How to Eat Crabs

[SamSpade]

Got a question --

I've been eating crabs in Maryland for about 20 years. It's generally been my feeling that *real* Marylanders don't use mallets or knives to eat crabs. With experience, you already know how to do just about everything with your fingers. Snap off the shell, crack the legs, pull out the meat, break apart the chambers with your fingers. About the only thing you MIGHT need is the little fork, but I usually just use my teeth.

How about it? Am I wrong?

 

[blacklabman]

Got a question --

I've been eating crabs in Maryland for about 20 years. It's generally been my feeling that *real* Marylanders don't use mallets or knives to eat crabs. With experience, you already know how to do just about everything with your fingers. Snap off the shell, crack the legs, pull out the meat, break apart the chambers with your fingers. About the only thing you MIGHT need is the little fork, but I usually just use my teeth.

How about it? Am I wrong?

Soft crabs are the only way to go, unless you can get someone else to pick the crab meat for crab cake sandwiches.

 

[Lilypad]

No harm intended but-I flinch & twitch when I see folks in a bib with a mallot in hand getting ready to smash a steamed crab. What a waste.

 

[RPMDAD]

No harm intended but-I flinch & twitch when I see folks in a bib with a mallot in hand getting ready to smash a steamed crab. What a waste.

Have never ever ever used a bib or a mallot on crabs, however i have used a knife that i tap with my palm to crack the claws.

 

[jedi2814]

Got a question --

I've been eating crabs in Maryland for about 20 years. It's generally been my feeling that *real* Marylanders don't use mallets or knives to eat crabs. With experience, you already know how to do just about everything with your fingers. Snap off the shell, crack the legs, pull out the meat, break apart the chambers with your fingers. About the only thing you MIGHT need is the little fork, but I usually just use my teeth.

How about it? Am I wrong?

Only the end of a butter knife to crack the claws!!

 

[vraiblonde]

Only the end of a butter knife to crack the claws!!

Otherwise the only utensils you need are fingers.

 

[twinoaks207]

So, please explain (to a non-native Marylander -- only been here 29 years), why do the restaurants issue mallets?

 

[Hank]

So, please explain (to a non-native Marylander -- only been here 29 years), why do the restaurants issue mallets?

for the claws

 

[Blister]

Cracking claws with a mallet or butter knife handle splinters the shell. The method using the knife blade pushed through the shell with the palm allows you to snap the claw and expose the meat without mixing in shards of shell.

 

[SamSpade]

No harm intended but-I flinch & twitch when I see folks in a bib with a mallot in hand getting ready to smash a steamed crab. What a waste.

I have that reaction when I see actors on the screen smash the whole crab open with a mallet (like in "A Few Good Men" where Demi Moore destroys one). I'm reminded of Gallagher doing mayhem on watermelons.

 

[somdfunguy]

So, please explain (to a non-native Marylander -- only been here 29 years), why do the restaurants issue mallets?

Some may consider it fun or a selling point and it is just one of these things to get people in.

 

[Blister]

So, please explain (to a non-native Marylander -- only been here 29 years), why do the restaurants issue mallets?

Smart business, if you use mallets and waste 10 or 20% of the edible meat, you are still hungry and buy crab cakes, soft shells, steamed shrimp, etc. Bigger bills per table = more profit.

 

[desertrat]

Smart business, if you use mallets and waste 10 or 20% of the edible meat, you are still hungry and buy crab cakes, soft shells, steamed shrimp, etc. Bigger bills per table = more profit.

Crabs next to the road on 235 by Blue Wind. $35 for a dozen large males. Pass.

 

[Blister]

Got a question --

I've been eating crabs in Maryland for about 20 years. It's generally been my feeling that *real* Marylanders don't use mallets or knives to eat crabs. With experience, you already know how to do just about everything with your fingers. Snap off the shell, crack the legs, pull out the meat, break apart the chambers with your fingers. About the only thing you MIGHT need is the little fork, but I usually just use my teeth.

How about it? Am I wrong?

Little forks are for escargot, and Alaskan crab legs, not a standard Blue Crab eating utensil.

 

[desertrat]

Little forks are for escargot, and Alaskan crab legs, not a standard Blue Crab eating utensil.

Little forks?

 

[aps45819]

Little forks?

For the sissies that are afraid to use a knife point to pick the cavities.

I cut the body in half with the knife from front to back and then cut each half horizontally. If you make a cut through the claw shell slightly behind the joint, you can snap off the back part of the shell and expose a nice big chunk of claw meat.

I like to use my nice heavy folding Buck knife

 

[ginwoman]

So, please explain (to a non-native Marylander -- only been here 29 years), why do the restaurants issue mallets?

for the non-Smibs

 

[desertrat]

For the sissies that are afraid to use a knife point to pick the cavities.

I cut the body in half with the knife from front to back and then cut each half horizontally. If you make a cut through the claw shell slightly behind the joint, you can snap off the back part of the shell and expose a nice big chunk of claw meat.

I like to use my nice heavy folding Buck knife

No way! Well maybe.Gotta whip it out once in a while.

 

[dave1959]

So, please explain (to a non-native Marylander -- only been here 29 years), why do the restaurants issue mallets?

For the newbe's

 

[aps45819]

No way! Well maybe.Gotta whip it out once in a while.

That heavy brass handle will crack those leg sections one joint back from the claw with just a tap.

... but don't forget to rinse it off when you're done or the knife gets a little stinky