Chef Chris’ Soft Shell Crablog! (See what I did there?)

By Chef Chris D

Summer is here, and these scrumptious things come out to play! There are many different preparations for soft-shell crabs, but before we dive into them, let’s get acquainted with some initial facts.

First and foremost, what are soft-shell crabs?

Soft shell crabs are Atlantic Blue Crabs that have begun to molt. Molting is the process of crustaceans shedding their hard exoskeletons as they grow, requiring them to produce a larger shell (like a snake shedding its skin).

Crabs will molt numerous times in their lives as youngsters, and eventually end with a final hard shell as they fully mature. The new shells harden within a matter of hours, leaving a very small window in which they can be harvested.

Luckily, fishermen have been able to pinpoint with pretty amazing accuracy when the best chances for harvesting soft shells, or softies, are. Crabbers catch the blue crabs while they have their hard shells, and hold them in tanks until they begin to peel, at which time they can sell them to restaurants, fish purveyors, etc.

Given that I had a pretty difficult time finding fresh soft shells for sale in my town (one seafood purveyor had never heard of them before…), here is a quick overview: Soft-shell crab season begins after the first full moon in May and continues in some places along the Eastern Seaboard until November (although the Chesapeake Bay blue crab can only be harvested until September). Basically, as long as the water is above 50 degrees, blue crabs are a-moltin’!

I spent many of my professional cooking years in the Northeast, so I have had some experience preparing these little critters. For the most part, the entire crab is edible, save the gills, the eyes, the mouth, and the abdomen. When you order softies in a restaurant, you can rest assured that the kitchen will take care of this for you, leaving you with the whole crab, ready to be enjoyed.

There are a bunch of ways to prepare softies, including fried, sautéed, grilled, or put on a sandwich.

I personally prefer to soak the softies in a mixture of egg and milk (this helps them plump up while cooking), dredge them in some seasoned flour (don’t skimp on the Old Bay) and corn starch, and shallow fry them in a cast iron pan (watch out for the spitting, they will spit!).

Soft Shell Crab Po’ Boys are huge in places like NOLA, where the crab is accompanied by lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, and a nice zesty sauce such as remoulade or hot sauce. I keep the dish nice and summery, serving it over a bed of fingerling potatoes, fresh peas, morel mushrooms, & homemade tartar sauce, or serving them over fresh corn, peas, tomatoes, and basil pesto.

Whatever it takes, get your hands on some of these tasty critters while you still can! You will not be disappointed!