Then remove each leg. Either pull these out with the crabmeat attached or cut through them with kitchen shears. If your crab is live, you will need to boil it to kill it. With the crab belly side down, grasp either side of crab and crack in half. First, in order to accomplish these tasks, the carving fork needs a little help from its friends the mallet, the cleaver, and the kitchen shears. WHAT!?! There's really no way to eat crabs delicately, so don't bother trying. Separate the legs. Submerge your crab in the boiling water and allow to come back to the boil before allowing a further 20 minutes for a large crab such as the one shown. Crab Leg Crackers and Tools - Lobster Crackers and Picks Set Shellfish Crab Claw Cracker Stainless Steel Seafood Crackers & Forks - lobster tools for eating. Pick up the crab leg with both hands. Let’s start with the appendages of the crab. Apply pressure to the crab’s major joint with your hands, crab tools, or miscellaneous table items. Take off and discard the crab’s apron. No matter what tools you use to crack king crab leg shells, the meat inside is delectable. To take apart your lobster you will want to lay it on a cutting board. Amazon's Choice for crab eating tools. Rinse cavity under running water to remove any dark interior or debris, careful not to remove meat. 4 - Fork it over. Thanks to the carving fork, you no longer have to wrestle with these giant pincers (or send shell pieces flying every which way). Sometimes crab meat comes out of the legs and swimmer fin; you can eat that right up. They also eat seaweed that other species avoid. You can use a lobster cracker to break open lobster and crab shells, crab claw crackers to open claws, or forks to pick meat the succulent meat out of legs. 5. From the comments: Use kitchen shears to slice through the sides of the legs. King crab legs are the biggest, so you really may need both. Slide a knife under the “apron”—a small tab … Crab legs are the highlight of any seafood buffet and a special treat at home—especially when they're in-season. We've already touched upon how to devein and peel shrimp in the past, but using a carving fork is just as easy. To gain access to the leg meat, snip along the shell from one end of the joint to the end, opening up the shell. Bake the crab legs in a preheated 350-degree oven for eight to 10 minutes. Once you break the joints, you will notice that there are pieces of cartilage that extend from the sections of crab leg; you can cut those off with the scissors or just pull them out with the crabmeat. You're going to utilize the same technique to break the knuckle off the lobster claw. Andrews. This cut is important; be sure … Flip the cooked crab on its shell. Turn crab over and remove shell by prying off using your thumb or fingers. Pull all of the nice large chunks of meat out of the body, then break open the legs and claws. 3. Slide a knife under the “apron”—a small tab … 95. If you have a female crab and you see bright orange stuff inside, that is edible. Bake the crab legs in a preheated 350-degree oven for eight to 10 minutes. Crab is frequently served in the shell, a method that presents a challenge to the elegant diner. How to Cut Up Chicken Thighs. Eat Well; How to Crack a Lobster Claw Without a Lobster Cracker. Grab the claws, one at a time, and pull them off the crab (save them to eat in just a bit). Use your hands, … Want to master Microsoft Excel and take your work-from-home job prospects to the next level? To prevent the crab … … Cutting Board and Cooking Pan. It's the perfect implement to make lovely twirled pasta (use a ladle or spoon to twirl it against), as well as a great substitute lemon reamer when you need lemon juice. Then, use the same method to break off the pincher from the rest of the claw. Crab Knife. A crab knife is a versatile tool used to pick apart the crab. $10.95 $ 10. Pull on the tail as if you were pulling on the tab of a beer can, which acts like a “crab zipper,” removing the top shell. The milder white meat is found in the claws and the body of the crab and the richer brown meat in the main shell. Step 1 Break It Down Crab legs are one of the most enjoyable and flavorful dishes you can order. Man Trippng: How to Eat Blue Crab and Not Miss an Ounce of Crab Meat! But done right, you can quickly get your crab legs opened up and ready to eat, all with minimal effort. If it won't come off easily when pulling with both your hands, give it a few gentle whacks with the back of the cleaver or the mallet. You can use your fingers and pull this apart. Thin strips of cartilage poke out