I was at Food Harbor in Addison (Chicago area) today picking up some frozen
craw fish and quail. I couldn't resist bringing home a live dungeness crab.
It was about a foot in diameter, with thick arms and legs. Around $13.
When I got home, I put it in the sink and played with it while I waited for
the water to boil. I figured it would be dizzy after the car ride, and weak
from lack of oxygen. But it was very vigorous and I was afraid it would
climb out of the sink.

I put a Zatarain's boil bag in the water along with some salt, then used
tongs to wrestle the crab into the pot. I'll have to remember to get a
larger pot for next time. 20 minutes later it was done.

I broke off 2 arms and 8 legs and put them in a bowl. I removed the top
shell and set it aside, being careful not to spill the yummy goo on the
inside surface. I broke off and discarded the apron and the gills, then cut
the body in half, discarding, the head, stomach, etc. I wasn't sure whether
to rinse away the goo in the body, but decided to leave it. I then cut the
two halves in half, like at Red Lobster.

I grabbed a small fork and a nutcracker and dug in.

Mmmm good.

The meat was fantastic. And, I couldn't believe how much there was. I
would say more than a lobster of comparable price. I was stuffed.

This sure beat those little blue crabs. I'll have to do it again.