Method

• 1.
  Freeze the crab for 30-60 minutes to put it to sleep. Place crab face-down on a chopping board. Holding the body with a tea towel and using the point of a sharp knife, make an incision through each eye, about 5cm deep; this is the most humane way to dispatch crabs. Remove shell from body, wash under cold water and set aside. Using your fingers, remove and discard the gills, then cut crab in half down the middle. Using a rolling pin or kitchen hammer, gently crack claws part-way through.
• 2.
  Combine the salts in a bowl, then transfer enough of the salt mixture to a baking tray to create a thick layer large enough to hold the crab in place. Place the two halves of the crab on the salt (the pieces should form a natural crab shape but not touch each other). Using the remaining salt, carefully cover the legs with a thick layer of salt and the claws with a thin layer, ensuring no salt touches the exposed flesh of the crab halves.
• 3.
  Preheat oven to 250°C. Bake crab for 15 minutes, then remove from oven and cover exposed flesh with reserved shell. Return crab to oven and bake for a further 5 minutes or until the crab meat is just white and the shell is red. Remove from oven and set aside to rest for 5 minutes.
• 4.
  Transfer the crab to a serving platter, brushing away most of the salt, and arrange it in its natural shape with the shell on top. Serve with sourdough, aioli and a finger bowl with the lemon slices on the side.