How to Open a Whole Crab

Crab meat is delectably sweet, and whole crab is widely available when crab is in season. Cleaning and cracking a whole cooked crab may seem intimidating, but it's a simple process once you familiarize yourself with the crab's anatomy. The following technique works on both Atlantic blue crabs and the larger Pacific Dungeness crabs.

Things You'll Need

  • Whole cooked crab
  • Mallet

Instructions

  1. Flip the crab so that its underside is face up. Lift the triangular shell flap there, also known as the apron. Twist off the apron and discard.

  2. Turn the crab back over. Pull off the top shell, or carapace, gently. Twist it a little if there is resistance. Save the shell and set it aside.

  3. Remove and discard the gills, which are the clear feathery finger-like tissue found just above the legs.

  4. Remove and discard the mandibles, or mouth parts, of the crab.

  5. Remove the "crab butter," which is the soft yellow substance found around the white crab meat. Rinse the crab quickly if needed.

  6. Strike each segment of the legs gently with a mallet to crack its shell.

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