How to Fry Soft Shell Crabs

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By Diane Watkins
eHow Contributing Writer

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Fried Soft Shell Crab

Soft shell crabs are usually blue crabs that have recently molted, shedding their hard shell. Once they have molted their shells are soft for only a few days, so the season is very short. Soft shell crabs should be kept alive until just before cooking, but you can sometimes find them dressed and frozen. Because the shell is soft, you can eat the cleaned crab whole. This is considered a delicacy in areas where crab is popular.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

Soft shell crabs 1 cup flour Salt and pepper to taste Oil for frying

Frying Soft Shell Crabs

Step 1

To clean and dress the crab, cut away the face so that the eyes and mouth are removed. Lift the top shell and remove the lungs on either side and the intestines in the center. Turn the crab over and cut away the bottom apron.
Step 2

Place about a cup of flour into a shallow plate or pan. Season it with salt, pepper and any other seasonings that you like. Popular seasonings include Cajun seasoning, or Old Bay seasoning. You can also use a coating mix.
Step 3

Dredge the cleaned soft shell crabs in the seasoned flour. Allow them to rest for a few minutes, then dredge them again just before frying.
Step 4

Heat the oil in a deep pot to 375 F. Place the crabs into the oil a few at a time. Move them around carefully, turning once. Fry them until the bubbling slows down and the crust is golden brown.
Step 5

Drain on paper towels and serve hot.

Tips & Warnings

Some people like to soak the crabs in a mixture of milk and egg before dredging in flour. Some recipes call for a mixture of cornmeal and flour for dredging. This is a matter of personal preference. Cornmeal is heavier, so if you use cornmeal, soak the crabs in the milk mixture first.
The frying oil is very hot and burns quickly. Lower the crabs into the oil carefully using a spatula--don't drop them. Avoid being splashed by oil.