Soft-Shelled Crabs

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Want to wow your partner? Your friends? Your boss? Your kids, if they are somewhat adventurous? Make them Soft-Shelled Crabs! They honestly couldn’t be easier and IMHO, are pretty darn impressive on the plate, let alone a platter.

Soft-shelled crab season ends in September, so get them while you can. Visit your local fishmonger (if you’re in the DC-area, I highly recommend The Market at River Falls in Potomac) and ask for the crabs to be cleaned for you. With them cleaned, you’ll need to cook them the same night but I’m assuming you’d do that anyway.

When you are ready to cook your crabs, you’re going to pat them dry and then basically treat them exactly as you would a chicken cutlet that you were going to saute. That is, dredge in some seasoned flour, plop into some sizzling oil and boom! 6 minutes later, dinner is served. Be brave, go for it and enjoy!

Soft-Shelled Crabs
Print Recipe

Soft-Shelled Crabs

Servings: 2

Ingredients

  • 3/4 c all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • pinch cayenne if desired
  • 2 soft-shelled crabs cleaned
  • 2 Tbls vegetable oil
  • 1 Tbls butter
  • 1/2 fresh lemon
  • 1 Tbls chopped fresh parsley leaves

Instructions

  • Whisk together flour, salt, pepper and cayenne, if using.
  • Pat your crabs dry and dredge in flour mixture, shaking off excess (make sure crabs are completely coated).
  • Heat oil and butter in a saute pan over medium-high heat. The oil should be very hot but not smoking.
  • Place the flour-coated crabs, back side down, in the pan and let cook for 3 minutes (pan will likely spatter, so step away or cover with a splatter screen if you have one). When you turn the crabs over, they should look golden and crisp. Cook on the second side for another 3 minutes.
  • Squeeze the juice of half a lemon over the crabs, sprinkle with parsley and serve.

Notes

If cooking a large number of crabs in batches, keep cooked crabs warm in a low oven.
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