Simple Boiled Crabs with Garlic-Vermouth Butter

Ingredients

• 0.3 teaspoon pepper black freshly ground
• 0.5 cup butter 
• 1 tablespoon chervil fresh chopped
• 1.5 cups cider vinegar 
• 2  live dungeness crabs blue
• 2  garlic cloves minced
• 0.5 cup kosher salt 
• 1 teaspoon juice of lemon fresh
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest 
• 2  lemons sliced
• 0.1 teaspoon salt 
• 0.3 cup seafood seasoning 
• 1 tablespoon vermouth 

Equipment

• frying pan
• baking sheet
• pot

Directions

1. Combine first 8 ingredients in a small pan over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, 3 minutes or until butter melts. Keep warm.
2. Combine 6 quarts water, vinegar, and next 3 ingredients in a large stockpot. Bring to a boil over high heat.
3. While water is heating, set crabs on a rimmed baking sheet or tray, and put in freezer. (This makes handling the crabs easier--they should be well chilled but not frozen; don't leave them in freezer more than 30 minutes.) When water has come to a rolling boil, grab each crab securely at the back of its shell, and gently but swiftly drop it headfirst into the boiling water.
4. Cover pot, and return water to a boil. Cook Dungeness crabs 18 to 20 minutes and blue crabs 5 minutes.
5. Drain, clean, and serve with warm butter sauce.