We usually catch a good many blue crabs. I have always hated eating crabs the way they are traditionally cooked (in the shell with the lungs and intestines). A friend from Port Mansfield gave me some tips on cooking crabs. Pop the shell while they are alive, and use a water nozzle to wash them out. So nice and clean; so easy to eat. I usually boil at least 3 dozen at a time. We wine and dine, then freeze what is left for crab cakes, hot crab dip, crab balls, and stuffing flounder. So delicious. I added three pounds of shrimp to the crabs this go round.

i had crabs once

Hey Willie, that sounds deeelicious! I've always cooked them the traditional way with the guts and all. It is kinda gross. whats the technique for poppping the shells while they are still alive?

Break the front arms off. grab the very back legs (the ones they use to swim with) turn it upside down so the horns are in between index and thumb. pull back and the shell should pop right off. SOme of them maybe a little hard to do but once you get it down your set to go.

try putting them on ice first... that pretty much knocks them out then you can skip the step of breaking off any arms... plus there is less blood loss on your part

y'all are makin' me hungry! man those look good....

Wash the crab out are you crazy thats the best part!

If you like the internals, more power to you. I've had some Cajun friends that like that part of them too. And I was raised in Louisiana; I just find that distasteful.

Putting on ice is a good thing to make them easier to handle. I don't break the legs or claws off. I do wear good heavy vinyl gloves. The shells will cut you. I merely catch the back left flipper with my left hand, hook my right thumb under the point on that side, and force the shell up. I have better luck with them laying belly down on a cleaning table. I then rub the lungs with my hand to break them loose, remove the genitals, break the face off and wash the crab out. I've had a few grab me, so if you're not used to handling crabs, I would follow the advice of the other poster and ice them down for a little while.

Thanks Willie. I'll definitely try that technique.