How to Eat Maryland Steamed Crabs: A Step-by-Step Guide to Picking a Crab
A pile of steamed crabs on a paper-covered table is the Eastern Shore at its best — but if you've never picked a crab, that first one can be intimidating. Don't worry: it's easy once you know the moves, and half the fun is the slow, hands-on, no-rush ritual of it. Here's exactly how to eat a Maryland blue crab, step by step.
Set the table first
Before the crabs come out, set up for the mess — that's part of the tradition. You'll want:
- A table covered in brown paper or newspaper — crabs are messy, and cleanup is just rolling it all up at the end.
- A wooden mallet and a small knife per person for cracking claws.
- Plenty of paper towels or napkins, a roll of them, honestly.
- A bowl or bucket for the empty shells.
- Old Bay or your favorite crab seasoning, cold drinks, and sides like corn on the cob.
Picking a crab, step by step
- Remove the apron. Flip the crab on its back. The "apron" is the flap of shell along the belly — pull it off and discard it.
- Pop off the top shell. Turn the crab over, get your thumb under the back of the top shell, and pull up and forward to lift it off.
- Clean out the gills and innards. Pull off the feathery gills along each side — old-timers call them "Dead Man's Fingers" — and scoop out the innards. You don't eat the gills.
- Break the body in half. Hold each side and snap the body in two down the middle, then break each half again to expose the meat chambers.
- Pick the body meat. Work the sweet lump and backfin meat out of the chambers with your fingers or the knife tip.
- Crack the claws. Give each claw a firm tap with the mallet to crack the shell, then pull out the meat in one piece if you can.
Pro move: rub a piece of meat along the inside of the seasoned shell to pick up extra Old Bay before you eat it.
Male or female? Read the apron
The apron tells you the crab's sex, and it's a fun thing to point out to first-timers. A male crab (a "jimmy") has a long, narrow apron shaped a bit like the Washington Monument; a mature female (a "sook") has a broad, rounded apron more like the dome of the Capitol. Both eat the same — it's just part of the lore around the table.
What's the yellow "mustard"?
When you open a crab, you'll see a soft yellow substance often called the "mustard." It isn't fat — it's the crab's hepatopancreas, an organ that filters the body. Plenty of locals consider it a delicacy and eat it; others prefer to wipe it away and stick to the white meat. It's entirely a matter of taste, so try a little and decide for yourself.
A crab feast with the whole crew
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A few table tips
- Slow down. A crab feast isn't fast food — it's meant to stretch over a couple of hours of conversation.
- Heaviest crabs are fullest. When you pick from the pile, the heavier ones for their size usually have the most meat.
- Keep a "clean hand." One hand for picking, one for your drink and napkin — your phone will thank you.
- Save the claws for last if you like — they're the easy, satisfying finish to each crab.