How to Clean and Break Down Crabs

January 21, 2014
The Pantry

There’s nothing better than whole crab, but you often get the legs already broken down and cleaned served to you at restaurants.  Doing a crab boil at home is simple and so is breaking down a crab.

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All you need is a sharp large chef’s knife.

How to shell a crab1. Flip the crab over, belly up.

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2. Using the tip of a knife, wedge the knife under the triangle shaped flap on the belly.

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3.  Leaving the crab flipped upside down, pull the body from the shell. You can either discard the shell with all the liver inside . . . or if you’re adventurous — eat it!

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4. Rinse off the body and cut in half.

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5. Separate each leg.

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Get crackin’!

(images by HonestlyYUM)

Conversation

The best way to clean crab is to kill it and clean it before you boil it. It taste much better and it is much more humaine. Who would like to be boiled alive?

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