CRAB & LOBSTER: If you are interested in cooking live crabs and lobsters at home, here are a few hints that might be helpful.

CRAB AND LOBSTER—HOW TO PREPARE:

Crab:

1.      Pour boiling water over the live crab.

2.      Pull off hard shell and remove the “apron” underneath the gills.

3.      Break off the claws and crack the shell with a cleaver or nutcracker.

4.      Cut the body in half then into pieces. Leave legs attached to the body. 

Lobster:

   

1.      To kill live lobster: First put lobster shell-down on the work surface; then insert a chopstick into the orifice at the bottom of the tall and push it all the way to the head. Cut the claws off; then crack them with a cleaver or nutcracker. Lift off the head and discard the stomach sac and gills.  Use a cleaver to chop hard shell into halves.

2.      The humane way to kill lobster and obtain lobster meat for recipes:  Plunge live lobster into a large pot of boiling salted water. Boil for 10 minutes for a 1-2 lbs. lobster. Remove, cool then use a pair of kitchen shears to cut tails and claws open.