Usually it's a Blue crab that is served as a soft shell dish. How to Prepare Soft Shell Crabs. discussion from the Chowhound Restaurants, Boston food community. Soft-shell crabs are Eastern blue crabs caught right before they molt in May. Read the Dopey girl doesn't know how to eat soft-shelled crabs! Yeah, you do — and savor every bite while you're at it. via YouTube Capture. Every minute the crabs sit in cold temperatures, they get tougher. Their shells will be very pliable. A soft shell crab, often referred to as a softie, is a recently molted crab. How much will they set me back? Join the discussion today. Read the Dopey girl doesn't know how to eat soft-shelled crabs! Soft-shell crabs are best eaten golden and crisp. Fry the crab in small batches at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for no more than 4-5 minutes, turn once, then drain it on a towel. How to Eat Crabs. Typically, they cost $48 to $75 a dozen depending on size (and one crab feeds one person). Soft shell crabs might look a little intimidating (especially with their spider-like legs intact), but they’re easy to cook at home. Because sautéed in butter or deep-fried, soft-shell crabs are everything — crispy, tender and with a sweet kiss of sea mist to boot. Clean the crabs by using scissors to cut the faces, gills and tail plates off. Here you will unravel the mystery and discover a quick and easy way to eat a crab! What exactly are soft shell crabs, relative to "normal" (hard shell?) Between March and September, soft-shell crabs appear on menus of all sorts, so we made a guide on how to eat these delicacies without embarrassing yourself. This video is unavailable. It’s a good idea to get your fill when you can because although the season is plentiful, it's also short. Soft shell crabs, which are perfect for a savory seafood dinner, are actually normal crabs that have molted their tough outer shell. crabs? Read the Dopey girl doesn't know how to eat soft-shelled crabs! Join the discussion today. Avoid any crab—live or dead—that has a strong smell of any sort; a fresh crab, like a fresh fish, smells of little more than the water it … Prepare your table. Don't hesitate to examine them closely; their claws are harmless in the soft-shell stage. How to Prepare Soft Shell Crabs. Not only is the soft-shell defenseless, with its limp claws and squishy carapace, it's also irresistibly easy to eat, requiring nothing more than a quick cleaning of a … It’s a good idea to get your fill when you can because although the season is plentiful, it's also short. Prepare the soft-shell crabs: Preheat either a deep fryer or a pot of oil to 350°. Because sautéed in butter or deep-fried, soft-shell crabs are everything — crispy, tender and with a sweet kiss of sea mist to boot. Soft shell crabs might look a little intimidating (especially with their spider-like legs intact), but they’re easy to cook at home. Soft shell crabs are crabs that are molting, which is when the hard shell of the crab grows about 30 percent. If you try to boil them as you would a normal crab, they would just fall apart. 5. They have to shed their old shell and when they exit that shell, they are soft for about 2 to 3 hours. discussion from the Chowhound Restaurants, Boston food community. This depends on where you live. discussion from the Chowhound Restaurants, Boston food community. Here’s how. If you try to boil them as you would a normal crab, they would just fall apart. Watch Queue Queue Then their shell … In Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia (The DelMarVa), you generally eat those innards, which we call “fat”. 4) Deep fry the tempura soft-shell crab till golden brown. A signature dish around Chesapeake Bay and parts of the Atlantic coast, they are usually held in tanks just before molting, with just a matter of days before they set a new, hard shell.