How to Pick a Crab

In Baltimore and throughout Maryland, crab feasts are a time-honored summer tradition. Here's how to pick a crab like a local:

Though your hands are your best tools for eating crab, a paring knife and a mallet can come in handy, especially when dealing with the claws.

Pull the legs off-save them for cracking later-and grab the apron, a flexible shelf of cartilage on the underbelly that ends in a pointed tip.

Pull the apron back to break the crab open.

With your fingers, tear off and discard the spongy lungs, then dig out the lumps of meat underneath.

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Crack open the legs (use the mallet if you like) and pry the meat free with the knife.

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