Classic Crab

Method/Steps

1. Fill a very large pot with the water. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat, about 45 minutes. Grasp each crab from the back, between the ledges and plunge it headfirst into the water. Use tongs to immerse crabs completely. Cover pot, reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes.

2. Drain crabs and let stand until cool enough to handle, about 15 minutes.

3. To clean and crack each crab, pull off the triangular flap from the belly side. Pull body away from the back shell. Pour juices from the back into a bowl; also scoop the soft white crab fat and yellow butter from the shell into the bowl. Discard stomach sack.

4. Pull off and discard red membrane and soft gills from body, and scoop yellow crab butter into bowl. Pull off boney mouth paddles and add to shells. Cover and chill crab butter mixture and all shells separately.

5. Rinse crab bodies under cool running water. With a nutcracker or mallet, crack the shell of each leg and claw section, hitting on the narrow edges. With a knife, cut bodies into quarters.

6. Serve crabs warm or cool, plain or with garlic butter for dipping. Use the leg tips to extract meat from shells. Save shells for crab broth. Cover and chill crabs until ready to use.