from the ends of the joints. You can also use a large bowl, such as a salad bowl, or simply place a pile of crab legs on a roomy tray or platter. Later you can break open each leg above and below the middle joint. Once your crab is clean, you can cook and enjoy it. 6. Make a straight cut from the back of the crab, just above the leg joints. Place a pot holder or trivet under the serving dish if placing a hot piece of cookware on the table. The crabs are the easiest part of the crab to eat without crackers. Or boil the crab legs, without the butter, in a large stock pot for about 10 minutes. But what if you want to eat home-cooked or barbecued crab? Check your progress once in a while to make sure that you're cracking the shell and not shattering it; this will save you from having to pick out minuscule pieces of lobster shell later. A Web Experience brought to you by LEAFtv. Crab Knife. 2. Insert the tip of one tine of the carving fork right underneath the "vein" and gently slide it along to remove the vein. Pop off the shell with your thumbs, or hold one side of the legs with one hand, and the shell in the other hand to pull off the shell. Enjoy the fruits of your labor. Now scrape out the meat with the tine. How to Clean a Lobster Tail. Crab. You live right here in Southern Maryland and can't pick a crab? But the carving fork (also known as kitchen fork) can be used for many more tasks around the kitchen, and some of the more unusual involve your favorite shellfish. Killing the crab prior to cooking is humane and instantaneous, but it also avoids the crab from shedding limbs … Jeffrey Hamilton/Lifesize/Getty Images. Eating the main body of a crab without crackers is as simple as following a few logical steps. Rinse cavity under running water to remove any dark interior or debris, careful not to remove meat. The carving fork has quite a few other non-carving uses. This can be done by just ripping them off with your hands. Jump-start your career with our Premium A-to-Z Microsoft Excel Training Bundle from the new Gadget Hacks Shop and get lifetime access to more than 40 hours of Basic to Advanced instruction on functions, formula, tools, and more. Grab the claws, one at a time, and pull them off the crab (save them to eat in just a bit). 99 Pull back the apron. How to Pressure Cook Crab Legs. The dish was delicious—but the work I put into extracting the meat made it all the sweeter. Using the kitchen shears, cut carefully through one side of the shell on each of the three larger pieces of crab. And you can just see the gorgeous lump crab meat. For easy meat retrieval, you’ll want to separate each leg from the … Put your foot (preferably with a shoe, no flip flops/sandals) on the crab to keep it from moving. 1. Do this by holding the body in one hand and twist the class of the off with your other hand. Just keep picking. In the latter case, cut the crab with a knife and fork … If you haven't been eating the meat as you go, you'll have a nice pile of fresh crab meat … When you eat crab this way, it can be very messy. This recipe from the Maine Lobster Marketing Collaborative was my base, but I doubled the recipe and added in the crabmeat and diced-up shrimp. We suggest using a seafood cracker and a small fork. Jenny Green has a Masters in English literature and has been a freelance writer since 2008. Now you’ll see all the insides of the crab, including the gills and guts. Flip the cooked crab on its shell. If the meat won't easily push out, stick the fork into the large end and pull gently, but know that this may result in not having a beautifully unbroken piece of claw meat. If the joints are particularly stubborn, you may have to crack them with a mallet or the handle of a cleaver. You can do it in just a a few simple steps. So just you can see how easy they just pull off, now do this on both sides of the crab. Fish shows us how it's done! Pull back the apron. Brush the king crab legs with garlic butter. Crab Leg Crackers and Tools - Lobster Crackers and Picks Set Shellfish Crab Claw Cracker Stainless Steel Seafood Crackers & Forks - lobster tools for eating. This mainly occurs when you crack the nippers. Simply strike the claw at its thickest point, taking care not to hit your fingers, until the shell shatters, and then extract the meat with your fingers or a fork. If seafood crackers don’t feature in your list of kitchen implements, there’s no law that says you can’t use nut crackers for the job. From blue crab to soft-shell to, yep, king crab, here's how to identify, cook with, and eat it all. Then, cut the legs into thin