Guess what this time of year brings us? If you guessed ? Soft Shell Crabs ? then you are right!
This is the time of year when you can get fresh soft shell crabs at your local seafood store. I found some at Franco's Pescheria a week ago and made Soft Shell Crab Sandwiches for Mother's Day - - which is also my husband's birthday by the way. ?
And if you LOVE crabs then you'll LOVE this recipe. The recipe below is so easy to make and it was sooooo delicious! Everyone LOVED it! And the BEST part of this day.......spending time with my kids ❤️ and hearing their testimonials! ? ?
My daughter said, people usually go out to eat for Mother's Day but lucky for us, we have a Mom who can cook gourmet food! ❤️
My son, made me a card for Mother's Day and wrote "Your food is exquisite, and I'm so thankful I have parents that can cook!" ❤️
Isn't. That. The. BEST. Gift. EVER?!?!?
Here is the recipe
- 4 soft shell crabs (cleaned)
- ¼ cup flour
- ¼ cup cornmeal (affiliate link)
- 1 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning (affiliate link)
- ¼ teaspoon Herbes de Provence (affiliate link) seasoned salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ¼ cup low-fat milk
- Olive oil (affiliate link)
- Butter
- 4 Brioche buns (lightly buttered and toasted; put it in the oven to toast with flat side of the bread up)
- 1 tomato, sliced
- Green Leaf Lettuce
- Lemon
- Mayonnaise, Mustard and/or Tartar Sauce
How to Prepare Soft Shell Crabs ? ? ? ?
- Gently clean, rinse then dry the soft shell crabs with a paper towel and set aside.
- In a small mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients: flour, cornmeal (affiliate link), Old Bay seasoning (affiliate link), seasoned salt, and pepper.
- In a separate bowl, pour the milk and season it with a dash or two of Old Bay seasoning (affiliate link).
- Do the three-step dredging say that ten times fast ? (dry, wet, dry) for the crabs. First using your right-hand, thoroughly coat the crab on all sides with the flour mixture. Using your left-hand, dip the crab in the milk mixture. Last, using your right-hand again, dip the crab one more time in the flour mixture. Shake off any excess flour. Repeat this process for all remaining crabs. Set the crabs on a plate then refrigerate for 20 minutes before the next steps - - COOKING!
How to Cook ? ? ? ?
- On a medium-high heat, add olive oil (affiliate link) to cover the bottom of the frying pan. Fry the crabs one at a time for 2 but no more than 3 minutes on each side. Transfer to a plate lined with a paper towel to absorb the oil.
That is IT! Were you expecting more?! ?
How to Prepare ? ? ? ?
For the buns, I like mine slightly toasted. It adds an extra crunch to the sandwich and keeps the buns from getting soggy from the condiments. So here's what I do to my buns.... ?
- Butter the flat-side of the brioche buns then bake them in a 350 degree oven for a few minutes just to brown them slightly. Option to also lightly toast the flat-side of the buns on a warm skillet. Your choice!
- Spread the buns with mayonnaise, mustard, and/or tartar sauce. Add the crab then top with lettuce and tomato.
- Optional: For added flavoring, squeeze a lemon and/or a dash of Old Bay Seasoning (affiliate link) on top of the soft-shell crab.
ENJOY!
Breaded Soft Shell Crab Sandwich
- Prep Time: 20
- Cook Time: 12
- Total Time: 32 minutes
- Yield: 4 Sandwiches 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Cuisine: American
Description
You don't have to live in Maryland to enjoy soft-shell crabs. I found some here at my local seafood store and they were already cleaned. Soft Shell Crab Sandwiches are to die for! You get the savory, crispy and juicy goodness all packed in a sandwich! Go and make it! I dare yah!
Ingredients
- Olive oil (affiliate link)
- Butter
- 4 soft shell crabs (cleaned)
- ¼ cup flour
- ¼ cup cornmeal (affiliate link)
- 1 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning (affiliate link)
- ¼ teaspoon Herbes de Provence (affiliate link) seasoned salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ¼ cup low-fat milk
- 4 Brioche buns (lightly buttered and toasted)
- 1 tomato, sliced
- 4 Green Leaf Lettuce
- Lemon
- Mayonnaise, Mustard and/or Tartar Sauce
Instructions
For Soft Shell Crabs
- Gently clean, rinse then dry the soft shell crabs with a paper towel and set aside.
- In a small mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients: flour, cornmeal (affiliate link), Old Bay seasoning (affiliate link), seasoned salt, and pepper.
- In a separate bowl, pour the milk and season it with a dash or two of Old Bay seasoning (affiliate link).
- Do the three-step dredging (dry, wet, dry) for the crabs. First using your right-hand, thoroughly coat the crab on all sides with the flour mixture. Using your left-hand, dip the crab in the milk mixture. Last, using your right-hand again, dip the crab one more time in the flour mixture. Shake off any excess flour. Repeat this process for all remaining crabs. Set the crabs on a plate then refrigerate for 20 minutes before the next steps..
- On a medium-high heat, add olive oil (affiliate link) to cover the bottom of the frying pan. Fry the crabs two at a time for 2 but no more than 3 minutes on each side. Transfer to a plate lined with a paper towel to absorb the oil.
For the Soft Shell Crab Sandwiches
For the buns, I like mine slightly toasted. It adds an extra crunch to the sandwich and keeps the buns from getting soggy from the condiments. So here's what I do to my buns.... ?
- Butter the flat-side of the buns then bake them in a 350 degree oven for a few minutes just to brown them slightly. Option to also lightly toast the flat-side of the buns on a warm skillet. Your choice!
- Spread the buns with mayonnaise, mustard, and/or tartar sauce. Add the crab then top with lettuce and tomato.
- Optional: For added flavoring, squeeze a lemon and/or a dash of Old Bay Seasoning (affiliate link) on top of the crab.
Notes
- The equipment section above contains affiliate links to products I LOVE and personally use.
- If you're on the squeamish side, get the soft-shell crabs already cleaned.
- Here's a link for how to clean soft-shell crabs -> https://youtu.be/fgvNmU0LKaM
- Soft shell crabs can be frozen and use at a later date.
Keywords: soft shell crabs
YOUR TURN!
Is soft shell crab your thing? Are you adventurous enough to make this recipe? Come on.....DO IT!!! Would LOVE to hear from you!
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Welcome to Joz Mahal. I'm here to show you how exotic can be easy. Seriously folks, I LOVE to cook and I LOVE to entertain just as much. My friends and family love coming over to "the Joz Mahal" kitchen because they know they will be treated like royalty. Every food I make is full of flavorful ingredients, and aside for the delightful conversations you'll hear plenty of oohs and aahs at the dinner table. Every bite is truly an exotic journey of the senses. Yet all the dishes are very quick and simple to make, using ingredients that are easy to find. I'm truly passionate about cooking delicious foods! Come and cook with me. Let's be taste buds ~ and follow me along my exotic culinary journey. I can help you put the ❤️ back in the kitchen. After all, that is why I call this blog the Joz Mahal. Read more about me here...
PS: If you try any of my recipes please tag me at #JozMahal!
Love all the recipes you’ve posted! Can’t wait to see and try out more!
★★★★★
Thanks Joel!