Now that you have recipes for crabs, you’ll need to know how to pick crabs. Maryland Blue Crabs are enjoyed by many - especially in the Southern States, as families and friends alike gather together to celebrate friendship, family, and good cuisine. Having a crab feast is more of an event than a dinner. Picking a blue crab is almost an art that is mastered with practice. Don’t worry if you are a little slow in the beginning. Crab picking is not difficult but it sure helps to at least know the basics. Follow the tips below and next thing you know, you’ll be showing everyone else how to pick a crab! Don’t forget the laughter and to throw all seriousness and formality out the window. After all you’ll be eating with your fingers over newspaper!

How to Pick Crabs and enjoy a Crab Feast

What you need -
1. Cooked Maryland Blue Crabs
2. Newspapers or disposable table cloth
3. Seasoning of your choice (Old Bay recommended)
4. Butter Knives, wooden crab mallet, and/or nut crackers
5. bowl for meat
6. butter or vinegar to taste (optional)
7. trash can with large trash bag
8. Wet Naps for cleaning your hands
9. Napkins or paper towels

1. Follow the instructions on the previous page on how to cook Maryland Blue Crabs

2. Prepare your table with a disposable table cloth or newspaper

Once you have your table prepared with newspaperor a disposable table cloth, start placing the steamed crabs on the table one by one in rows, slightly overlapping the crab before it. This way everyone can see the individual crabs and pick the one(s) they want to eat.

3. Choose the crab that you want - usually the ones that are heavier are denser in meat. Also larger crabs are slightly easier to pick depending on the utensils you’re using or the size of your fingers!

4. Pull off the claws from the crab. If the crabs are cooked just right you’ll receive some meat out when you pull off the claw. If you want to pick the claw first, break the claw leg in half at the joint. Then take the handle side of your butter knife or the wooden crab mallet (whichever you have handy… a nutcracker will do too) and break open the leg. You can eat all of the meat inside - just be careful of shell. Then take the claw and break it apart. Normally when you do this, the meat will slide out. Pull the meat out with your butter knife and enjoy, dipped in butter, dipped in Old Bay Seasoning, or alone.

5. Turn the crab over and remove the apron as indicated in the photo. Take your knife, slide it under the apron, and pull the top shell off the crab. Next turn the crab over and you will see the gills and “mustard.”

6. Remove the gills and mustard with your knife. Don’t eat these! You’ll want to discard the gills and mustard. The mustard is the crab’s hepatopancreas, which is an organ that filters impurities from the crab. There have been studies performed that indicate that chemical contaminents are concentrated in the crab’s hepatopancreas, so although some people enjoy the taste of this yellowish mustardy stuff it’s recommended that you don’t eat it.

7. Break the crab in two pieces and snap off the legs. Normally you will get meat out when the legs come out. Use your knife and remove the meat from the inside chambers. You can take the 2 halves and break them apart again to expose the inner parts of the chambers where the crab meat is hiding.

Eat as you pick or set aside the crab meat into a bowl and enjoy all at once. Make sure you have some soda or beer on hand which goes really well as your drink. Also stock up on Old Bay Seasoning or buy some seasoning from the local fish house which is usually a combination of Old Bay and Sea Salt among other seasonings.

8. For Clean Up, roll up the paper and throw it away along with the crab shells!

Now you know the basics on how to pick crabs!