How To Crack Crab Like A Pro

Cracking open freshly cooked crab and removing the meat is definitely not the easiest task in the kitchen. If you are not careful and hyper vigilant, stray bits of crab shell could sneak its way into your food.

So what's the proper way to break open those suckers? Here are the five essential steps, as outlined for us by the seafood experts at Red Lobster, currently running their annual Crabfest promotion.

1. CHOOSE – First, choose a favorite type of hardshell crab. King crab, snow crab, blue crab, or wild-caught Alaskan bairdi (or tanner) crab are all good options.

2. PREPARE – Make sure you have all the right tools. You'll need a seafood cracker, a cocktail fork, and a bowl for the empty shells.

3. SEPARATE – Separate each of the legs from the cluster, breaking them off with your hands.

4. BEND – Loosen the meat in each leg by bending it forward and backward at the middle.

5. CRACK – Lastly, take one part of the leg, crack it in half with a seafood cracker, and pull the shell off to slide the meat right out. For the claw, use your seafood cracker to loosen up the shell, then pull out the meat with your cocktail fork!

Put your skills to the test and start cracking crab for any of our featured crab recipes – like these Mini Crab Cakes!

Rachael Pack is Cook Editor of The Daily Meal, Follow her on Instagram @rahael_pack