How to Pan-Fry Soft-Shell Blue Crab

This delicious recipe requires six soft-shell crabs. You'll need one crab per person for an appetizer, or two to three crabs per person for a main course.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 2 tbsp. vegetable oils
• 6 tbsp. flour
• wide frying pan
• 2 tbsp. butter
• 1/4 tsp. peppers
• 6 soft-shell blue crabs
• 3 tbsp. yellow cornmeal
• Wide Frying Pan

1. Prepare live blue crabs for cooking. See "Prepare Soft-Shell Blue Crab" under the Related eHows.

2. If using frozen crabs, thaw them and pat them dry with paper towels.

3. Mix the flour, salt and pepper.

4. Sprinkle the mixture generously over each crab; shake off any extra seasoning.

5. Place a wide frying pan over medium heat.

6. Add oil to the pan. Heat for a minute or so, then add butter.

7. Arrange crabs in the pan belly-up when the butter is half-melted. Be sure the crabs are not touching. Add weight (see Tips), if desired. Do not crowd the pan; cook the crabs in batches or one at a time if necessary.

8. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes per side, turning the crabs over once, so that they are browned on both sides.

9. Remove each crab from the pan when it's done and keep it warm.

Tips & Warnings

• Soft-shell crabs are very water-heavy. Many chefs weight crabs with a clean (or foil-wrapped) brick, large can, or heavy pan as they cook. The weight squeezes out excess water and presses the crab against the pan so that it cooks evenly.

• Buy live crabs whenever possible and prepare them while they're still lively. Avoid frozen crabs.

• Substitute 3 tbsp. flour and 3 tbsp. yellow cornmeal for the 6 tbsp. flour if desired.

• Serve with limes.

• Soft-shell crabs can be bitten into whole; you don't need to remove the shell after cooking.

• Watch out for live crabs' pincers.