’ve stuffed yourself or spiced your palate beyond function, the second phase begins.  Processing all the remaining seafood for future and perhaps even more satisfying use.  During this phase you are permitted to continue imbibing and nibbling but your dedication should lean heavily toward filling zip bags.  Here was a shot of my favorite crab picking professional.  She obviously has some Cajun lineage!