How to Break Down Fresh Crab Like a Pro - Kitchen Conundrums with Thomas Joseph

Eating succulent and delicious crab meat right of the shell can be incredibly rewarding but it can also feel like a daunting task if you don’t have the right technique. Thomas Joseph gives a few simple tips and tricks, so roll up your sleeves and get ready to dive in without hesitation!
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Sarah Carey is the editor of Everyday Food magazine and her job is to come up with the best ways to make fast, delicious food at home. But she's also a mom to two hungry kids, so the question "What's for dinner?" is never far from her mind -- or theirs, it seems! Her days can get crazy busy (whose don't?), so these videos are all about her favorite fast, fresh meals -- and the tricks she uses to make it all SO much easier.
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[@Daveliuhk]

just saying, the first person who ate crab was really brave

[@HoodedChaosProductions]

Pretty sure it was an ancient times things where people needed food, but then discovered it was delicious.

[@jonathanng138]

Bruh I never understood how westerners always found crabs disturbing. Even before I had crab I just wanted to eat every meat out there

[@ilovesparky13]

Jonathan Ng Now THAT is disturbing.

[@Vkonto]

After preparing the crab check this crab curry out kzbin.info/www/bejne/gqPRfZWGp9Sbmdk

[@kamarilove8086]

M mmmmm

[@detroit7543]

I imagine doing meat separation like him and my siblings just steal all the meat i've collected in the bowl.. i think that is what the mallet for :)

[@tannerz21gaming65]

Mas Rifqi to break the crab or to smack theM? XD

[@Alice15210]

Hahaha

[@ricksundberg5659]

You're absolutely correct, if they go for the crab meat you make sure they pull back a bloody stump.

[@Ena48145]

😂

[@ProjectCarthage2004]

Exactly. I like to use the mallet and aim for the head first. That way they won't come back. Ever

[@Species710]

Good, detailed information. I now know that I never want to do this.

[@coolcool2686]

Species710 😂😂

[@drinponce2544]

Gubble

[@sirik9415]

Species710 😂

[@82laina]

Species710 😂😂

[@fishguts7730]

You said it way before I could

[@ViETxSOULJAx]

The mustard is actually called “Crab Butter” which is a delicacy. -work at a restaurant that specializes in crabs.

[@dominiccangelosi5433]

No people in MD call it Mustard and were the big crab people

[@jahmeelahmuddathir4560]

Crab mustard, crab butter, but what it really is,is crab DOOKIE

[@neno3123]

That depends on the state/country Marylanders call it Mustard.

[@EricWestMusic]

You guys are correcting the terminology but not acknowledging the waste

[@dawitchdr710]

It’s hepatopancreas. An organ the filters impurities from the crabs blood

[@raquelflechero7956]

I used to eat crab as a child every weekend and I never realized how expensive it was until I was a adult. Living close to the ocean has its perks. You get to eat good fresh sea food.

[@Skittlez0553]

Being from Maryland, where we are absolute experts on breaking down crabs, i will say he has some good information, like steaming them instead of boiling, but also some unnecessary information too, like breaking off the legs first. You can actually leave them on, and break it down so when you have to pick it out of the crevices, you don't need to use the fork or skewer. Go to maryland, and as a local how to pick, i guarantee that it will be a great learning experience and you might make a friend.

[@dawnshackleford355]

I have heard the mustard colored stuff is a kind of pancreas, & you should NOT, eat it, as it filter out any toxic stuff that crab may have eaten or been subjected to in the wild waters of the ocean!!

[@peid178]

the "Mustard" thingy is called Aligi here in the philippines and swear it tastes divine ... the liquid the you wasted tastes soooo good too .. btw my fave food is crab so this vid is helpful tho

[@janawehbe172]

What does it taste like?

[@nicolasbastos133]

+JanaWehbe crab

[@amcq214able]

like heaven! haha I am puerto Rican and we eat the whole thing. its my favorite part of the crab.

[@polarisyt4938]

omg same! in the ph! we also eat the meat from the legs and the aligi is so sarap! hehe

[@janekim5137]

+JanaWehbe it taste like a strong crab flavor. You can actually make dips with that liquid (eat the crab meat with the dip...maybe cook it with coconut oil, whatever). But be careful! it has lots of cholesterol with it (after tasting it, for me it's worth the kcals XD). I remember there was a time where a TV show here in Philippines featured someone who became rich after selling crab paste (cooked Aligi) at his hometown and later on exported his products. Pretty interesting if u ask me.

