“Geez, is there spring training for this?” Mo Rocca joked to Cal Ripken, Jr. as the Hall of Fame Baltimore baseball player showed the CBS Sunday Morning host how to pick a crab in the dining room at Costas Inn Restaurant.
Well, it might not be spring yet, but here’s our crash course on how to pick crabs – because sometimes we forget that not all crab eaters were born and raised in Maryland and taught the fine art of extracting meat from their delicate bodies at an early age.
Before you begin, a little tip from the pros: cover your table with newspaper, brown bags, or something that you can easily wrap the shells in and discard in your trashcan outside.
And now, onto the main affair.
Put the crab on its back, with the belly exposed, and find the apron – that slender tab in the middle of the body. Use the edge of a knife or your fingers to lift the apron away. Break it off and separate the body.
Next, flip the savory swimmer over, with the belly down and the face of the creature looking away from you. Take your thumb or knife, slide it under the top shell, and pry it off.
Now you’re inside, and getting close the valuable meat. Just be sure to first scrape away the six gills that look like lungs, as these are not edible. Decide whether or not you want to eat the “mustard,” which is the yellow substance that contains fat, heart, and/or roe. If not, scrape that away, too.
At this point, you have options: pull the legs off, or leave them on for later, letting them act as handles. Then cut or break the crab in half, and enjoy those big chunks of meat you’ve been working so hard for. We love a little of our famous seafood seasoning sprinkled on top.
Still unsure? Visit our seafood restaurant in Baltimore and let us show you how it’s done. Our blue crabs are flown in fresh daily, and we steam ‘em up right in our kitchen so they’ll be warm and ready when you’re ready to dine Maryland style.
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