Cracking and Cleaning Live Crab

As soon as a crab (or any shellfish) is killed, it starts to lose flavor. To preserve the full freshness and taste, crab must be cut up just before cooking. Once you eat crab prepared this way, you will never want to go back to precooked crab. The texture and flavor are worlds apart. West Coast Dunge-ness crab, used here, is meatier and sweeter than the blue crabs caught in eastern waters. Their structures are identical, however, so the technique is the same for both. To keep from getting pinched, hold the crab from the back, or wear thick gloves. The cracked and cleaned crab pieces can be stir-fried or steamed. If you can’t imagine yourself cutting up a live crab, steam it for 5 minutes first, then cut it up as described here.