Virginia Fried Soft Shell Crabs Recipes

VIRGINIA FRIED SOFT SHELL CRABS

Steps:

• Dress fresh crabs or thaw frozen crabs. Rinse in cold water; drain.
• Combine eggs, milk, and salt.
• Combine flour and crumbs.
• Dip crabs in egg mixture and roll in flour/crumb mixture. For heavier breading, let crabs sit several minutes and repeat dipping/rolling procedure. Additional spices, such as cayenne pepper and garlic, may also be added.
• Place crabs in a heavy frying pan which contains 1/8 to 1/4 inch of fat, hot but not smoking.
• Fry at moderate heat. When crabs are brown on one side, turn carefully and brown the other side. Cooking time is approximately 8 to 10 minutes.
• Drain on absorbent paper.

FRIED SOFT-SHELL CRAB

Steps:

• Clean each crab. Lift one pointed side of top shell and remove the gills by pulling them out. Put top shell back down and repeat on other side. On the bottom side remove tail flap by twisting and pulling off. Using a pair of scissors, remove the face by cutting behind the eyes. Rinse the crabs thoroughly with cold water. Dry on paper towels.
• Heat oil in a deep fryer to 365 degrees F (180 degrees F). In a shallow dish, whisk together the egg and milk using a fork. In a separate bowl, stir salt and pepper into the flour. Lightly salt the crab, then dip in the flour, dip in the egg, then in the flour again.
• Carefully place crabs into the deep-fryer. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, or until golden brown on one side. Carefully turn over, and cook until golden on the other side. Drain on paper towels. Serve as soon as they are cool enough to eat. You can eat the whole crab.

SOFT-SHELLED CRABS MEUNIèRE

Steps:

• Combine milk, salt, and pepper in a shallow dish and soak crabs 5 minutes. Lift 1 crab out of milk, letting excess drip off, and dredge in flour. Knock off excess flour and transfer to a tray. Repeat with remaining crabs, arranging them in 1 layer as coated.
• Heat clarified butter in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté crabs, upside down, 2 minutes. Turn over and sauté until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes more.
• Transfer crabs to a serving dish. Add butter pieces to skillet and cook until golden brown with a nutty aroma. Add lemon juice and parsley (mixture will bubble up) and remove from heat.
• Season sauce with salt and pepper and drizzle over crabs.

PAN-FRIED SOFT SHELL CRABS

Steps:

• Coat Heat oven to 200°F. Whisk together coconut milk, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a shallow dish. In another dish, whisk together flour, cornstarch, and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Working with one at a time, place crabs in milk mixture and turn to coat completely. Lift crabs, allowing excess liquid to drip into bowl, then dredge in flour mixture, turning to coat both sides. Tap off excess flour mixture and set the crabs on a baking sheet as you work.
• Pan-fry Line a baking sheet with a double layer of paper towels. Heat 1/4 inch of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add crabs (becareful, as their liquid can cause spattering), and cook until both sides are crisp and golden brown and flesh is cooked through (it should be firm to the touch), about 4 minutes per side. Do not try to flip the crabs too soon, as the crust needs time to form; they should release easily from the pan. Using a slotted spatula, transfer crabs to prepared baking sheet to drain.
• Serve Divide the slaw evenly among four plates and top each with a crab.
• Ingredients
• Soft shell crabs should be used within several hours (no longer than 6 hours) of purchase. Store them over a bed of ice in the refrigerator until you are ready to cook them.