Even though I worked in a Crab House for years and that is the method we used to cook the crabs, I still come back to cooking them the way I learned growing up. Cooking crabs whole like that leaves a mess to deal with when eating. Delicately crack right in the middle and once at the place where the claws start. Do one final rinse under the water and place clean crabs in a bowl and set aside. With your crabs now clean it is time to cook them. front pry up and forward to remove shell. Lay crab on its back and using the knife remove the apron/abdomen of the crab. These two methods will allow you to pick up the crab and not have to worry about being bit. When you think of cooking blue crabs you usually think of heaping them into a huge pot and steaming them alive. Since you know longer have the shell on the crab it takes a lot less time for you to cook the crabs then it normally would. I still prefer if the Asian store could clean it for me. You can ice them down real good. Place lid on the pot and bring it to a boil. Once you have them sedated you will need a knife, running water, a huge trash bag and a place to put the clean crabs. Put thumb on back of top shell fingers on You can place them in very hot water 2. Then, pull the lungs and other yucky guts items off. for sauteing. Shake or roll the claws in the flour. Many people like to throw live crabs right into a pot of boiling water to cook. in to sections. a, b, and a (these are the lungs and innards). She has recently taken her love for blue crabs online and you can follow her post, videos, advice and recipes at http://blue-crabs.blogspot.com/, Article Source: There are two ways to tell a male from a female crab. https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Audrey_Ostoyic/624037, Food and Drink: Cooking-Tips While rinsing under running water, remove the dead men gills and any guts that were left in the crab, being very careful not to remove any of the white flesh/meat. Holding the crab claws by the claw shell, dip the meaty part into the egg wash, and then dredge them in the flour again. We will never sell or rent your email address. Audrey Ostoyic  |   To keep blue crabs alive, store them inside of a cooler or bushel basket in a damp, chilly, and well-ventilated area. Then, make a cut lengthwise on each compartment to reveal the sweet, savory white meat. A male crabs' claw is bright blue while a female is red. By keeping the blue crabs frozen at 0°F, it can stay safe for consumption indefinitely. Once it’s past that point, the crab will still be safe to eat, but the quality of it will start to diminish.