Discover the Best Ways to Cook Crab and How Pier Market Does It Perfectly
- Steaming, roasting, and preparing crab cakes are among the best ways to cook crab and showcase its delicious qualities.
- Knowing how to season crab properly helps enhance its natural sweet, briny flavor without overpowering it.
- From whole steamed Dungeness crab to garlic-roasted specialties and signature crab cakes, Pier Market Seafood Restaurant serves some of the tastiest crab in San Francisco.
Tender. Sweet. Buttery.
The list describing the remarkable flavors of crab could go on and on. But if you don’t know the best ways to cook crab, you won’t get the most out of this deep-sea delicacy. From how to season crab properly to simple preparations that show off its flavor profile, here’s what you need to know about serving up this specialty at its absolute best.
Simply Steamed
The best way to cook something as naturally delicious as crab is with a super-simple preparation. Steaming a whole crab or crab legs keeps the focus on the flavors of the sea.
When it comes to how to season crab that’s going to be prepared this way, less is often more. While some might choose to subtly enhance the steaming liquid with beer, wine, lemon, or spices, cooking a crab with steam tends to be about maintaining the crustacean’s delicate flavor.
Finishing Steamed Crab
Because it’s so straightforward, steaming is one of the best ways to cook crab. However, the real magic can come in how it’s finished.
At the award-winning Pier Market, we prepare a whole Dungeness crab that is steamed and served with a true classic accompaniment: drawn butter. Warm, melted butter balances the salinity of crab, while the texture contrast of flaky crab coated in silky butter is one-of-a-kind. This is one Instagram-worthy dish that is as craveable as it is gorgeous!
A Word About Boiling
Although similar to steaming, boiling crab doesn’t give the same result. Seafood boils featuring crab are tasty and popular, but when you want the flavor of crab to take center stage, boiling isn’t the first choice for making it shine.
Roasted
Although steaming is great when you want to keep the focus on the delicate nature of this seafood treat, one of the best ways to cook crab when your goal is to turn up the flavor is by roasting it.
What Does Roasting Crab Do?
Roasting any dish involves using the surrounding hot air (which is dry, not steamy) to cook food evenly. The result is:
- Concentrated flavors
- Rich aromas
- More savoriness and warmth
Seasoning Crab That Will Be Roasted
Knowing how to season crab that’s being roasted means understanding how the process works. Because the dry heat allows butter, herbs, and seasonings to cling to the shell and seep into cracks, it’s going to coat the meat with extra flavor. For that reason, choose seasoning options that are going to enhance, rather than compete with, the crab.
Garlic for the Win
At Pier Market, we offer a whole-roasted Dungeness crab cooked with garlic. We think this is one of the very best ways to cook crab.
If you’re thinking that garlic’s pungent bite might be a turn-off, remember that roasting softens this aromatic, making it mellow and sweeter. It offers a subtle bit of contrast that still perfectly complements the crab meat.
Pro Tip
If you love the idea of sampling this tasty crab preparation but want to leave room to sample some of Pier Market’s other iconic dishes, you’re in luck! Our Starters menu features a half portion to get your meal off to a fantastic start.
A Favorite Up and Down Pier 39
Of course, we’re not the only ones who think that roasting this crustacean in garlic is one of the best ways to cook crab. At our neighboring restaurant, Crab House at Pier 39, they’ve become world-famous for what they call their Killer Crab®, featuring their secret garlic sauce. It’s a must for crab lovers visiting San Francisco.
Crab Cakes
One final preparation style that you’ll find on menus, including Pier Market’s, is using the meat to make crab cakes.
Crab Cakes 101
Although flavor profiles can vary widely, the basic components of crab cakes are:
- Picked, sometimes shredded crab meat.
- A binder that holds the cakes together without making them dense.
- Flavorings and seasonings.
- Finishing dips or sauces.
The Secret Is in the Seasoning
Knowing how to season crab correctly is key to making exceptional crab cakes. As we mentioned, you can go lots of different ways with your flavorings, from mustard-forward to Asian-inspired and even spicy Southwestern.
Pier Market’s Perfect Preparation
At Pier Market, our crab cakes are a house specialty. While we prefer to keep the details of our recipe a secret, it’s no mystery that the Cajun rémoulade we serve alongside our crab cakes is a cut above. Without a doubt, we think this is one of the best ways to cook crab.
When you dine with us, you can order our crab cakes as an appetizer or opt to make a meal of them. In that case, you’ll enjoy three cakes plus French fries and cole slaw on the side to round out this delicious entrée.
Enjoy Crab Cooked to Perfection at Pier Market
Now that we’ve tempted your taste buds with all this talk about the best ways to cook crab, it’s time to make your plans to sample some. We can’t wait for you to stop by Pier Market today to try our outstanding crab!
Conveniently located on world-famous Pier 39 and open 365 days a year, Pier Market has been serving locals and visitors exceptional crab and seafood specialties for more than 40 years. Reserve a table online, or stop by and join our wait list today. We’ll see you soon!