How to dismantle and prepare live crab for cooking
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Let’s clean and prepare a whole crab. This guide will equip you in breaking down the crab —it’s easier than you think with these simple steps.
Numbing and Storage of the Live Crustacean
If working with a live crab, anaesthetise it first by putting it in the freezer. Smaller crabs will only need 30 minutes, while larger crabs need 60. For overnight storage, keep live crabs in the refrigerator, the cool temperature will subdue the crab, preserving its freshness until you are ready to cook. Once the crab has been dismantled, refrigerate until needed. Use the crab within 24 hours and avoid freezing to prevent flavour loss upon thawing.
Butchering the Crab
Removing the Carapace (Top Shell):
To remove the carapace, begin by turning the crab upside down. Pry apart the two halves by placing your thumbs at the back flap where the carapace joins the body, known as the apron. Holding the body with one hand, gently but firmly pull the top shell away, working from back to front. You may choose to keep the carapace for presentation purposes when serving.
Reserving the Tomalley:
Scrape out and reserve the tomalley, also known as the "crab mustard," retaining the yellowish coloured goo and discarding any dark or grey matter. This is a key ingredient in many dishes!
Removing Gills and Loose Parts:
Discard the feathery gills and any loosely attached parts, such as the mandibles (mouth area).
Segmenting the Crab:
Generally, cutting a crab under 1kg in half will be sufficient. Crabs over 1kg should be cut into quarters. Use a sharp knife that is able to cut through the shell.
Detaching the Claws:
Claws should snap off easily by hand, twisting them at the body joint. You will then want to slightly crack the hard shell to allow for even cooking and easier consumption. I use a dedicated crab hammer, however a similar tool such as a pestle or mallet can be used for this task.
Trimming the Legs:
Use scissors to cut the tips off each leg, cutting higher up for smaller crabs. This process will allow the flavour to go through into the meat.
Use a pincher claw to extract smaller pieces of meat from inside the shell.
Fantasea-salt works wonders when cooking crab and in many seafood recipes. Purchase yours here.
For optimal flavour, keep the crab alive until just before cooking, as crab meat can become mushy and potentially toxic if not cooked within a few days.
If using frozen crabs, submerge them in warm water for about 20 minutes to thaw before attempting to pull apart.
Now that you’re a master crab disassembler, give these cooking methods a go!
BOIL:
Fill a large pot with enough water to cover the crabs and add a tablespoon of sea salt. In addition to water, you can add some extra flavour to the crab by including a cup of white wine or can of beer, along with herbs and seasonings. Once the water has boiled, reduce the heat slightly and use tongs to lower the crabs in. Depending on the size of your crustaceans, cook for 7-10 minutes. To prevent the meat from sticking to the shell, transfer the crab to an ice bath. Once cooled, peel back the top shell and rinse the crab, removing the guts and gills.
STEAM:
Another traditional method for cooking crab is steaming. Unlike boiling, the crab cannot be steamed alive. Using a large pot fitted with a steamer fill with a few inches of salted water, optionally adding a cup of beer or wine, garlic cloves, and the seasoning of your choice to the liquid. Once the water is steaming, add your crabs, cover, reduce the heat to medium-high, and steam for about 10-12 minutes.
GRILL:
Grilled crabs should be parboiled first for approximately 4 minutes. Once cooled and cleaned finish cooking on a medium-hot grill for another 3-4 minutes per side. Brush over the crab with melted butter or an infused olive oil mix while on the grill.
