Pit-oven Cooked Crabs is a reconstructed Ancient recipe for a classic dish of whole crabs covered in large leaves and grass that's steamed on a bed of leaves over hot rocks in a pit oven that is sealed with earth. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic Ancient version of: Pit-oven Cooked Crabs.
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The pit oven is one of the oldest and most traditional ways of coking meats, seafood and root vegetables. The recipe given below is for a reconstructed Iron Age-style pit oven where the food is essentially steamed between layers of leafy greens. This is also an excellent method of beach cooking and you can use kelp instead of the leaves.
Ingredients:
1.5kg (about) crabs
herbs
dock leaves or burdock leaves
grass
Method:
To form the oven dig a shallow pit (about 80cm deep) that is bowl shaped and large enough to conn your meat and vegetables.
Line the sides and base of the pit with large igneous (volcanic) stones (these will not crack as they are heated). Carefully store the earth removed from the pit to the side (this will be used to cover the pit to allow the steam to stay inside.
Build a large fire over the stones and set light to it. Allow the fire to burn down to embers and when the fire has gone carefully brush away and remaining wood (be careful doing this as the stones will be very hot.
Whilst the fire is burning down collect your greens (you will need lots). Dock leaves, burdock leaves, long grasses and reeds are excellent. When the fire has been cleared cover the hot stones with plenty of the greens. Scrub your crabs, put on top of the greens covering the rocks then strew some herbs over the top. Now cover with another thick layer of greens. Make certain everything is covered, so that when you cover the pit with the soil you removed from it, no soil will reach the steaming food inside.
Tamp down the soil and put the sods on top (this seals the oven so that the food inside steams slowly). Now leave the mat to cook until done through. Fish will take between 30 and 60 minutes, depending on size and type.
When the crabs are done, carefully remove the top covering of soil from the pit oven, clear away the wilted greens covering the crabs. Open up the shells and serve.
