The Ultimate Guide to Picking the Finest Crab: How to Ensure Tender Meat and a Bounty of Roe

## How to Choose the Best Crab for a Delicious Meal

Steer clear of overly docile-looking crabs

The tastiest crabs are those that have been recently caught or harvested. Older crabs may appear large and feel heavy, but their meat has likely shrunk. To select the best crab, choose one that is active and has good reflexes. Avoid slow-moving or overly docile crabs as they are likely weak and have less meat.

Avoid crabs with a sunken apron

When buying crabs, pay attention to their apron (the flap just below the crab’s head). Fresh, meat-filled crabs will have a firm apron that doesn’t sink or break when pressed. Crabs with a sunken apron are usually weak and lack meat.

Female crabs will have a wider apron, but if it’s surrounded by hair, it means the crab has reproduced multiple times, affecting the taste of its meat. On the other hand, crabs with visible eggs under their apron tend to have more roe, sweeter meat, and a richer flavor.

If you press down on the apron and see fresh, bright red roe, go for it! This is a sure sign of a crab abundant in roe.

Examine the spines on the crab’s shell

The spines on a crab’s shell can tell you its age. Short, small, and brittle spines indicate a young crab, while larger, sturdier, and evenly spaced spines belong to an older crab.

Pay attention to the crab’s color

The most delicious crabs will have a darker color. Ideally, the color of the claws and the shell should be similar, indicating sweet and flavorful meat. Darker claws also signify an older crab. Younger crabs have lighter-colored claws and meat that is less firm and less tasty. Fresh crabs will also have a brighter-colored apron.

Smart shoppers also avoid buying crabs during the full moon. Crabs bought around this time are more likely to be weak and soft. The best time to buy crabs is during the new moon or the last and first quarters, as well as moonless nights, when crabs are at their plumpest and meatiest.

Tips for preparing crabs

When you get your crabs home, don’t put them directly into water as they may die from temperature shock. Crabs should be cooked soon after they die, as the taste will not be as good otherwise. Instead, keep them in a cool, moist place and sprinkle them with water from time to time to prevent them from drying out.

It’s best not to cut the strings binding the crabs’ claws until after they have been dispatched. Otherwise, you may be in for a challenging and potentially dangerous task, with the crabs scuttling across your kitchen. Instead, use a sharp object to pierce the apron, immobilizing them, before removing the strings. Alternatively, you can place the bound crabs in ice water to stun them before preparing them.