You can enjoy eating crabs with your bare hands as long as you don’t mind getting messy. But, if you order whole crabs at a crab restaurant in 85016, you should be offered a mallet to help in crushing the legs shell, a pairing knife for cutting apart the leg clusters, and some type of pick to get every bit of meat from the legs. But, you may just order the crab meat itself served without those shells. Whether or not it’s your first time to eat crabs, you want to know how to eat them like a pro. Here are some expert tips:
Prepare for the Mess
Make sure there are lots of paper towels available and lay down butcher paper. When you eat at a seafood restaurant, you will be provided with a bucket or bowl for the shells. In addition to the tools mentioned above, you also need a cutting board to protect the table against possible whacks. Usually, blue and Dungeness crabs are served whole so prepare for the mess.
Pop the Shell Open
Position the crab on its back with the belly up. Slide the knife on the small tab and pull it back to break it off and discard it. As you hold the bottom, flip the crab over, inserting the tip of the knife between the shells, in the opening where the small tab was. Detach the back of the crab shell to expose the inner cavity.
Take Away the Parts you Cannot Eat
Remove the lungs that look gray and spongy with the knife or your hands. You should be able to see the yellowish-brown substance which is a delicacy. In general, you can safely eat it as long as the crab is not caught in contaminated waters. Scoop out the mustard-like thing.
Break the Crab in Half
You can do this using your hands, although you can also use the knife for an even break. After breaking the crab in half, you should see the crabmeat separated into chambers. Use your finger to take the meat out.
Pull Each Leg Off
This can be done with a twisting motion using your hand. Ideally, the meat should come out easily of the legs when the crab is well-prepared and you know how to break the shell properly. This means not having the shell shattering. You can get the best meat from the leg at its base. But, you can also suck out the meat in the middle.
