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1
Fill a large pot with the water and vinegar or beer (you should have about 1 inch of liquid).
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2
Place a steamer rack inside the pot.
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3
(If you dont have a steamer rack, lightly bunch a long piece of foil so that it looks like a rope.
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4
Then make a figure eight out of the foil rope and set it in the pot.)
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5
Bring the liquid to a boil over medium-high heat.
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6
Using tongs, carefully place 3 crabs on the rack in an even layer belly-side down and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of the Old Bay.
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7
Top with the remaining 2 crabs belly-side down and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of the Old Bay.
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8
Cover with a tightfitting lid and return the liquid to a full boil, about 1 minute.
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9
Continue to steam until the crabs are cooked through, about 10 minutes more.
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10
Using tongs, remove the crabs to a large bowl or serving platter.
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11
Immediately sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons of Old Bay.
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12
When cool enough to handle, clean and crack the crabs: Working 1 crab at a time, remove the large front claws by twisting and pulling them from the body; set aside.
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13
Turn the crab belly-side up with the face closest to you.
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14
Using your hands or the tip of a butter knife, lift the triangular piece of shell at the tail of the crab (the apron), break it off, and discard it.
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15
Pick up the crab with your hands, place a thumb in the hole where the apron was (you may need to pry it open with a butter knife), and pull in one motion to remove the top shell (the carapace) from the rest of the body.
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16
Discard the carapace.
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17
Turn the crab belly-side down with the tail closest to you.
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18
Remove and discard the soft, pointy gills from the body.
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19
Using a butter knife, cut the front (mouth) of the crab off and scrape away any remaining bits of gill and viscera (often called mustard) left on the body of the crab.
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20
Flip the crab over and hold it so that the legs are horizontal and your thumbs are firmly placed on the belly, then snap the crab in half.
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21
Starting at the back fin of the crab, pull the delicate bits of shell away and pick out the meat inside the body.
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22
Carefully pull the legs away from the body and pick out any meat attached to the leg joints.
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23
Twist the legs to crack open the shell and pick the meat out.
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24
Pick the shell from each chamber in the body of the crab and pull out the crabmeat.
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25
Break each claw in half at the joint.
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26
Using a seafood mallet or the handle of the butter knife, firmly tap the shell of each piece until it breaks apart.
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27
(Dont hit the shell too hard or it will splinter into the crabmeat.)
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28
Wiggle the pincer and gently pull it away from the claw.
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29
Serve with melted butter for dipping.
