It’s time for summer in Florida, and nothing is more quintessential of summer eating than the fresh deliciousness of crab claws. But have you ever cracked and eaten a stone crab before? It can seem pretty complicated, but it’s definitely worth the effort.
Once you know how to crack and eat crab claws and legs, you’ll never want to go back to those lemon-soaked, hashed-together claws that come in gallon-sized plastic bags from the grocery store.
We will walk you through everything you need to know about how to crack and eat stone crab the right way. Read on!
Use a Kitchen Mallet or a Heavy Knife
You will want to place the crab on a cutting board with the belly side up. Insert the mallet or knife into the crab where the legs meet the body and give it a hard whack. This should crack the hard shell and allow you to get to the meat inside.
If the crab is still too difficult to open, you can place it in the freezer for about 15 minutes to help make the meat easier to remove.
Use a Hammer and Chisel
Use the hammer to lightly tap the chisel on the crab’s shell. Apply a little bit of pressure, and then strike the chisel with the hammer. Repeat this process until you have made a small crack in the shell.
Then should chisel widens the crack. Apply more pressure as needed, and continue until the shell is fully cracked open. You can now remove the meat from the crab.
Use a Fork and Knife
Make the knife cut through the top shell of the crab and be careful not to cut yourself. Once the top shell is removed, you will see the crab’s meat. Use the fork to pry the meat out of the crab, being careful not to stab yourself. The meat should come out easily.
There are more crab tools out there that you can use to crack open a stone crab so be sure to have a look at them.
Make a Crab Cake or Crab Salad
Mix together 1 pound of crab meat, 1 egg, 2 tablespoons of mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon of Old Bay seasoning, and 1/4 cup of bread crumbs. Shape the mixture into patties and then coat in additional bread crumbs.
Fry in olive oil until golden brown. For a crab salad, simply mix together 1 pound of crab meat, 1/4 cup of mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon of Old Bay seasoning, and 1/4 cup of celery.
Steam the Crab
The crab should be placed in the pot upside down so that the claws are facing up. It is important to add enough water to the pot so that it covers the crab completely.
Once the water comes to a boil, the crab should be cooked for three to four minutes. After the crab is done steaming, it can be served with melted butter and lemon juice.
If you’re looking for the freshest stone crabs for your meals, consider trying out Florida stone crabs to indulge your cravings!
Savor a Stone Crab Today
This article helped you understand that in order to properly enjoy stone crabs, you must familiarize yourself with the best ways to crack or eat them.
You can crack the crab claws using a mallet or hammer. Use a fork and knife to remove the meat from the claws. You can also enjoy the crab meat with a dipping sauce of your choice after boiling them to have a delicious and satisfying meal.
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