[@ricksundberg5659]

I know he is just explaining this stuff but it should take about 10 seconds to part out and clean a crab. It should take about 5 minutes to clean an entire crab and there should be 30% weight retention in a full hard shell dungeness crab. People here in northern CA do not use the term "mustards", we call that material "butters". If you were selling cracked crab in San Francisco and tossed the butters in with the shells...an Asian guy would pop up out of no where and slap you, that stuff is a delicacy to them. The membranes in the legs follow right into the body meat and should peel away into sections very easy to get the body meat out. There is a technique you pick up on about the hundredth crab you pick and clean in a day.

[@MantraHerbInchSin]

Good butter is the best. Well, the best is when it's full of roe and butter. I got 3 last year that were completely smack full with roe and butter. I could take out the entire piece that filled the body and just ate it like a sandwich. Good times. Crab meat on a baguette with a little bit majonaise, a beer and I am a happy dude

[@snusmumriken232]

Thanks I have only ever eaten crab in the Bay and seeing all this east coast crab stuff is completely foreign to me lol.

[@aardraa]

You are a life saver. I was literally watching this while trying to eat crab legs at Red Lobster. 😂😂😂

[@Promandark]

Don't eat lobster pls It has diseases

[@FallenAngelZero00]

This was expertly done and explained so even a novice could understand. I liked this video very much.

[@fabiO-cl1pj]

Thank you! This is the third video I watched and the MOST easy to follow along.

[@chocmilkshake24]

"Crabs are the pistachio of seafood" -- Jim Gaffigan

[@vc400]

Lol! I remember when i was a kid we dont use ant tools. To crack the leg we use teeth...😁

[@syedshufkatali6585]

and now , to crack your teeth you only have to use crab leg I guess. chew it!

[@rishika1316]

@@syedshufkatali6585 😂😂🤯

[@BeeCoolCat]

Aww ❤❤❤ Thank you for this video! I can now eat the crabs well without wasting a lot of meat. And not to hurt myself and get wounded by opening its parts.

[@experimenteks3974]

Love to eat crabs with rice. Whenever I break the crabs I make sure that "mustard" is on my rice. It makes for great eating.

[@kem15]

did you feel it Mr.Crab ??!

[@Boarhaven]

ah Poo im so sorry to ruin this but its spelled Krabs

[@rainandpetalsss6244]

Art thou feeling it now, Mr. Krabs?

[@redpedestrianJC]

that "mustard" is the best part. all foodies should know that.

[@AcmSpud]

I think the consensus is either that you don't live in a place with a lot of crab or seafood and think this is totally gross or, like me, you're already a pro and think that this guy is throwing out a lot of good stuff!

[@babla69420]

I've never had a crab and live in a place with no crabs and just drool over 🦀 and 🦞 videos everyday, and it was hard to finish this video due to this guy's wastefulness

[@zulanova1209]

How to break down a crab: Step 1: *Dismember it*

[@baronschultheis8623]

I don't know why but laughed so hard when he said lump meat crab instead of Lump crab meat😂

[@lindt26]

I have a conundrum for you. Could you please do one on biscuits, like how to make soft gooey ones, crispy ones, spread ones, risen ones, ices ones etc. the ratios and science behind biscuits and cookies. Thank you. Love this channel

[@kylebank8818]

No

[@GoatladyGetYerGoat]

Best consise video on breaking down a crab

[@MrWinchestercori]

I'm so glad I stumbled up on this video , im also kicking myself for not researching this topic before and feel very wasteful, blind and well (stubborn)deff going to correct this action stat!!!!!!

[@hamsandwich3020]

It’s 12 a.m., it’s a Sunday night, I have school tomorrow, I don’t cook. Why am I watching this?

[@nb5247]

Crab oysters and lobster are some of the most underrated foods

[@darrellchannel]

I've never heard it called 'mustard'. Here on the north coast it's called 'crab butter'. Look up how to shake out a crab. Yes. that's what it's called. Shaking out crab meat. the fisheries here in Humboldt have production lines of shakers. they can shake out a crab in less than a minute. And the butter is full of flavor but it's also known as the gut. After cooking, it just looks like butter in a stage of clarification. With the exception of where it meets the shell. That looks like the outer film of the claw meat but the texture is that of an over-soaked lasagna noodle. But oh so yummy is the butter.

[@thebegottenwarrior3956]

Man, thank you. Quarantine's got me trying to learn everything that I might possibly do :DD. Hopefully, my family would buy crabs anytime soon.

[@sukianata]

I can't remember how long I have not eaten a crab. miss its taste so much...

[@starcutie41532]

Crabs are essentially the spiders of the sea and fill me with the same sense of dread every time I look at one..... but they taste oh so divine.

[@lc11214]

I loved eating crabs when I was younger. Now, I have shellfish allergy. 😭😢 This video makes me drool.