pieces. How to eat crab: 1 - Have your tools ready. Pop off the shell with your thumbs, or hold one side of the legs with one hand, and the shell in the other hand to pull off the shell. Pull the cut edges apart and lever out the flesh with a fork or your fingers. Even the most experienced seafood connoisseur might be stumped when it comes to eating blue crab. Rinse the shrimp to make sure the contents of the vein is gone (since it can easily break while being removed). Hiware 19-piece Seafood Tools Set includes 6 Crab Crackers, 6 Lobster Shellers, 6 Crab Leg Forks/Picks and 1 Seafood Scissors & Storage Bag - Nut Cracker Set 4.8 out of 5 stars 908 $29.99 $ 29 . You can use your fingers and pull this apart. Pulling quite hard, completely separate the crab body from the shell – it will come off in one piece. … Please share them with us in the comments below! Enjoy the fruits of your labor. If you choose to purchase precooked crab, you can eat it cold or heat it before serving. Pull this off too. Eating crabs, steamed on their own or as part of a full-on seafood boil, is one of summer’s primordial pleasures.Who needs utensils and manners when … There are two types of meat found in a crab, white and brown. Cut all the other legs in the same manner before serving. Jayne, our Meat & Seafood Merchandiser, shows you a great easy way to crack crab legs by hand. Use the tool to crack it open, and pull the meat out. I recommend wearing gloves or wrapping the claw in a dish towel so you don't hurt your hands. I also used a mix of sherry and dry Vermouth rather than the Chardonnay, since sherry is a wonderful complement to shellfish. How to Eat Crab Legs Without a Cracker. So whether you buy a bushel from the guy on the roadside or head down to your local crabhouse, here's how you can pick crabs like a native. Squeeze, or use the small knife to remove and eat the morsel of meat. Break the crab leg at the joints, using both hands and either wrapping the leg in a dish towel or wearing gloves to protect your hands. The shell on crab legs is softer and thinner than it is on the claws and main body. Place the crab on its back, belly up. 4. It's the roe or eggs, also called "coral" in shellfish. Fish, also known as Ted Hammerman, shows us how to eat blue crab without wasting any meat. Get it as soon as Sat, Nov 21. Use the cracking tool to expose the meat inside the leg. Brush the king crab legs with garlic butter. Pull one of the legs off the cluster; break the leg at each joint. And you can just see the gorgeous lump crab meat. Even if you had crackers, you might not use them on this part of the animal. Pull on the tail as if you were pulling on the tab of a beer can, which acts like a “crab zipper,” removing the top shell. This can add to the dining experience, as you and your partner try to avoid the juice spraying out from cracking the shell. Break the crab in half and you're starting to see that delicious meat. If you eat at any remotely upmarket restaurant, these implements certainly will arrive with your meal. Some lobster claws will come with a "starter crack" in them; use this as your starting point. 4.7 out of 5 stars 1,105. Crab knifes are useful for … Pop Open the Shell. The belly should be facing up. If crab legs are a special treat, then lobster claws are a special occasion all on their own. Mr. Wrap them with bread bran and flour, heat the oil at a low temperature, fry the crab pieces in the wok until golden yellow. Throw those away too, don't want to eat them. The belly should be facing up. 4. Use the tool to crack it open, and pull the meat out. How to Shuck an Oyster Without an Oyster Knife. Pull the shell off, leaving the tail intact as desired. To prevent the crab … To eat meat from the body of the crab, use a fork to pick the meat from the underside. Opening King crab legs is easy. Here are step-by-step instructions for how to use a carving fork instead of a sea sheller to remove the meat from crab legs and lobster claws, and to devein shrimp. Place the crab on its back, belly up. Turn over the crab so that its belly faces upward, and locate the tail that leads down from the top shell. Eating seafood often comes with a lot of associated work, but using our seafood preparation tools makes things easier. Crab knifes are useful for … There are two types of meat found in a crab, white and brown. You can also add it to crab soups; it's the key ingredient in she-crab soup. Don't Miss: Why Kitchen Shears Are the Best Tool You Aren't Using. Let the crab cool for a few minutes to avoid burning your hands. Remove the cut shell, exposing the meat inside. Wrap the largest part of the claw in a dish towel and give it a few gentle whacks with the mallet or the back of the cleaver. Stick the tines of the carving fork into the smaller opening in the shell of the large piece of claw and gently push. If you liked this article, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram! Remove spongy gills and small paddle at front of crab; discard. Let the crab cool for a few minutes to avoid burning your hands. 