How to Clean Hard-Shelled Crabs

You should always buy live crab. In the words of my grandmother, ” …the crabs should be alive when you buy them, or they ain’t no good”.  That’s the rule I live by.  Today I am going to teach you how to clean a hard shell crab.

Get out a large, heavy pot.  Add water and chicken bouillon soup base, taste the water it should be salty.  Bring the water to a rapid boil.  Add the crabs to the water, head first, boil for 17-20 minutes.  Remove the crabs from the pot, set aside to drain and cool.  Hold the crab with both your hand, with your thumbs pull the upper and lower shells of the crab apart.  Throw away the orange waxy and white sponge substance along with the material that sticks to the upper shell. The edible part is the flaky mass and the small flakes in the claws.