Can You Eat A Whole Soft Shell Crab, Shell And All?

Soft shell crabs are a remarkable dining experience. Unlike regular old hard shell crabs, you can eat soft shell crabs whole, chowing down on the shell and all. If you've never tried soft-shell crab before, it might seem strange to eat shellfish with the outer layers still on. However, there's a perfectly logical explanation behind it, and you can't argue with the sweet, juicy flavor.

Soft shell crab is not a unique crab species. In fact, the ones you find on restaurant menus are usually blue crabs. Instead, the soft shell part comes down to timing and when the crabs are caught. As they grow, blue crabs (and other species) shed their hard outer shells so that they can grow new, larger ones. Once the crabs ditch their old shells, however, their new coats take time to harden, leaving the crustaceans very soft and pliable during this stage. Soft-shell crabs are deliberately taken out of the water during or, more commonly, right before they shed. Once their shells have molted, they can be sold as soft shell seafood delicacies. 

Soft shell crab can be prepared in numerous ways, although it's most often pan-fried or coated in a batter before deep frying. Personally, I prefer the latter because the batter gives the delicate meat a contrasting crunch and adds structure, meaning it holds its shape. In contrast, pan-fried soft shell crab can go slightly limp and is not always as visually appealing. (Before you ask, yes, there is a difference between pan frying and deep frying, as pan frying usually refers to a shallow fry while deep-fried food has to be completely submerged in boiling oil.) Soft shell crab is delicious when used in all sorts of recipes. Chop it up and put it in a maki roll or use it as a crispy sandwich filling with lemon aioli. You can also cook soft shell crab into some types of chowder or use them in seafood soup.

The meat is sweet, tender, and delicate, so definitely pull off a leg or two and enjoy it with a squeeze of lemon before smothering it in too much sauce. It's good to appreciate the soft shell crab for its stand-alone seafood flavor. 

If you want to try your hand at cooking soft shell crab at home, preparing the shellfish is, thankfully, not too difficult. Frozen soft shell crabs almost always come trimmed, so you can batter and fry them as soon as they're thawed. However, if you're going for maximum freshness and happen to find some live crabs at the seafood counter, you'll need to start by dispatching them. Take a pair of kitchen scissors and snip through the front of the shell from just behind the eyes. This process will kill the crab immediately. 

After this, lift the top portion of the shell off and remove the gills (these look a bit like soft, fleshy feathers). Flip the crab over, and remove what's known as the "apron," or the hinged plate on the bottom, and you're all set to fry. Oh, and don't forget to invite me over for dinner while you're at it.