Coastal-dwellers have enjoyed crabs as a delicacy for centuries. With the advent of frozen food technology, seafood has become even more accessible to all. Still, not everyone has grown up an expert on crabbing. For anyone interested in grabbing a mallet and seeing what the fuss is about, here’s our brief introduction on all things crab.

Supplies at the ready
When it comes to crabs, part of the fun is earning your meal ticket. Cooking, cracking, and cleaning can be a lengthy process. Our advice is to lean in and make a social event of it. To that note, you’ll want some quality refreshments and a good group of friends at the ready. You’ll also need a mallet, knife, placemats, and plenty of napkins. Got that? Great, move on to step two!

Cook ‘em up
Perhaps counterintuitively, you cook crabs before cleaning them. Cuisinery’s European brown crabs are pre-cooked, meaning you can simply thaw them in cool water for 15 minutes and move on to the next step. If you’re working with live crabs, you’ll want to boil them for a minute, then steam them in a basket over an inch of water, or beer for extra flavor.

Crack and clean
If you boiled your crabs, wait for them to cool or run them under water to speed the process along. Then, break your crabs apart by following the twist, flip, pry, and crack method. To break it down a bit: twist off the legs, flip the crab and remove its apron, pry the shell halves apart, and crack the remaining shell in two. At each step remove the contents, taking care to sort the meat from the organs. For a more in-depth explanation, consult the experts. Suffice it to say, don’t get your nails done before the cookout!

Enjoy!
You came, you saw, you conquered. Now, it’s time to enjoy your delicious and well-earned crab meat. Plain crab is an extremely satisfying snack, especially dipped in a bit of warm melted butter. If you want to entertain your guests with a world-class recipe, try Crab-stuffed Branzino Fillet created by our very own Chef Jeremy Miller. Maryland-style crab cakes (with Old Bay, of course) are a regional favorite, and you can also get creative with soups, stews, and pasta dishes. 

Whipping up a delicious crab dish with our whole-cooked European brown crabs? Remember to tag us on social media @cuisineryfoodmarket!