Cooking and eating crab is a hands-on experience. After cooking, but prior to consumption, you must clean the crab and remove the meat from the shell. Crab meat is an excellent source of vitamin B-12, omega-3 fatty acids and protein. A 1 oz. serving of crab meat contains 6 g of protein and 35 percent of the recommended daily intake of vitamin B-12.
Step 1
Fill a large pot with water until it is 75 percent full. Add 2 tbsp. of salt for each quart of water. Bring the pot of water to a boil.
Step 2
Add the crab into the boiling pot of water. If using live crab, grab the hind legs and drop them into the boiling water. To calm excited live crab before cooking, put the crab in a bowl of cold water or stroke the crab head until it falls asleep.
Step 3
Cook crabs weighing 2 lbs. or greater for 15 to 20 minutes. For crabs weighing less than 2 lbs., boil for 8 to 10 minutes. The crab shells will turn bright red when done. Remove the cooked crab from the boiling water. Place the crabs on a dish and allow them to cool long enough for you to handle them without getting burned.
Step 4
Hold the crab with one hand and pull the shell from the back of the crab with the other. Turn the crab over and remove the breast plate, spine, gills and intestines. Inside the crab you will find a yellow mushy substance; this is called crab butter. Scrape the crab butter out and discard it. Break off each leg of the crab. Run cold water onto the body of the crab followed by cracking it in half. Crack the crab legs open using a mallet.
Step 5
Remove the meat from the body of the crab using your hands. Use a fork to get the meat out of the crab legs. Eat the crab meat with your desired dipping sauce. After eating, remove the smell of crab from your hands using lemon wedges. Rub the lemon onto your hands and let them air dry. After drying the crab smell will disappear.
Tips and Warnings
- For a fresher taste, purchase living crab, as the taste of crab meat declines after death.
- Avoid food-borne illnesses by cooking your crabs thoroughly. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, you must cook crabs to an internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit.
Things You'll Need
- Large pot
- Mallet
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