How To Pick A Crab: A Southern Maryland Guide To Cracking Blue Crabs

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CALIFORNIA, Md. — If you’ve ever been handed a steaming Maryland blue crab, a wooden crab mallet and a knife, you may have wondered, “Now what?” While picking crabs may look like a skill mastered only by locals, anyone can learn how to crack and pick a crab by following a few simple steps.

With crab season in full swing, now is the perfect time to pull up a chair, roll up your sleeves and join one of Southern Maryland’s favorite summertime traditions. There is no better time than now to get cracking.

Captain Leonard’s Seafood employee Nicole Showalter has worked at the well-known restaurant for more than 10 years. During her time at Captain Leonard’s Seafood, she’s done more than serve and greet customers with a smile. She’s also become a teacher, showing first-time visitors the art of picking crabs the Southern Maryland way.

“We just bring one to the edge of their table and do it,” she told The BayNet. “The easiest way for people to learn is by doing it with them.”

That’s exactly what she did, walking us through each step of the process.

Here are the 10 simple steps Captain Leonard’s Seafood recommends for cracking and picking a Maryland blue crab, Southern Maryland style.

Step 1:
Place the crab on its back. Make sure your tools are nearby. You’ll need a knife, a crab mallet and a bucket for shells and scraps. Carefully use the knife to lift and remove the apron, which is the flap on the underside of the crab. Drain any excess liquid into your bucket.

Step 2:
Once the liquid has drained, use your knife or fingers to remove the top shell, also known as the carapace. This will expose the inside of the crab.

Step 3:
Use your knife to remove the crab’s gills, intestines and other organs. Many locals refer to the gills as “dead man’s fingers.” According to the Institute for Environmental Research and Education, these spongy, soft pieces can hold toxins and may be contaminated with bacteria.

Step 4:
After removing the inedible parts, trim off the front portion of the body to make it easier to access the meat.

Step 5:
Twist and pull the legs away from the body. Meat can be found in the legs, so don’t toss them aside. Next, remove the claws. Crack each claw in half, then use your knife and crab mallet to break open the shell and expose the meat inside.

Step 6:
You should now be left with the body of the crab. Break it in half. As you work, place all shells and scraps into your bucket.

Step 7:
Use your knife to cut off the knuckles from each half of the body. This creates easier access to the meat during the final steps.

Step 8:
Carefully slice the body in half. This will reveal the chambers filled with crab meat.

Step 9:
Use your fingers or knife to remove all the meat from one half of the body. Take your time and be careful not to eat any shell fragments.

Step 10:
Repeat the process with the remaining half of the crab, then sit back and enjoy your freshly picked Maryland blue crab.

Around Southern Maryland, no two crab feasts are exactly alike, and everyone has their own crab-picking technique. How do you pick your crabs? Share your tips in the comments below!

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