Recent Examples on the WebThe crabs have a rich, delicate flavor and can be fried and eaten whole in their soft-shell form, eliminating the tedious task of picking meat out of limbs, as with hard-shell crabs. Laura Poppick, Scientific American, 30 Oct. 2019 Like hard-shell crabs, neck bones require a little effort to enjoy, given that some of the prime eating is in their nooks and crannies. Tom Sietsema, Washington Post, 12 June 2019