Costas Inn

Seafood Basics: How to Extract Crab Meat

Here are some helpful tips to make sure you effectively and efficiently extract your crab meat so you can savor your seafood and enjoy the tasty result.

In the Maryland area, it is basically frowned upon to not know how to make a crab cake. In fact, knowing how to properly extract crab meat is a necessity when ultimately making the perfect crab meat for your next epic meal. But, many people are unaware of the proper procedures and methods to effectively and efficiently extract crab meat — a seafood delicacy. Here are some helpful tips to make sure you effectively and efficiently extract your crab meat so you can savor your seafood and enjoy the tasty result. 

Getting Started

Once you know how to properly pick and eat your crab meat, you’ll never stop enjoying delicious meals filled with crab meat. From crab cakes to a salad topped with juicy crab meat, there are endless recipes and opportunities to show off your new skills of crab meat extraction. In fact, when it comes to extracting crab meat properly, you’ll need to equip yourself with the proper tools. This means you’ll need wooden mallets, nutcrackers, and tons of paper towels on hand. 

The First Step

First, you will have to pick off the legs. In fact, you can easily do so by simply removing all the claws and legs first and foremost. You can do this easily by grabbing the very base of the crab itself, and each leg as well, and then pulling it away. You’ll want to make sure to keep those legs on the side for later use.

The Peeling

The next part of the process involves peeling the plate. In fact, when you turn the crab over, you will immediately notice a plate. This needs to be peeled and removed to ultimately make the most out of your crab meat extraction excursion. The reality is, the plate itself will vary in shape and size based on whether it’s a male or female crab. However, for each one, you’ll want to simply slide your finger under the plate itself and then peel it back. Then, all you have to do is grab the crab by the base and subsequently pull the entire thing away.

 

COSTAS INN: YOUR SEAFOOD DESTINATION

Costas Inn has been a Baltimore tradition since 1971. 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, as well as #1 Crab Restaurant 2014 in the Baltimore Business Journal. You may have also spotted Costas Inn during one of our 9 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! 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!