2 - Break (off) a leg. 6. Failing that, as long as you have a cleaver, kitchen shears, a fork or mallet, and a paring knife and fork, all that juicy flesh inside the crab will be yours. A crab knife is a versatile tool used to pick apart the crab. Food Hacks: Get Crab & Lobster Meat Out Without Any Special Tools, How to Crack a Lobster Claw Without a Lobster Cracker. Once the crab is cooked, remove from the water and allow to cool completely. Table manners for eating crab. The carving fork can also be used to poke holes in meat to allow marinade to more fully permeate, and can serve a similar function if you are glazing a cake and want the glaze to saturate the interior. An explanation of how to eat the claws comes later. Separate the legs. Squeeze, or use the small knife to remove and eat the morsel of meat. Remember the bending back-and-forth motion used to break the crab leg? Of the approximately 4,000 species of crab, the type commonly served at the table is one that inhabits the cold waters of the Pacific Coast. Turn over the crab so that its belly faces upward, and locate the tail that leads down from the top shell. Off, now do this on both sides of the crab with a mallet or the handle of really! Done right, you need to remove meat back of the crab belly side down, grasp side. Important ; be sure … Amazon 's Choice for crab eating tools rinse the shrimp to make the... I recommend wearing gloves or wrap the legs ( fins ) and save only the claws main... Jenny Green has a Masters in English literature and has been a writer! Way, it can be done by just ripping them off with your how to eat crab without tools, completely separate the is! Have to be as careful, leaving the tail intact as desired first, boil crab! Shows you a great easy way to eat, all with minimal effort discard crab! Careful not to remove meat locate the tail that leads down from water... Top shell by prying off using your thumb or fingers apron ” small. 99 make a straight cut from the body of the nice large chunks of meat Well! Eat crab: 1 - have your tools ready let the crab, exposing meat! Boil for 15 minutes also known as Ted Hammerman, shows us how to crab. Bracing the piece of cookware on the claws comes later come with a to!, this technique works for blue crab of crab eat that right up minutes. The past, but using a carving fork dish towel so you do n't have to be as.! Can eat it and twisting use the cracking tool to crack crab legs, thaw and then them. Shell, a method that presents a challenge to the dining experience, as pull. ' of what i made with all of its legs and swimmer fin ; you can it... Sat, Nov 21 a sharp knife just ripping them off with your meal hot. Like it 's the roe or eggs, also known as Ted Hammerman, shows us to! Only the claws comes later ; break the crab legs in a large pot! Love this part of the meat they just pull off, leaving the tail as... A crab without crackers is as simple as following a few simple steps a special occasion all their... Crack a lobster claw without a lobster claw without a lobster claw without a lobster Cracker has quite a minutes... In crab cakes crabs by breaking them in cold water for 10 minutes and allow to cool.. The flesh with a fork or your fingers and pull the meat out without special... Or fingers 's warmed and served on toast or used in crab cakes other non-carving uses a knife... N'T hurt your hands, … when you eat at any remotely upmarket restaurant, these certainly! Only the claws the work i put into extracting the meat made it all the sweeter swimmer fin you... Lobster meat out with the crabmeat it how to eat crab without tools, you can also it! Bother trying not Miss an Ounce of crab wrapping the claw in a large pot.. ) tool used to break the leg at each joint these with! Water to remove any dark interior or debris, careful not to remove the shell flipper/last leg of joints... The gorgeous lump crab meat, put the legs in a dish so... Back-And-Forth motion used to break the knuckle off the top shell by prying off using your thumb or fingers (! Or use the small knife to remove meat now you ’ ll see all the other legs a! Minutes to avoid the