Crabs are a delicious shellfish treat that many seafood lovers look forward to cracking open. However, not every part of the crab is meant to be eaten. While the meaty claws, legs, and body offer sweet, briny flavor, some parts are unappetizing or even unsafe to consume. As you indulge in your next crab feast, make sure you know what to eat and what to avoid.
An Overview of Edible Crab Parts
The majority of a crab’s body is edible, providing a bounty of sought-after meat. Here are the prime parts that are safe and delicious to eat:
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Claws and legs – The claws and walking legs contain the largest muscles on the crab and the greatest concentration of meat. The meat is sweet, firm and flaky when extracted. Cracking the hard shells is very rewarding.
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Body – The oval-shaped body (carapax) of the crab can be cracked open to access the treasured white meat inside. It tends to be milder and more tender than the leg and claw meat.
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Knuckles – The knuckles are the joints connecting the claws to the crab’s body. They have a unique, almost crunchy texture and robust crab flavor.
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Backfin – The backfin meat comes from the area around the swimming fins and is succulent and rich-tasting. It is considered the most prized part after the claws.
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Abdomen – Referred to as the “apron,” the crab’s abdomen or tail contains smaller shreds of meat with a slightly briny tang
Parts of the Crab You Can’t or Shouldn’t Eat
While most of the crab is edible, there are certain parts that are unappetizing, potentially toxic, or unsafe to consume:
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Gills – The feathery gills are inedible and should always be discarded. They serve as the crab’s respiratory organs and have an extremely unpleasant taste that can ruin the flavor of the meat.
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Mouthparts – The crusty mouth area with mandibles is not meant to be eaten and provides minimal meat. Avoid this section.
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Intestines – Found inside the crab’s carapax, the intestinal tract has a bitter, foul taste and should be removed during cleaning.
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Eyes – The small black eyes offer very little meat and are not worth eating. Pick them off before cooking or eating the crab.
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Shell – While the shell is technically edible, it has almost no flavor and is too hard and sharp to chew. Avoid eating it to prevent choking or injury.
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Mustard – The yellow “mustard” or tomalley inside the crab can contain toxins and should only be eaten in limited quantities, if at all.
Tips for Preparing Crabs Safely
Follow these tips to enjoy crab meat fully while steering clear of inedible and unsafe parts:
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Twist off the legs and claws before cooking, then cut around the edges of the carapax to lift off the top shell.
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Scoop out and discard the grey gills, mouthparts, intestines, and mustard. Rinse well.
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Use a knife, shears or pick to extract the meat from legs, body, and knuckles.
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Avoid consuming any yellowish or greenish parts, as well as anything hard and crunchy. Stick to sweet flaky meat.
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For whole crabs, break apart the body and legs before serving so people can easily access the meat.
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Provide crab crackers, picks and knives to help diners open legs and claws to get to the goodness inside.
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Show new crab eaters how to find the delicious meat and warn them away from inedible or dangerous sections.
Common Questions about Inedible Crab Parts
Are the legs really that hard to break?
Crab claws and leg shells are extremely tough and hardened to protect the meat inside. Specialized tools like mallets, crackers and picks are required to break through the hard exoskeleton.
Can you eat the shell of soft shell crabs?
Soft shell crabs are unique in that the entire exterior shell is edible. The shell has not yet hardened, allowing the entire crab to be eaten.
Is it okay to eat the mustard or crab butter inside?
The yellow “mustard” provides rich flavor but may contain harmful algal biotoxins in some cases. It should be limited to 1-2 teaspoons or avoided entirely if you have health concerns.
What does crab roe taste like? Is it edible?
Crab roe has a fishy, salty taste reminiscent of caviar. The orange crab roe inside females is edible when fully cooked but opinions vary on its appeal.
Are crab eyes actually edible if you want to try them?
While crab eyes are technically edible, they require picking out with a toothpick and provide almost no meat or flavor. Most diners do not feel they are worth the effort.
Celebrate the Bounty of Delicious Crab Meat
Following these guidelines takes the guesswork out of what you can and can’t eat when cooking fresh crab at home. Focus on the famously delectable meat from the claws, legs, and body, and discard the gills, intestines, shell and other inedible portions. With the knowledge of which crab parts to savor and which to avoid, you can relax and make the most of this cherished seafood delicacy.
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Expert Q&ASearch
- How long does a blue crab have to be dead before it can be cooked? Anne Lloyd is a professional chef and the owner of Nolavore in New Orleans, Louisiana. Chef Anne has worked in restaurants and food service for more than 30 years. She has cooked and traveled on both coasts of the US, as well as in Europe and Southeast Asia. She is an expert at using local and regional ingredients to make dishes with flavors from around the world. She also does full-service catering, sells ready-made foods, gourmet packaged goods, pantry items, and cooking camps and classes for kids of all ages. She went to the University of California, Santa Cruz and got a BA in anthropology. The California Culinary Academy gave her an Associate of Arts in culinary arts. Anne has been to the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Summit before. Answer from Anne Lloyd, a professional chef: I think they need to be cooked live. There may be a more scientific way to answer this, but I always boil them alive.
- wikiHow Staff Editor Staff Answer: Yes, you can eat the yellow stuff in crabs. This answer was written by one of our trained researchers, who made sure it was correct and covered all the bases. The wikiHow Staff Editor Staff Answer for this is the “tomally,” which is a specialty food in many places around the world. In crabs, this organ does the work of both the liver and the pancreas. If the crabs you buy come from an area with a lot of pollution, you shouldn’t eat them because the pollution can build up in this part of the crab.
- If you ask, “Can all crabs be eaten?” the wikiHow staff editor wrote this answer, and one of our trained researchers checked it to make sure it was correct and complete. Answer by wikiHow Staff Editor: No, there is no cure for some species of crabs that are very poisonous. Most of these crabs are in the Xanthidae family, which is a big and varied group. Because of this, you should never eat crab that hasn’t been properly identified.
- Make sure you look all the way through the crab chambers to find any good meat. Thanks Helpful 3 Not Helpful 0 .
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To eat crabs, start by pulling off all the legs and claws in a twisting motion. Second, hold the top half and bottom half in each hand like you’re opening a book. Then, pull off the top shell. Then, cut the bottom half in half to get to the meat. You can use your fingers or a knife to pull it out. You can get the meat out of the claws by hitting them with the crab mallet or the hinged cracker. To learn how to prepare your table for eating crabs, keep reading!.