Best way to kill a crab and still sleep at night

Buying a crab certainly wasn't on our list of things to do for the day, but how does one resist fresh (read: live) seafood? Being pescetarian in Cambridge isn't all smooth sailing since fresh seafood is either expensive or not fresh as claimed.

We popped into Sweet Home Chinese Supermarket just to pick up some essentials when we spotted a styrofoam box placed in a very inconspicuous spot. We barely made out the chinese words scribbled over the top, which said "Crabs, 1.5 pounds". After patting ourselves on the backs for being able to read the words, we pried the box open and saw about two dozen or so crabs. With the promise of two roe-filled crabs at a mere three pounds, we practically ran home with excitement.

Then came the inevitable question: what is the best way to kill a crab?

By best, we mean in a way that causes the least, if any, pain for the crab. Some people may claim that shellfish can't feel pain, and that their splashing around in a pot of boiling water can be likened to involuntary but painless twitches. I wasn't going to take that chance.

After reading a number of articles online, it seems there is some consensus that the nerve centres should be destroyed as swiftly as possible to cause the least pain to the crab. If you are brave enough to insert a knife into the head of the crab while it is still completely conscious, good for you.

I certainly am not. So I sent them straight to the freezer, which I made sure was on its coldest setting. After forty five minutes, I checked to make sure that they were non-responsive (i.e. not moving after being tapped a number of times), before I split the crab into two, right down the middle. Using a rolling pin as a hammer on the knife made splitting the crab a super quick job. The crabs didn't even wince, and I slept very well that night.

Just to recap, here's how to kill a crab and still sleep at night:

1. Place the crab in the freezer, on your coldest setting (preferably 4 degress celcius or lower), for at least half an hour.

2. Check if your crab is still conscious - tap the crab on its shell or pick the crab up (with a pair of tongs, just to be safe), and check for movement in eyes, legs or pincers. If any movement is detected, return to freezer for another fifteen minutes and repeat step 2.

3. Place the crab on a chopping board with your rolling pin and chopper ready. With the knife blade aligned with the middle of the crab (between its eyes), use the rolling pin to hammer the knife into the crab. The more forceful you are, the kinder you'd be to the crab.