For all you crab lovers out there who enjoy nothing more than feasting on whole crabs but refrain from eating them more often than you’d love to, we do understand your pain. Yes, eating crabs can turn quite messy and the task itself can be daunting for so many. But make no doubt about it – crabs are so succulent and delicious and nothing should keep you away from eating this great meal. That being said, we are going to share with you our list of 5 must-have crab utensils you can rely on to eat a whole crab or crab legs. Whatever variety of crab meals placed in front of you, these 5 crab utensils are going to serve you well and save your hands while digging into your delicious Maryland blue crabs.
Crab Knife
A versatile tool able to pick apart the crab, crab knives are particularly helpful when removing the apron (that triangular-looking shell on the crab’s belly) and the gills under the carapace (top shell). Crab knives may be miniature but they are nonetheless heavy enough to delicately pick apart the meat.
Crab Mallet
With long handles that have small solid heads, crab mallets are best used in splitting a crab’s claws open. Crab mallets are always designed in such a way that they are always lightweight so that you don’t make the mistake of smashing the shell of the crab into little bits when trying to have it opened. When you own a crab mallet, it saves you lots of time when trying to eat whole crabs.
Crab Bib
If you want to keep your clothes safe from a great but messy meal of crabs, then a crab bib is a must-have. Crab bibs are disposable and can be thrown away at the end of every crab feast. White and featuring an illustration of a big red crab on them, crab bibs might not be the most fashionable of assets but they do get the job done
Crab Cracker
Crack crabbers work in a similar fashion to nutcrackers. They are used to crack the hard shells of crabs by pulling the two handles together to reach the flesh inside whilst eating them. By putting the grips around the shell and squeezing the handles together, you are able to crack the shell to access the crab meat within.
Seafood Picks
Featuring a small spoon at one end and a tiny two-pronged fork at the other, Seafood picks help to scoop the meat out of the legs of the crab. Thin and long, they reach deep down into the legs of the crab so that you don’t waste even a morsel of meat.
So there you have it. We certainly hope our suggestions for handy crab utensils will get you all geared up for your next crab boil or dinner party.