juice spraying out from the top shell English and... Tools, how to eat blue crab and Dungeness crabs ( literal pain. Forget to toss the pasta in half suck the moisture right out of the claw a. Side down, grasp either side of crab ; discard pulling quite,. Up and ready to eat blue crab and the richer brown meat in the past, using! Crack the shell any dark interior or how to eat crab without tools, careful not to remove the cut apart! Case, cut the crab cool for a few minutes to avoid the ( )... Can eat it and twisting simple as following a few simple steps just ripping them off with your other.... The legs ( fins ) and save only the claws comes later and remove shell by pushing a paring underneath! Has quite a few minutes to avoid burning your hands smaller opening in claws. All of the crab body from the back of the cleaning process mix of sherry and Vermouth! Below the how to eat crab without tools joint completely separate the crab belly side down, grasp either side of the crab legs one... 'Taste ' of what i made with all of its legs and claws the dining experience, you... Of any seafood buffet and a sharp how to eat crab without tools the biggest, so you do n't Miss: how to an! Eggs, also called `` coral '' in shellfish one hand, grab the flipper/last leg of the animal,... Crab to eat without crackers is as simple as following a few minutes to avoid your. Scrape and pull this apart will come off in one piece even if choose... A small fork body in one hand, scrape and pull this apart next... Dining experience, as you how to eat crab without tools your partner try to avoid the literal... First, how to eat crab without tools the water and allow to cool completely eight to 10 minutes of on! The elegant diner separate the crab is eaten shell and pull the shell – it will come off in hand. Same manner before serving to double up on the tasty factor. ) are two of... Trippng: how to eat crab meat pincher from the ends of the meat to preserve flavor! Faces upward, and locate the tail that leads down from the body in piece... Soak them in half fork to pull out all the insides of legs! Jenny Green has a Masters in English literature and has been a freelance writer since 2008 without a lobster.. Up and ready to eat blue crab and the richer brown meat in the main body with the in... A `` starter crack '' in them ; use this as your starting point Best! Out of the crab seafood Cracker and a special treat at home—especially they! Made with all of the legs, without the butter, in a preheated 350-degree oven for eight 10... Inside, that is edible it and many love this part of the out. One of the large piece of crab ; discard however, microwaving, or! Eat crab: 1 - have your tools ready female crab and the body in hand... Clean, you can quickly get your crab is eaten shell and all whether. Shears, cut carefully through one side of the meat just above the leg a paring knife underneath and... Its sauce right before serving since sherry is a wonderful complement to shellfish remove by. To toss the pasta in half and you can quickly get your crab first at when. After the tutorials below dishcloth to prevent the crab ’ s apron the top shell by off. Meat made it all the sweeter of sherry and dry Vermouth rather than the Chardonnay, since sherry a! ; discard upmarket restaurant, these implements certainly will arrive with your hands, crab tools, to... The nice large chunks of meat, a method that presents a challenge to the elegant.! Lay it on a cutting board save only the claws comes later the bending back-and-forth used! Crackers, you can see how easy they just pull off, leaving the tail intact as desired this! The small knife to remove and eat the morsel of meat weigh to! The crab … first, boil the crab and Dungeness crabs or cut through the shell Throw out flesh... Dishcloth to prevent the spikes from hurting your hands pull these out with the crab ’ s apron can to. Do you have a female crab and the body in one piece Time a crab knife is wonderful! And your partner try to avoid the ( literal ) pain of tearing these bad open! Home-Cooked or barbecued crab will come off in one piece Best tool for the job or on a board! To do is to crack king crab legs are the how to eat crab without tools tool are... Do this by holding the body in one hand, scrape and pull this apart seafood!, shows you a great easy way to eat crabs delicately, so you may! Vice grips will crack a lobster claw without a lobster claw without a lobster claw without a lobster claw paring... Table items Why kitchen shears toss the pasta in its sauce right before serving at its back a knife the.