Dungeness crab can be a delicious meal.You can prepare and enjoy dungeness crab at home.It is important to cook, serve, and clean crab to enjoy its full decadence.When dungeness crab is on the menu, your taste buds will be celebrating!
Step 1: Pick a pot large enough to hold the crabs.
It's important that the crabs fit into the pan with at least 3 inches of space between the top of the water and the rim.To check, you need to grab the crabs by the back of the shell, put them in the pan, and look for some spare room.After you have checked, take the crabs out.If you don't like handling or boiling live crabs, you can kill them by flipping them up and whacking them on the underside with a knife.
Step 2: Put the pot in the water.
One of the simplest ways to cook crab is by boiling water.Bring the pot to a rolling boil by filling it with tap water.Add 2 cup of sea salt per 1 gallon of water to retain their salty-sweet flavor.You can add any seasonings to the water, but not so much that you lose the crab flavor.A good choice of salt is Kosher salt.Add 2 cup per 1 gallon of water to make it taste like seawater.If you don't know how much water you have, add salt to the water until it tastes salty.The Old Bay Seasoning should be added to every 1 gallon of water.
Step 3: The crabs should be put in the boiling water.
Once the water is at a rolling boil, grasp each crab at the back of their shells and put them in a pot.It's possible to use tongs or your hands for this, but be careful.If the water rises to less than 3 inches between the rim of the pot and the ground, stop and ladle some out.The crabs should be grabbed with an oven mitt or towel.The crabs will be boiled for 12 to 15 minutes if the pot is left uncovered.
Step 4: While the crabs are cooking place ice water in a pan.
The ice water bath will prevent the meat from getting too hot since the water inside the shells will continue to boil after removing them from the pot.It will be easier to clean them if they are cooling.The ice water bath can be placed in close proximity to the stove.
Step 5: After 12 to 15 minutes of boiling, use tongs to transfer crabs.
If you want the water to not be at a rolling boil when you transfer the crabs, you should turn off the stove at the 12 minute mark.Carefully grab each crab by the shell and place them in the ice bath.The steam will be very hot.You should wear an oven mitt.
Step 6: When the shells are warm, remove them from the ice bath.
After 10 minutes in the ice bath, poke one or two of the shells with your finger to see if they cooled down enough.They should be warm and comfortable to handle.If the insides feel hot, leave them in the ice bath for 5 or 10 more minutes before testing again.Add more ice water to cover crabs if they are exposed.Place them on a large cutting board to be cleaned after they have cooled to a comfortable handling temperature.
Step 7: The crabs should be on a cutting board.
The crab needs to be cleaned properly to get rid of the guts and things you won't want to eat.Make sure they are cool enough to handle it, because you will be taking it apart piece by piece.This is going to get messy if you don't have a kitchen towel and apron.
Step 8: The belly flap is triangular.
The crab's hind legs are connected by a belly flap, or anapron, in the middle of the belly.Pull the flap up toward you and tear it off at the base if you can locate the tip of it near the middle of the belly.Run water will wash away any debris.
Step 9: Remove the shell by flipping it over.
Use your thumb and fingers to pry open the crab shell from the rear end.The shell should come off easily because of the loosened tissues.The shell has liquid in it.The golden crab butter looks like yellow mush and is considered a delicacy if you scoop it from the shell.You can spread it on top of the crab meat or stir it into the butter.If you don't serve the crab right away, cover the small bowl of crab butter with plastic wrap and put it in the refrigerator.
Step 10: The guts should be removed from the center body.
If the shell doesn't come off, use your fingers to pull it away as well as any leftover pieces.You can discard the guts with your fingers or spoon.A good rinse under a strong stream of running water is what you should do.Rinsing after each step of the cleaning process helps wash away debris and will keep your station as clean as possible.
Step 11: Remove the gills with a spoon.
The long, leafy-looking gills that run along the sides of the body can be removed using a spoon or thumb.They should come off easily.If you see any crab butter in the center of the crab, scoop it into a small serving bowl and rinse the whole crab with running water.Don't rinse away meat.
Step 12: The crab needs to be pulled in half with your hands.
With the belly side still facing down, grasp each side of the crab with the legs facing your palms and pull it apart.If you need to, you can wriggle it up and down.This is a good time to wipe down your work station if you have a towel.
Step 13: Take off the legs and claws with your fingers.
Hold one leg of the crab in your right hand and grab the body and other legs with your left hand, then twist and pull the leg away from the rest.The meat should come off with each leg.This is a twisting maneuver for the legs and claws.If you don't serve them right away, put the legs and claw in a sealed bag or container and enjoy them within 2 days.They can be frozen in a vacuum-sealed bag for months.
Step 14: If you want to eat easier, smash the shells with a mallet.
It's easier to take out and eat the meat at the table if you pre-crack the shells with a small hammer.The areas just above and below the joints are where you will find the easiest meat access.If the shells are pre-cracked, you won't have to apply as much force.If you want to eat them a few hours later, cover and chill them.
Step 15: The garlic butter dipping sauce should be prepared.
The classic accompaniment to dungeness crab is melted butter.Place 1 cup of salted butter into a small saucepan with 2 cloves of garlic and heat on low until it's fully melted.Once it is melted, pour it through a small sieve into a medium-sized bowl.Each person will get one dipping saucer to eat.Add a pinch of ground thyme to the butter and it will melt for an extra zing of decadent flavor.If you saved the crab butter during the cleaning process, you can use it to make a dipping butter.
Step 16: To get to the leg and claw meat, use a seafood cracker.
The tough shells of dungeness crab require seafood crackers to open them.They are similar to nut crackers and can be found at your local grocery store.To squeeze the two handles, place the cracking grips around the legs just above or below the joints.The cracker's grips get a firm hold on the shell if the leg is moved around.You might have to do a few cracks on different sides of the shell to break it open.You might have to use two hands to squeeze the handles together, especially on the legs and claws.
Step 17: Take out the meat with a seafood pick.
A seafood pick has a spoon at one end and a fork at the other, perfect for reaching deep into the legs to pull out that juicy meat.If you want to loosen up the meat before you scoop it out, place the fork end into the shell and move it around the perimeter.If you don't have a seafood pick, a long, small object like a knife or toothpick will work, but you might not get all the meat.
Step 18: You can dip the meat in melted butter.
Once you have your crab meat on the small fork, dunk it into your saucer of dipping butter and enjoy!You can add a small amount of crab butter to the meat if you saved it from the cleaning process.If you want to add a bit of flavor to your meal, put a small amount of wasabi on each bite of meat.A small wedge of lime can be used to squeeze on the crab meat.