Learning how to cook Dungeness crab is simple: buy it, cook it, clean it, eat it. Whether cooked live or purchased pre-cooked, dungeness crab is a superior shellfish and has a distinctive sweet flavor, bright orange shell color, and tender, flaky white meat. Either way you choose to purchase your crab, for ideal freshness, Dungeness crabs should be cooked as soon as possible after catching. Accordingly, many crab boats have steaming pots on board and will cook and pack the crabs in ice for delivery.

Live crabs can be steamed or boiled. Crab boil spices, beer, or other flavorings can also be added to the water. Simply steam the crab for 15-18 minutes, or if boiling, boil for approximately 10 minutes in water. To boil, bring 8 quarts of salted water to a boil. While the water is heating, place the live crabs into the freezer to dull their senses. Do not keep them in the freezer for more than 15-20 minutes or they will freeze. When the water is at a full boil, gently drop the crab into the water, head first.

The ASMI site has excellent resources on how to cook Dungeness crab, but also a wonderful pictorial guide on how to clean crab once you have cooked it.

If necessary, thaw your crab according to thawing directions. Otherwise, lift off the back shell of crab. Then under cool running water, remove and discard gills and viscera, which is the semi-liquid material remaining in the body cavity. Be sure to remove all loose material. Break off legs; crack along edges. Break body section in half, yielding two sections with legs in tact. Separate legs from each other, leaving a portion of the body attached to each leg for easy handling. Cracking the shell with mallet will loosen the shell and then remove the meat with tip of leg, small pick or fork. As a cautionary note, do not eat the internal organs, or “crab butter,” as they can sometimes hold a lot of toxicities. Take this one precaution and continue to enjoy one of Alaska’s tastiest seafood.

Alaska Dungeness Crab can also be delivered to your door pre-cooked and frozen. Learning how to cook dungeness crab that has been precooked is even more simple than boiling it. For hot menu items gently heat the crab meet in a steamer or broiler, or bake (in a 400 F oven for 4 minutes). For salads or cold dishes, simply heat and chill.