In any case, you’ve got to clean all of your crabs before you can sit down and eat them. Here’s how!
Hello again, seafood lovers. One of Maryland’s most iconic dishes is the jumbo lump crab cake. But of course, you can also eat snow crab legs by dipping them in butter. Here’s an idea: incorporate crabmeat and flavoring into other forms, from pasta to sandwiches and popcorn. Try our secret house blend, perhaps? In any case, you’ve got to clean all of your crabs before you can sit down and eat them. Here’s how!
Preparing the Crabs
When you’re picking out crabs at the market, look for the livelier ones. Even if you’ve already brought them home, chilling them slows them down. But they’ll wake up once you start moving around with them in hand. As odd as it sounds, you should cook your crabby friends before attempting to clean them. The two fastest ways to do this are by steaming or boiling.
Pull off the Apron
Okay, now it’s time for step two. You might be wondering what we mean by “pull off the apron” – well, it’s actually pretty simple. The apron is the triangular bit of shell on the crab’s belly. Simply grasp the pointy end facing the front of the crab and then yank it off.
Then Chuck the Carapace
After the apron is off, you can remove the rest of the crab’s shell. This involves extracting it from its carapace. The carapace is the word used to describe the top shell. The apron reveals a small hole that will be a notch for you to hold as you remove the crab’s armor. Back fat will come out, and it’s called crab butter. You can use this liquid for soup stock or as a unique dipping sauce.
Get Rid of Gills and Mandibles
Now then, the time has come to eliminate the gills and mandibles. These two body parts will still be attached, but they’re not exactly pleasant things to eat. The gills are not meant to be eaten, anyway. Toss them. Then snap off the mandibles and throw them away as well.
The Final Step Involves Rinsing
At this point, you’ll start seeing the guts. The crabs’ innards are not edible, either. Rinse them off with some cool running water, and then you’re good to go!
COSTAS INN IS YOUR SEAFOOD DESTINATION
Costas Inn has been a Baltimore tradition since 1971. So here’s to 50 years, and cheers to 50 more!
You may recognize our restaurant, which was recently featured on the Food Network with Michael Symon on Burgers, Brew, and ‘Que! We were also voted the 2015 #1 Baltimore Seafood Restaurant by USA Today and #1 Crab Restaurant 2014 in the Baltimore Business Journal. You may have also spotted Costas Inn during one of our nine appearances on the Today Show or heard one of our many interviews on WJZ TV Channel 13 with Ron Matz and Marty Bass.
You can enjoy our famous crab cakes in-house or order them online for any time eating. We also provide some of the best seafood catering in the Baltimore area! Of course, you can also get your fill from Costas even when you’re not in our dining room: follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and YouTube!