It’s summertime! The crabs are running and fresh seafood is calling your name, especially if you are vacationing near the ocean. Don’t ya hear it? So, Craig’s pro tip for June is going to be how to clean crabs since this may not be something most folks realize is even “a thing.” You will find the following tutorial comes in handy when making various recipes including my crabs in white wine and garlic sauce, a recipe I will be sharing shortly on my Recipes of the Month page.
I feel very fortunate to be able to obtain fresh seafood where I live and we eat it regularly, sometimes mixed with some game meat. For example, in “Changing the Game” I use my Andouille or Chorizo sausages to flavor my “Surf and Turf Jambalaya” and in some other recipes such as “My New BFF’s Shrimp and Grits” and “Almost Like Manny’s Wife’s Paella Valenciana.” Later this month, you will also see how I use my Chorizo to take grilled oysters to that next level when I post that recipe on my Recipes of the Month page. So, check back in the near future for those postings or follow me on Instagram or Facebook to see when new recipes get posted.
For the longest time when I was growing up, we seasoned and steamed our live crabs and ate them whole, working our way around the lungs, face, and yes, the “mustard” (guts). (Like getting past the face wasn’t difficult enough… and if you read “Changing The Game” you will understand guts and other “non-red” soft tissue is not my cup o’ tea.) One day we were “down the shore,” at Sue’s friend’s aunt’s house and were served freshly caught crabs that were cleaned and sauteed in garlic and oil with some Italian herbs. That’s when the little light inside my head went on noting how much more enjoyable crabs can be when you can just sit back and enjoy their white meat on its own, So, I learned from Sue’s friend’s aunt how to clean crabs and have been preparing and eating them this way ever since, in various recipes.
Cleaning crabs is relatively simple once you learn the secret to prevent them from nipping you… stun the crabs in very hot tap water. You will then be able to safely grab them. Cleaning can then be accomplished by sticking a clamming or butter knife underneath the private parts and working behind the shell then, prying upwards. This will remove the top of the shell allowing access to the organs. You can then scrape out internal organs, lungs, and face. The last step is to thoroughly rinse each crab prior to setting aside and moving onto the next one. The finished products are depicted in the following photo which is followed by my two-minute tutorial.
I hope this tutorial was helpful and will enable you to enjoy crabs that much more, just like learnings from “Changing The Game” can help you to more easily process and prepare your game meats so they are tender and delicious. Speaking of “Changing The Game,” it would make a great Father’s Day gift, so please consider obtaining a copy from your favorite online book retailer or navigating to my Buy the Book page for your copy.
