For the steaming liquid:

• 2 12-ounce cans or bottles of beer
• 3 cups distilled white vinegar

For the spice mixture:

• 1 cup Chesapeake seafood seasoning, such as Old Bay
• 1/3 cup coarse sea salt
• 1/3 cup freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons dry mustard, such as Colman’s

• 16 jumbo blue crabs, alive and kicking, preferably male
• 4 ears corn, shucked and cut crosswise into thirds
• 1 pound kielbasa, cut into 2-inch chunks
• 2 large sweet onions, peeled and quartered (leave the root ends intact)
• 2 heads garlic, halved crosswise
• 1 pound fresh okra, stems trimmed flush with the pods

You’ll also need:

• A large lidded pot for steaming
• a grill grate, preferably with legs
• a brick
• wooden crab mallets
• paring knives
• newspaper