[@justjoan4010]

Thank you Thomas. This was indeed helpful. 😊

[@chambersstevens3135]

Thomas Joseph cracks that crab like a boss!

[@francinecorry633]

I have a wood mallet half that size that a seafood distributor gave me that when used properly (practice) is the easiest,fastest way to remove leg meat in whole pieces(muscle). Hands and fingers are the best tools for the body parts and running water to clean em.I have 3 fresh Dungenous in the fridge right now so time to get crackin, I also find the whole process therapeutic while indulging in an adult beverage.

[@morninglight67]

Best video I've found on what to do. Thank you.

[@outdoorfreedom9778]

First time I ever heard it called Mustard?? Here on the west coast, it's called Butter. No matter what you call it, I don't care for it and clean it out. I also Boil them while alive in salt water for 15 minutes then drop them in an ice bath to stop the cooking process. They are then vacuum sealed and frozen. When it's time to eat them I thaw, clean then season and steam them to reheat them. I tend to simply crack and eat but if I want patties or a salad I will pick the meat. I catch them, not buy so I tend to have a lot of them on hand.

[@AlvinLee007]

Over 6 minutes of Thomas. YEAH!

[@cocoa261]

Yesterday my brother brought home a lot of crabs. I dont think I even ate crab before, and i have so many to eat now

[@SuMtOnE]

add rice to the mustard shell and mixed it up. IT's YUMMY!!!

[@JJ-iu5hl]

"So you can tell it's a blue crab because it's a blue crab"

[@ayupriyambodo]

honestly, i think you throw away most of the good stuff.

[@Phar2Rekliss]

2lb crab yields around 0.8lb to 1.0lbs of meat. It's about a 63/37 yield of shell to edible meat and non edible parts. I have an accurate food scale and tested it with 1.8 to 2.1lb crabs I've gotten my hands on.

[@lschoenrank]

My favourite tool for getting out ALL the crabmeat is disposable dressing forceps. They let you get into the smallest leg parts.

[@ChuckGonzales]

That was cool. Thank you. My three boys and I watch the whole things and are pumped to crack into some dungeoness tomorrow night.

[@goaway8610]

How was it bro? 🤣

[@RayMacksKitchenandGrill]

Great tips

[@Woody54321]

Excellent explanation 🙌. Thank you

[@xhmcsx]

love this kind host

[@daehyunie2677]

Wonderful video! One tip I got was to use kitchen scissors down the length of the crab legs.

[@MrJamesjustin]

Oh, cheers mate. I got a couple of sand crabs (Queensland, Australia resident. Never done crabs before) because my son wanted to try them. I was just wondering how to attack the job. 👍

[@jgonsalk]

Another solid video! Quick question: would you recommend keeping the mustard of the crab and mixing it in with the meat for extra flavour?

[@Hunlover123601]

Jehan Music if you want crab flavour then yes! dont waste it

[@czarinamarushka3224]

Thomas is sooo good is there anything you can't do, my love? 😊😊

[@ariel3725]

isn't the "mustard" the same thing as the crab fat?

[@17asterisks]

best part in my opinion, along with the chunky red fat bits. I like to mix that up with my rice👌🏼

[@nicolasbastos133]

+Issa Gonzalez omfg that sounds delicious

[@Wingedshadowwolf]

I think it's the guts

[@rboosterman9944]

+Wingedshadowwolf It's the fat and "liver" of the crab.

[@soopgodreal1550]

It's everything inside the crab. The intestines, liver, fat, a little poop etc.

[@honeychile100]

You're the best, Thomas, love your videos!!!

[@deesmusic705]

Great video !! Thanks you!!

[@jasminejohnson2182]

We need a Marylander to show us how it’s done

[@jazzmeennice]

Exactly! Marylander here!

[@sylvesterbautista32]

I learned a lot thank you

[@91_akb]

*I love Thomas accent Really!*

[@jeffward1106]

I like all of this channel video. Sarah and Thomas are excellent

[@ricktatum]

thank you

[@smoothkk1]

Bro there is no way a Dungeness Crab taste better cold smh

[@voltsnbolts8879]

Yeah i almost stopped watching when he said that...

[@sovanarathorr9120]

I like my blue crab cold

[@jo-annejansen5566]

This is very interesting. Thank you for sharing this video.

[@icommentwhereiwant5377]

what some people in china do is after taking out the crabs gills from the ‘head’ we mix some crab meat, the so called mustard thingy, rice/glass noodles, green onions, soy sauce, and garlic in the crabs shell and eat it that way. Its super tasty.

