Dungeness crabs are a variety of crab that comes from the Pacific coast and is available fresh from October through May. It is also sold canned or frozen in other parts of the United States.
To clean and crack Dungeness crab:
Twist off the legs and claws. Remove the triangular shellflap from the underside. Separate the top shell and body. Scrape out the gray intestines and any orange roe. Discard the feathery white gills. Break the body in half to reveal the meat. With a mallet or cracker, crack the claws and larger legs.