We'll
start with two nice boiled blue claw crabs taken from the bayous of
South Louisiana. Be careful when handling crabs, there are many barbed
points to work with. These were from a bushel of crabs I just boiled.
Both are male and were not real fat. Why?, They were caught around the "New Moon".
First
let's get the claws off. Grab the claw and pull down, then out. A crab
is mechanically hinged, remember that! Break both claws, and, if you happen to pull meat you know what to do... slurp!
Do not remove the other legs and don't be tempted to grab and jerk the flippers out hoping to get the lump meat out.
Next
is the top shell... Grab the legs as a cluster and grab the end of the top shell and pull apart, it's real easy.
Next part is getting the "innards" out.
Using
your thumb, grab the entire mouth section and pull it down and away.
This is the "top" of the crab, remember that.
The
gills go next. Again using your thumb, drag your thumb along the lung
part nearest the legs (where they are attached) to scrape away the gills
on both sides. 
Now
you want to remove the "apron". That's the part of the crab that
determines if it's male or female. Here I take the point of a leg and
slip it under the apron tip to lift it. Once lifted just break it away.
This is the "bottom" of the crab, remember that. If there are remaining "guts" in the middle simply swoop them out. In the females (naturally) there may be a small amount of eggs (orange) in and around the gut and under the front of the shell. There may also be fat (deep yellow) accumulated in the same areas. If you don't eat either one of these delicacies please save them and email them to me at your earliest convenience.
Once
the center is cleaned, hold the crab as shown (top up and mouth facing
away from you) and break it in two using your thumbs to first push it
inward (like you're going to fold it) then go the other direction to
break it in two; like flexing a door hinge. 
So
now I have one half of the crab in my hands. At the bottom is the
flipper section. The top is where the claw knuckle was and I broke that
away. I must orient you further here. To the left is the bottom of the
crab and to the right is the top. In your mind split the piece of crab
you see here vertically (up and down). To the left (lump meat), to the
right (pieces). With your index finger (as shown) pull away the shell
around the flipper meat. This will be the bottom part in the picture.
This
picture shows the shell broken away and I'm grabbing the flipper itself
and pulling up and away. Notice beforehand I never said anything about
removing the legs, they give you a mechanical advantage! You need them
as handles through almost every step. 
Here's
the result. A fine cluster of lump meat with a handle that you can use
to dunk that "crab popsicle" in your favorite dip. Many folks try to just yank the flipper meat out and they wind up with the flipper in one hand and meat still in the crab. Then it's a fight to get the knuckle loose.
We're
now going to break this piece in two by holding it as shown and pinching
it together. Pinch it inward, then in an imaginary line top to bottom,
pull it apart (like opening a zip lock bag). What you'll have is the
half on the left separated from the half on the right. We'll work next
with the left side. 
Hold
the legs in one hand (left) and push down as shown with your fingers
(left). It will act like a hinge. Continue the motion until you get to
about a 90 degree angle. 
Grab
the points near the legs (as shown) and gently pull them away. 
Presto
change-o more lump crab meat. Neat huh! Now you may have to pull a small
shell or two away but hey, it beats the alternative! 
This
is the last part which is the other side of the split (top of the crab
where the gills were attached). This part has a little meat surrounded
by a lot of shell. Solution! Don't peel... squeeze! From the bottom
(near the leg section) just pinch it to get the remaining meat out.
What meat your say?
This
meat! Shell to the left, meat to the right. 
Lastly
the claws. Here I'm using a butter knife. You can do the same thing with
old fashioned pecan crackers. Strike the claw near the pincer hinge, be
sure it has cracked. 
Flip
it 90 degrees and do the same thing. Continue cracking all the way
around. Note: if the crab is stuffed full of meat you want to continue
to crack it towards the first joint to loosen the meat. And believe me
this won't always work. Grab the larger part of the claw with one hand and the pincer end with the other and using a back and forth motion work the pincer away from the main claw.
Now
break the claw hinge by opening the claw then pushing down. I'm pulling
up with my left hand and down with my right in this picture. If you just
continue to open the claw you crush the finger meat. 
This
is (if you're lucky), the result. If the crab is packed with meat you
may have to dig the remaining meat out with the butter knife. In the
center of that fine looking piece of meat is a feather-bone so be
careful when you go to devour it!
The
back side of the claw is struck right behind the first joint on both
sides. Again, if the crab is super stuffed with meat this will become a
challenge that can be managed with the knife.
This
is the result. Again there is a feather bone inside so be careful. Well, that's the last of "Crab Pickin' 101).
Oh, here's the link to the Blue Crab information site! (click here). Lots of knowledge about the poor ole' crab here!
Let's go crabbin'!