Serve simply with crab crackers or nutcrackers, plenty of napkins, and melted butter and lemon, or use the picked crabmeat in other recipes.

Fill a large pot two-thirds full with:

Bring to a boil over high heat. Add:

Using tongs, slide into the water, one at a time, so as not to disturb the boil:

Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for about 15 minutes or until their legs can be pulled from the sockets fairly easily. Transfer the crabs to a platter and serve whole with:

To eat, twist off the claws and set aside. Turn the crab body upside down, remove the apron using a sharp knife, if necessary, and discard. Pry off the top shell as if opening a book, then discard the gills. Break the body in half to pick out the meat. The green tomalley may be eaten or discarded, depending on the preference of the diner. Claw meat can be released with a nutcracker.