In autumn, crabs are in season. Their meat is plump and the roe is rich, a true delicacy!
But this little devil is a challenge to eat. Every time, it's such a messy affair!
Is there an elegant way to eat them, leaving you with a sense of accomplishment after finishing just one? It's all about that Virgo-like perfectionism; I just want to eat my crab in a beautiful and refined way. Can you all understand my feelings?
The Crab Eating Tools Section
【Eight-Piece Crab Set】A must-have for you.
In the realm of gourmands, the "Eight-Piece Crab Set" once held a supreme status. To master its use at a crab feast, you need to understand the function of each tool.
Deboning Knife
This is the sharpest tool in the set and requires careful handling. It's used to pry open difficult parts or scrape meat from the shell. Since crab isn't large, not a single bit should go to waste.
Small Anvil
Essentially a small iron cutting board, its direct purpose is to hold the crab claw while you smash it open with a small mallet. It's also used for loosening the shell before cracking.
Long-handled Axe
With its unique shape, this tool is for prying open the carapace (back shell) and the apron (belly). After tapping the shell with a mallet, the large top shell can be easily removed with a gentle twist of this axe.
Skewer
Besides the roe, the tender leg meat is the most tempting part. Right now, eating it seems to rely entirely on suction. From now on, use this skewer. A gentle poke will release the entire leg meat in one piece.
Long-handled Spoon
Gently scrape the roe or crab fat with this long-handled spoon and elegantly enjoy it. Its shape is designed for the size of a crab and is especially suited for eating crab roe.
Scissors
The scissors in the set come in different styles. Their main job is to clip off legs and claws, and they can also be used when eating the large pincers.
Oblong Mallet
Lightly tap the edges of the crab's back shell with the mallet. This loosens the shell first, making it much easier and more elegant to remove later.
Pick
There are parts of the crab that should not be eaten. Using the same tool for everything isn't very hygienic. So, use this pick to remove things like the gills—it's as precise as surgery.
Crab Eating Steps Section
1) Remove the apron. Take the freshly steamed crab and give it a sniff. Break off the crab's apron to tell if it's a male or female.
2) Open the shell. The roe inside the shell is the essence of the crab. To open it, generally go from the side, leaving some roe on the body and some in the shell.
3) Eat the roe. The center of the shell holds the crab's stomach and eyes. Hold the shell with one hand and use your thumb on the other hand to push out the eyes—the whole center piece will come out. Break off the roe from the sides to eat. The center stomach part is not edible.
4) Eat the body. After the roe, it's time for the body. Remove the gills and the heart. Folk wisdom says not to eat the crab's heart, as it is considered a very "cold" food in Chinese medicine and should be discarded.
5) Eat the legs. Some people don't like crab legs because they're a hassle to eat. Actually, if you bite off both ends of a large leg, you can suck from the top end and the entire meat will come out. It can be very elegant.
6) Eat the claws. The large claws of a male crab are the trickiest to deal with and usually require tools. Divide the claw into three sections. For the first two sections, you can cut open the shell with scissors and scoop out the meat with a spoon. For the final section, the trick is to cut open both sides and then pull the two halves apart in opposite directions with your hands. The shell will separate perfectly.