How to Eat a Maryland Blue Crab

Choosing Crabs

Check to see if the blue crab is in season. The Maryland Blue Crab can be found fresh or pasteurized (sealed in cans and heated to kill pathogenic organisms) throughout the year, but it is not in season all year long. The crab season in Maryland starts in April and ends in December. Crabs are usually less expensive at the beginning of the season. Crabs harvested in June through August are the most flavorful. The largest crabs are found in September and October.

Buy six to eight crabs per person. If you’re not eating at a restaurant, crabs can be purchased from crab houses or shacks. You can order blue crabs online if you’re not close to the sea. Six crabs per person is recommended, but some people may want to eat eight to ten. They can be purchased alive or steamed. Check out docks to purchase crabs if you are by the sea. Crabbing can be done yourself at many public beaches. Check with a Visitor Center in your area for crabbing locations. A bushel or jimmy equals sixty to seventy crabs. A half bushel of male crab costs around $115-$130. Male crabs are typically more expensive, but more accessible than female crabs.

Choose the biggest crabs for your meal. Choosing a big crab is better option if you’re inexperienced. A larger crab is easier to pick apart.

Steaming Crab

Steam the crabs while they are fresh. You can begin picking apart the crabs if they were bought steamed. The crabs do not need extra preparation in that case. Live crabs do need to be steamed, and they can last for six to eight hours out of water. If they are stored in a cool temperature, they can last for several days. Live crabs that are chilled in the refrigerator are easier to steam because the cold temperature causes them to be inactive. Make sure the crabs are alive when you put them into the steamer. A dead crab can be dangerous to cook because they spoil quickly.

Use a crab steamer. An average size steamer holds three or four dozen crabs at a time. You can buy a steamer at most hardware stores. You can make your own crab steamer with a large pot and makeshift basket to keep the crabs out of the water.

Fill the steamer with about two inches of water. Add the crabs into the steamer. Cover the steamer and wait for steam to escape. This should take about ten minutes. Make sure the lid to the steamer is closed tightly with no gaps. Add apple cider vinegar to the water for extra flavor.

Allow the crabs to cook for another twenty to thirty minutes. The exact cooking time depends on the amount of crabs and the heat source. A dozen crabs takes fifteen minutes to cook. A half bushel takes twenty minutes to cook. A full bushel takes thirty-five minutes of cooking time.

Check the color of the crabs before removing them from the pot. The crabs should be bright orange. Dark red, reddish-green, or blue patches means that the crabs are not finished.

Remove the crabs. Place them on a platter. Sprinkle them with your favorite seasoning. Old bay is a very popular seasoning for Maryland Blue Crabs. J.O. Spice is a common seasoning, and it is often used at restaurants.

Preparing to Eat

Cover the table with newspaper. A crab feast is messy. Covering the table with newspaper makes the meal less worrisome and the clean up much faster.

Wear a bib. Wearing a bib will keep your clothes safe from the mess of the meal. It’s not a good idea to wear your best clothes to a crab feast, so consider wearing something that is not easily stained.

Set out dipping sauces. Crab feasts usually come with small dishes off melted butter. Apple cider vinegar is another favorite dipping sauce.

Decide on your tools. Use a paring knife to pick apart a crab. Use a mallet is used to crack open the claws. If you don’t want to use tools, picking apart a crab with your hands is just fine.

Eating the Crab

Remove the claws and legs. Throw away the small legs. Reserve the large claws because they can be eaten later. Some of the small legs have enough meat in them to be eaten. Check first before throwing them away. Use your hands to separate the shells. Throw way the orange top shell. Keep the apron, which is the underside of the crab.

Pull back the apron. Flip the cooked crab on its shell. The belly should be facing up. Use your hands, a paring knife, or even a claw to pull the apron back. Put your tool of choice under the apron, lift the apron, break it off, and then discard it. Male crabs have a thin apron. A female crab’s apron is wider and rounder.

Use your fingers or knife remove the gills on either side of the crab. The gills are not edible, so discard them.

Remove anything that does not look appetizing. The yellow “mustard” is called the hepatopancreas, which is a main component of the blue crab's digestive system. It is edible and considered a delicacy to some, but often thrown away.

Break the crab in half. Once it is broken in half, break each half in half again. You can use a paring knife, or you can use your hands.

Pick out the meat. Take on half of the crab, squeeze it, and then pull it open. Dig out as much meat as you can.

Open the claws. Put the claw on the table with the pincers facing up. Place the knife just behind the joint, take the mallet, and hit the knife gently until the shell cracks. Then, pull the shell off. The meat should come out whole. If this doesn’t work, use your knife and dig the meat out.