What you need
A wooden mallet, a small knife, a roll of paper towels and somewhere to put the shells. Most crab houses cover the table in brown paper.
Step by step
- Turn the crab over. Find the "apron", the flap on the belly. Lift it with your thumb or knife and pull it off.
- Take off the top shell. Hold the crab and pull the top shell up and away from the back, where the apron was.
- Scrape off the gills. These are the soft, grey, finger-like pieces on each side. Do not eat them.
- Rinse out the middle, or scrape it clean. The yellow "mustard" is the crab’s hepatopancreas; some people love it, many skip it.
- Break the body in half down the middle.
- Pull out the meat. Each half has chambers of white meat. Pull or cut through them; the biggest piece, the backfin, is at the back by the swimming leg.
- Crack the claws. Snap off each claw, then tap the shell once with the mallet, or place the knife on the shell and tap the knife. Pull the meat out in one piece if you can.
Etiquette and tips
- Start with the claws if the bodies feel too fiddly; it builds confidence.
- Do not smash crabs with the mallet. One firm tap is enough.
- Keep a cup of water or vinegar for rinsing fingers.
- A dozen crabs between two people is a common amount for adults. Use the crab feast calculator for a party.
Where to try
Official sources: Maryland DNR: blue crab