[@jamesolson7179]

Im making crab cakes today. YUMMMMMM

[@jleight9544]

This was helpful

[@kerryshallowbine2246]

I know John Magnetron personally. He made me watch the 1937 disappearance of Air Woman Amelia Earheart on Christmas Day 2019, on the discovery channel. Where it became evident that her and her Navigator Fella’ were eaten by Crabs on Gardner Island in the Mid Pacific. It’s put me off Crab. I don’t know how he can sleep at night.

[@austinalmanza7394]

Thanks

[@Meme.Machine]

He's really great at teaching. Nice work Chef

[@PastorPeewee20]

Good video and the mustard is delicious! But all it really is its a filter for the blood

[@m3tr0idgrl]

Wish we had crabs that big in Maryland 😍

[@StarSaphire9981]

I love crab, but recently found I am allergic to them... I am hungry seeing this.

[@chumpchanger1]

Great informative video. Thanks.

[@healingshadows]

I'm hungryyyyyy!

[@nashretty]

this guys episodes should be longer

[@kalakshepam9000]

Am i the only one who never ate crab, but is watching. 😂

[@mattp3892]

AWESOME tutorial man!!!

[@LuliLulu]

I envy people who can eat seafoods like crabs or lobsters, they seem to really enjoy it, I like watching them crack things and sucking the juices

[@stevepederson1736]

A crab comes compleat with its own meat picks, you don’t need metal or wood ones! Just break off the end of one leg, pick the longest pick! Yea and keep your meat bowl close or a brother or sister will have it !!!

[@Msdufr]

My mom taught me this when I was around 3.

[@felipebrockveld]

Yes. And there was a person buying processed almonds multiple times expansive. Thanks. My food waste is really ok.

What about if the meat have shell fragments in it how do we get them out

[@doobajackson3429]

SO many people in the comments of just about every how to eat crab/lobster/crawfish are basically like, "YOU DIDN'T EAT THE SHELL, WHAT A WASTE?!" If you feel so strongly about what to eat/not eat, why are you even watching these videos, lol 😂

[@Soopercook]

Awesome

[@jammin6816]

Nice job. Best video

[@downwitdee2156]

Good info

[@AllThingsBeautifully]

It’s giving fancy from The Jamie Foxx Show 🔥😍

[@pipoycruz641]

thomas joseph. what are the different types of flour and what is the use of its type. like cake flour, low and high protein flour. thanks in advance.

[@victor9]

Well im going in wish me luck

[@Sheahova]

I got a way faster way of doing by cutting across the eyes then pulling the the apron off and then the armor comes off with minimal strength then you can pull the gills off and cook it instead of going through that long process

[@daviddedos]

this is relatable to throwing away a diamond ring and keeping the box.

[@aileenhanuse1853]

Try use a nut cracker for the legs it works pretty good

[@hannahchristine5240]

It broke my heart when you wiped up the butter. That hurt.

[@matthewspindler14]

Crabs are such amazingly different creatures. It really is weird how they separate into pieces as if they were a designed mechanical device. So alien.

[@Insanity_awaits]

What would be the best way to steam the crab. Plop them in the freezer to numb them or just toss them in straight from the sea or market? Or plunge a knife through their head as one would with a lobster?

[@aetherretrix2322]

Ah, good to see that I've not been doing it wrong.

[@bee5120]

I don't mind eating crabs, but it's just so time consuming to peel them and pick out the meaty parts. Imo, there should be more meaty payoff (at least a full bowl amount) for each crab you crack open.

[@jasminejohnson2182]

미셜비 I agree ☝️

[@jadencloyes9455]

pretty good video but as a native Oregonian, watching him demolish the body really bummed me out. With more practice you realize the membranes separating the cavities can be quite thin and you'll be able to break them down systematically and way more efficiently... also I think warm Dungeness with butter is so much better than cold but that's just me

[@imnassa]

bruh all the asians would be so mad at how you're doing this LOL

[@TrisPatisserie]

I love crab, I wish it could feature on my new channel but unfortunately I just make sweet things 😁

[@maribelcarpio906]

Pls come back😥😥

[@alfredofajardo9198]

Hey Thomas, can you make a sushi, the Martha Stewart-way or the Thomas-way??

[@bratticuss]

Lol I use the tool from Joes Crab Shack. Makes it a breeze to remove the meat from the crab.

[@pballa7078]

No.. he did it the hard way.. after you steam it.. first remove the apron and then separate the shell from the body cavity with all the legs still attached.. optional to rinse off the crab butter and juice (mustard).. then separate between each leg with the section of body still attached.. like a crabcicle.. then proceed to breakdown from there.. been crabbing and fishing all of my 40 years of life.. tried every other way imaginable and this is the easiest!