[NoLimit]

Originally Posted by Billfish715

I guess if you are used to picking crabs after they have been cooked whole and alive, this is a concept that represents a major change in your habits. I've tried them both and if it's pure eating that you are interested in, then the ice water bath is the way to go. There is a lot less mess during the picking and eating process than in the traditional method since the trapped water that would be under the shell and surrounding the insides is gone. If you are looking for presentation, of course, the visual appearance of a platter of red shelled whole crabs is very appealing.

It takes some of your time to clean the crabs before puting them into the boiling water rather than having you or your dinner guests do it later. Somehow, if given the choice, removing the lungs and such before cooking the crab sounds much more appetizing once you think about it.

To each his own, but I'm siding more and more with pre-cleaning to avoid all of the residual mess when I'm eating.

That water in the shell makes a great broth - the best part