The West's best seafood

Our guide to healthy, sustainable choices from the West's amazing bounty

Dungeness crab 101

If you’ve never cooked live crabs, it can seem a little intimidating. But our paper-bag method for getting the critters in the water helps things go smoothly

Alex Farnum, Elaine Johnson

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More on how to cook

3. Holding bag near bottom, gently pour crabs into boiling water (tongs don’t always give a steady grip) and cover pot. Cook, lowering heat to a simmer once water is boiling again: 15 minutes for 1½- to 2½-lb. crabs, 20 minutes for bigger ones.

4. Lift crabs out with tongs and rinse with cold running water until cool enough to handle.