The Ultimate Guide to Eating Fried Crab Claws

Fried crab claws are a delicious treat that many seafood lovers enjoy. But eating crab claws can be a bit tricky if you don’t know the proper technique. In this comprehensive guide, we will walk you through everything you need to know about how to eat fried crab claws from cracking and picking the meat to dipping sauces and claw meat recipes.

Crab claws are the large, powerful pincers that crabs use for hunting, defense and feeding. The claws are packed with sweet succulent meat that is considered a delicacy. Popular varieties of crab served in claws include snow crab, king crab, and stone crab.

Crab claws are harvested by fishermen and sold pre-cooked or raw Raw claws need to be cooked before eating Boiling and steaming are popular cooking methods, but deep frying in oil is also common and yields delicious, crispy claws. The fried coating seals in moisture and provides a tasty crunch.

When buying crab claws, look for claws that are heavy for their size and without cracks or blemishes. Make sure the shell looks clean. The meat should have a pleasant, mild aroma without any fishy or ammonia scents. Refrigerate fresh claws for no more than 2 days before cooking.

How to Crack Open Crab Claws

Cracking open crab claws takes a bit of finesse. Here are some tips for getting the meat out efficiently:

• Use a crab mallet, small hammer, or the back of a chef’s knife to crack the shell. Tap firmly on the main hinge connecting the movable pincer to the body of the claw.

• Apply pressure along the edges to break apart the shell. Work slowly to avoid shattering the meat inside.

• For stubborn claws, use lobster crackers to break through the shell. Position the claw inside the crackers and squeeze the handles to crack the shell.

• Twist and pull the pincers off the base of the claw once cracked to fully expose the meat.

• Use crab forks, picks, or even your hands to pull meat out of narrow openings.

Go slowly when cracking to keep the meat as intact as possible. Cracking claws takes some practice, so don’t get discouraged!

Picking Crab Claw Meat

Once the shell is cracked, it’s time to pick out the meat. Fried crab claws contain large chunks of meat as well as smaller pieces lodged into crevices. Follow these steps for picking:

• First, remove the larger, easy-to-grab chunks. Pinch and lift gently to keep the meat intact.

• Next, use a small crab fork, pick, or toothpick to pluck out any small pieces stuck in nooks of the shell.

• Turn the claw over and pick out any meat on the underside and narrow interior channels.

• For hard-to-reach spots, you can also crack the shell further into smaller pieces.

• Check for any residual meat and juices left in the open claw cavity once finished picking. Scoop out and enjoy!

Take your time picking to get all of that delicious fried meat out. Don’t throw away pieces that are stuck together until you’ve broken them apart to salvage all the crab.

Dipping Sauces for Fried Crab Claws

Fried crab claws are fantastic on their own, but dipping sauces take them to the next level. Here are some popular pairings:

• Lemon butter: Melt butter and mix with fresh lemon juice and zest. Bright and tart.

• Cocktail sauce: Combine ketchup, horseradish, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and other spices. A classic crab pairing.

• Aioli: Whip together mayonnaise, garlic, lemon juice, and cayenne pepper. Rich and pungent.

• Sweet chili sauce: Mix chili sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and ginger. Sweet with a kick.

• Tartar sauce: Stir together mayonnaise, pickles, capers, onions, lemon juice, and dill. Cool and creamy.

• Drawn butter: Clarified butter served warm for dipping. Let the sweet crab shine.

Get creative and make your own signature crab claw dipping sauce! Serve sauces in small ramekins for easy dipping.

Tackling a Whole Fried Crab

While fried crab claws are the most popular appetizer, you can also fry whole crabs for a full meal. Follow this process for eating fried whole crab:

• Twist off the claws and legs to start picking there first, where the largest chunks of meat are.

• Use a knife or cracker to pry open the main body shell and remove the top shell.

• Scoop out the brown crab meat from the main cavity. This is the delicacy!

• Break apart the remaining legs and use your pick to extract the leg meat.

• Don’t forget the swimmerets under the main shell, which contain small but sweet nuggets of meat.

It takes more time and effort to pick a whole crab but it’s worth it for the abundant meat. Spread out a table covering for easy cleanup. Serve with melted butter, lemon wedges, and crab tools.

Handling Crab Shells and Mess

Cracking and picking crab claws can get messy, so come prepared:

• Cover your workspace with newspaper, butcher paper, or plastic tablecloths to catch the debris.

• Provide empty bowls for shell discard as you work.

• Keep moist towelettes or paper towels handy for cleaning your hands.

• Use a plastic bib to protect your clothing from grease splatters and flying shell fragments when cracking.

• Avoid clothing that can easily stain and be careful of hot frying oil.

• Place claw meat on a fresh plate after picking—don’t eat directly off the messy table.

• Soak dishes in hot, soapy water to loosen greasy residue after eating.

With some precautions, you can crack, feast, and clean up crab without too much hassle or waste.

Storage and Reheating Fried Crab Claws

Here are some tips for storing and reheating leftover fried crab claws:

• Pick any remaining meat from uncooked shells and refrigerate in sealed containers for 2-3 days. Discard empty shells.

• Place uneaten fried claws in a sealed bag or container. Refrigerate for up to 3 days.

• When ready to reheat, arrange claws on a baking sheet and cook in a 350°F oven for 5-10 minutes until hot and crispy.

• For claw meat, simply heat in the microwave or gently pan fry until warmed through.

• Refrigerate any leftover dipping sauces and use within 3-4 days.

Proper storage keeps the remaining crab meat fresh and safe to enjoy again later. Reheating returns the crispiness to fried claws.

4 Delicious Recipes Using Fried Crab Claw Meat

Looking to do more with your crab claw meat than just dunking in butter? Here are 4 stellar recipes to try:

1. Crab cakes: Mix claw meat with breadcrumbs, egg, onions, Old Bay seasoning, and lemon juice. Form into patties and pan fry in oil.

2. Crab salad: Toss cooled crab pieces in a bowl with mayonnaise, celery, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Chill before serving.

3. Crab claw soup: Simmer claw meat in broth with veggies, parsley, thyme, garlic, and rice or pasta.

4. Crab stir fry: Sauté claw meat with sesame oil, soy sauce, ginger, veggies, and noodles or rice. Top with toasted sesame seeds.

From appetizers to main dishes, crab claw meat adds rich flavor and texture. Get creative and use it in pastas, sandwiches, tacos, eggs Benedict, and more!

Tips for Eating Crab Claws Perfectly

Master the art of eating fried crab claws with these final pro tips:

• Serve claws immediately after frying so they stay ultra hot and crispy.

• Provide small mallets, crackers, picks, and forks so everyone can easily extract the meat.

• Use a hot sauce or spice blend in the coating to kick up the flavor. Old Bay is perfect.

• Chill the claws before frying for 15-30 minutes so coating adheres better.

• Fry claws in batches to prevent overcrowding and sogginess.

• Mix up your dipping sauce lineup to keep things interesting.

• Balance rich claws with something fresh like lemon wedges, coleslaw, or cucumber salad.

• Use high heat and fry claws for 2-3 minutes until golden brown. No soggy claws!

• Provide moist towelettes and extra napkins for a convenient cleanup.

• Slow down and savor the flavors! Cracking into hot crab claws is a messy joy.

Now you have all the tools and know-how needed to cleanly and expertly crack, pick, dip, and feast on delicious fried crab claws. Get your bib on and enjoy this classic seafood appetizer the right way. Just be ready to get your hands dirty and have an awesome time in the process!