“How to Clean and Prepare a Whole Snow Crab Like a Pro”
“When it comes to a special occasion table, crab dishes are the star. But many people wonder how to properly enjoy the meat inside the shell and legs. That’s why this time, we asked the staff at a gourmet online seafood retailer to show us an easy and elegant way to savor every last bit of a snow crab!”
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【Advised by】Saihoku no Kaisen Ichiba
Table of Contents
Separate the Shell and Legs
This time, we’ll show you how to break down a snow crab using mainly kitchen scissors. Start by separating the shell from the legs. If you insert the scissors into the soft area at the base of the legs, they’ll cut off easily.
This is what it looks like once separated—quite a surreal sight!
Remove the Apron from the Shell
The triangular part on the inside of the shell is called the “apron.” Hook your finger in and pull it off. If there is ice stuck on it, tap it with the scissors to remove.
Remove the Shell
Next, remove the shell. Hook your thumb into the hole created after removing the apron and pull the shell off.
Hold the underside of the shell with your left hand and peel the top off with your right hand. Be careful not to spill the crab tomalley inside!
Remove the Gills (Gani)
Once the shell is off, you’ll see the gill-like parts called “gani” on both sides of the body. These aren’t edible, so remove them.
Transfer any crab tomalley remaining in the body to the shell using a spoon. The whitish membrane stuck inside the shell is also edible.
Look at all that tomalley! What to do with it is up to you—enjoy!
Cut the Body in Half
Once you’ve transferred the tomalley to the shell, cut the body in half at the center using scissors. A knife may work more smoothly here.
Scoop Out the Body Meat
Hold one half of the body with your left hand and insert scissors vertically from the leg joint side to split it further in half.
As you open it up, you’ll see it’s packed with meat! Some even say the body meat tastes better than the legs.
Now use a crab spoon to transfer the meat to another plate! This makes it easy to scoop out the hard-to-reach body meat. You can find crab spoons at 100-yen shops, or use chopsticks or the handle of a spoon as a substitute.
Just from the body, you’ll get this much meat. Mixing it with the tomalley in the shell is an absolute treat!
Cut the Legs at the Joints
Once you’ve tackled the shell and body, move on to the legs and claws. Start by cutting at the joints, separating the thick base and the thinner end. If you hit a hard part of the shell, avoid forcing it—find a soft joint instead for an easier cut.
Cut Along the Underside of the Legs
Insert the scissors from the base toward the tip on both the top and bottom of the leg. The white underside is softer and has fewer spikes than the red top side, making it easier to cut.
Once opened—just look at that! Absolutely irresistible!
If you’re skilled, using a knife can help cleanly shave off the shell.
If done right, it’ll look just like the snow crab you get at a restaurant! The utensil on the right in the photo is a crab spoon.
Scoop Out the Leg Meat
If you’ve cut it properly, use a crab spoon or chopsticks to scoop out the meat. Then it’s time to eat—the moment you’ve been waiting for!
For the tips of the legs, use the thinner broken joint to push the meat out from the thicker part. Of course, you can also cut it open with scissors.
Don’t Forget the Claws!
The claws can also be opened just like steps 7–9. Be cautious with the tools though, as the shell is tougher.
If you open them right, you can recreate a restaurant-style crab feast at home!
Once you try breaking down a whole snow crab yourself, you’ll understand where the meat is and how much you can get. The meat is delicious on its own, but dipping it in vinegar, soy sauce, or mixing with tomalley is also amazing!
An online specialty store offering exquisite seafood from Hokkaido. They carry a wide variety of crabs including horsehair crab, snow crab, king crab, and hanasaki crab, with nationwide shipping available. Their rare Hokkaido crab sashimi and crab shabu-shabu are also highly popular!
*The information is based on the time of reporting or creation, and may differ from the current situation.
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