How to Dress a Soft Shell Crab

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By Aja Rivers
eHow Contributing Writer

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Blue Crab

Crabs routinely shed their hard shells as they grow. A fragile, soft shell develops beneath the hard shell. As the hard shell cracks and loosens, the crab leaves it behind, revealing a new, soft shell. Crabs in their soft shell state are especially sought after by crabbers and restaurants for their flavor and because the soft shell is edible, making them much easier to eat than hard shell crabs. However, soft shell crabs still need to be dressed.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Dressing Soft Shell Crabs

Step 1

Lift each side of the wide, top shell and scrape out or cut the whitish fringed gills with a small knife or scissors.
Step 2

Remove the mouth and eyes from the soft shell crab by cutting directly behind them in a straight line with kitchen scissors.
Step 3

Apply pressure to the top shell near the legs to expel the bile sacs.
Step 4

Remove the internal organs by scraping them out with a small knife through the opening where the eyes and mouth were, or by lifting the top shell and removing the organs with a fork.
Step 5

Turn over the soft shell crab, cut the base of its apron (abdomen) nearest to the rear legs and peel it off.
Step 6

Clean out sand and debris from the body cavity by rinsing with cold water.
Step 7

Prepare immediately or wrap in plastic, surround with ice and store in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours.
Dressed soft shell crabs also may be wrapped in multiple layers of plastic and frozen for up to six months.

Tips & Warnings

Work quickly while dressing live crabs so as to minimize their discomfort. A more humane way to dress live crabs is to lull them into unconsciousness by placing them in ice water for five to 10 minutes before dressing begins, or euthanize the crabs directly before dressing by driving a knife or ice pick through the rear of the crab's head (just below its mouth area, while crab is on its back). Frozen soft shell crab should be thawed in cold water before dressing.