Grilled Soft-Shell Crabs Recipe

By
Molly Watson
Molly Watson
An award-winning food writer and cookbook author, Molly Watson has created more than 1,000 recipes focused on local, seasonal ingredients.
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Updated on 01/6/22
Soft-shell crabs cooking on a charcoal grill

The Spruce / Molly Watson

Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 10 mins
Total: 30 mins
Servings: 6 servings

Although boiling, steaming, or frying might be your go-to cooking method when making soft-shell crabs, grilling them is also a simple and quick method to enjoy sweet and very slightly smoky crabs. Our succulent meal requires very little preparation work—depending on whether your crabs are cleaned—and the cleanup is minimal.

Soft-shell crabs are crabs that have just molted their old shell and are still soft to the touch because the new one hasn't hardened enough. Different from their hard-shell counterparts, these animals can almost be eaten in their entirety without the need to pick the meat from the shell. Our easy preparation highlights their natural flavor with a touch of buttery sweetness.

While frozen soft-shell crabs are available year-round, the most delicious ones are harvested from late spring through early summer on the East Coast. Because they are small, they don't provide a lot of meat so an appetizer portion would be two to three crabs per person. If serving them as the main course, then three to four per person would be a reasonable serving size. This recipe is based on an appetizer serving six people.

Ingredients

  • 18 soft-shell blue crabs, cleaned

  • 4 ounces (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted, or neutral cooking oil

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Rinse the crabs in running cool water and reserve. Heat a grill to medium-hot—you should be able to hold your hand about an inch over the cooking grate for 3 to 4 seconds before pulling it away from the heat.

  3. Pat the crabs dry with paper towels. Liberally brush the crabs all over with melted butter or oil and set them on the hot grill.

  4. Cover the grill and cook until the crabs are lightly browned on the cooking grate side, about 4 to 5 minutes.

  5. Flip the crabs over, brush with more butter, and cook until they are browned on the second side and cooked through, or about 10 minutes in total. Use tongs to remove the crabs from the grill.

  6. Enjoy.

How to clean soft-shell crabs

When buying the crabs, ask your fishmonger to clean them for you. But if you're home and realize the crabs are complete, simply follow these easy steps:

  • Cut off their faces with pair of sharp kitchen scissors, just behind the eyes.
  • Then lift up the edge of the top shell on one side of the cut to reveal the beige gills and pull them out.
  • Repeat on the other side with the other set of gills.
  • Flip the crab over and pull off the "apron" on the bottom, it will be a long, skinny triangle on males and a wider one on females.
  • Rinse under cold water and pat dry with paper towels.

How to Serve Soft-Shell Crabs

Serve grilled soft-shell crabs hot, warm, or at room temperature. Because they're equally delicious at any temperature, this dish makes a great casual affair recipe. Here are a few options on how to serve these tasty bites:

  • Arrange the crabs on a big plate and place a bowl of melted butter in the center. Alternatively, use a garlicky aioli or rouille sauce to dip the crabs in.
  • Use grilled soft-shell crabs in sandwiches. Tuck the crab into a sourdough bun drizzled with more melted butter, or add a tablespoon of fresh pesto or rémoulade.
  • Use soft-shell crabs in wraps, spreading some lemon butter before adding the crabs and a few fresh and pickled vegetables.
  • Arrange 2 grilled soft-shell crabs in a small corn tortilla, drizzle with fresh lime juice, and garnish with fresh cilantro and red onions.
  • Serve 2 to 3 soft-shell crabs per person alongside a simple pasta dish like cacio e pepe, or an even easier aglio e olio.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
469 Calories
18g Fat
5g Carbs
67g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories 469
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 18g 23%
Saturated Fat 10g 52%
Cholesterol 398mg 133%
Sodium 1457mg 63%
Total Carbohydrate 5g 2%
Dietary Fiber 0g 1%
Total Sugars 0g
Protein 67g
Vitamin C 12mg 61%
Calcium 341mg 26%
Iron 2mg 11%
Potassium 966mg 21%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)