Cracking and eating stone crab claws can make them even more delicious. Below is an A to Z guide that will help you enjoy these juicy claws like a pro.
Step 1: Gather the Tools
Make sure that you have the correct tools before starting:
- A crab smasher or hammer
- Seafood fork or pick
- Small paring knife for some people (optional)
- Bowl for shells that have been discarded
- Meat plate
Step 2: Prepare Claws
If the claws are not pre-cracked, do it yourself. Cover your work area with a clean cloth or paper towels to prevent spills.
Step 3: Cracking Claws
Position the Claw: Hold up the claw in one hand so that the black tip should face away from you. The best places to crack are joints and hinge where claw bends.
Crack the Knuckle: Use crab cracker or mallet gently on shell at knuckle where claw meets body. Apply enough pressure to break shell but still keep meat intact.
Crack the Claw: Migrate to grab end of claw then carefully crack it at several points. Avoid crushing shell into meat by any means necessary; just a few light taps will serve this purpose.
Remove Shell: Use your fingers or small knife once shell has cracked peel it off showing tender meat inside. Take time and aim at keeping large pieces of meat so as to facilitate dipping and eating thereof easily.
Step 4: Extract Meat
To get out smaller parts of claw and joint use seafood fork, pick or toothpick. Carefully cajole out the flesh without breaking it down too much into tiny bits.
Check for Shell Pieces Before consuming ensure there are no small bits of shell left in your mouth after biting through stone crab meat take note of such fragments remove them if found there because they can be harmful.
Step 5: Enjoy Meat
Stone crab meat is usually served chilled with various dipping sauces. Below are some traditional ones:
Mustard Sauce: It is a combination of Dijon mustard, mayonnaise, lemon juice and Worcestershire sauce. This tangy sauce balances the sweetness of the crab.
Melted Butter: Plain butter melted with a squeeze of lemon juice enhances the natural taste of the crab.
Lemon Wedges: When it comes to rich crab meat, fresh lemon juice acts as a bright acidic contrast.
Step 6: Savor Each Bite
Dip your meat into your preferred sauce and savor every mouthful. Stone crab has an exquisite sweet succulent flavor which makes this experience really gourmet-like.
Pro Tips for Cracking and Eating
Be Gentle: Only crack shell enough so as not to mash up flesh within. Although stone crabs have thick hard shells, their flesh is very tender.
Take Your Time: Enjoy cracking and eating food slowly – it's fun!
Serve with Side Dishes: Add other dishes like coleslaw, roasted potatoes or crisp salad on your stone crab platter to complete menu plan.
At the outset, it may appear daunting to crack and eat stone crab claws; however, once you are used to it, you will have a great time just like other people who know how. These practices below will help you get through this luxurious seafood indulgence whether consumed in an upscale eatery or at home.