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Crack open a crab

By Steve Bain

Jan 26, 2026

Home butcher STEVE BAIN demonstrates how to prepare a crab for cooking.

This photo sequence shows you how to prepare a typical male crab ready for steaming. In this case, it is a sand crab or blue swimmer crab.

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Step 1: Start with a sand crab (aka ‘blue swimmer crab’).

Step 2: To begin removing the crab’s shell, lift the triangular flap on the underside of the carapace. The narrow flap indicates this crab is a male.

Step 3: Here the triangular flap is fully levered back as far as it can go.

Step 4: Now get your thumbs into the rear of the carapace, either side of the triangular flap.

Step 5: Push down with your thumb and the carapace will ‘pop’ away from the crab’s body. Next, move your hands so that one hand is levering the carapace and the other hand is prying the body upwards.

Step 6: The upper shell (carapace) separated from the crab’s meaty body.

Step 7: Remove the innards.

Step 8: The shell and ‘muck’ are removed. With practise, you will get most of the innards off/out when you remove the shell — and hopefully you’ll only need to do a little bit of plucking and cleaning with your fingertips.

Step 9: Grab either side of the body and, bending about the middle of the crab’s body, snap the crab in half. Then give it a little clean in salty water.