How to Buy, Clean, and Eat Soft-Shell Crabs

Summer, sun, and soft-shell crabs — few combinations are as simple and memorable. Over the years, cooking and eating crabs has hit an all-time high and regulations are tightening to rebalance the natural supply, like in the case of the Alaskan Snow Crab. But soft-shell crabs remain an accessible love letter to a toasty summer afternoon or a balmy evening meal surrounded by friends and family. Here’s everything you need to know about them before your next summer party. 

What are soft-shell crabs?

Let’s start with debunking a few soft-shell crab myths. Soft-shell crabs are not a separate crab species, but rather a growth stage in every crab’s life cycle. When a crab begins to outgrow its shell, there is a brief window between moving day and closing day on a hard new shell when it sports a much softer exterior — hence the name. At some point, all crabs enter the soft-shell stage, meaning that while the Atlantic (or Maryland blue crab as its known regionally) is the most common “softie” you’ll see on a menu in America, people in other countries enjoy feasting on soft-shell mangrove crabs, horseshoe crabs, Mediterranean crabs, and others.

When is soft-shell crab season? 

Soft-shell blue crabs are a seasonal delight. Poetic legends say the season begins with the first full moon in May. In reality, the true seasonality of these crabs is a bit nebulous. In certain parts of the Gulf Coast, soft-shell blue crabs start hitting the markets in early April. On the East Coast, the season tends to last a bit longer. A general good rule of thumb is that they are in season from late spring through summer, with the season’s peak during early summer (more discerning crabbing experts claim that during peak season there is a noticeable quality difference between a June soft-shell and one caught in July).  

How to clean soft-shell crabs

You can find soft-shell crabs at your local reputable seafood market or specialty grocer. While plenty of online retailers such as White Stone Oysters or Fulton Fish Market will ship fully cleaned, fresh soft-shell crabs right to your door, there is something special about a live crab that is purchased and eaten on the same day. Most fishmongers will clean your crab for you, but with such a pliable shell, they are simple to do yourself, as long as you have a good pair of kitchen shears. It’s always a wise idea to first give your crabs a quick rinse at home under cold water to remove any residual grime. Start by cutting across the front of the crab to remove its face. Next, lift up a corner of the top shell and remove the gills. Finally, turn the crab onto its underside and pull off the apron (that little triangle-shaped part). Et voila! A cleaned crab ready for cooking. 

How to cook soft-shell crabs 

Now that we’ve covered what soft-shell crabs are and their seasonality, we can talk through the big question: How do you cook and eat soft-shell crabs? Luckily, there are a variety of ways to enjoy these crabs and you don’t have to painstakingly pick through parts to enjoy them. In fact, the entire shell of a soft-shell crab is completely edible. You get the same buttery crab meat, but with a slight crunch in every bite. Frying soft-shell crabs is one of the most popular ways to cook them. We love Andrew Zimmern’s Crispy Soft-Shell Crabs with Bangalore-Style Dipping Sauce, Paul Kahan’s rice flour-dusted pan-fried Soft-Shell Crabs with Lemon Aioli, or Charlie Palmer’s funky riff on a traditional flour dredge with his Oatmeal-Crusted Soft-Shell Crabs with Brown Butter. On a hot summer day, there’s nothing quite like taking a big bite of a soft-shell crab sandwich. And for all you grilling fans, grilling soft-shell crabs give their sweet meat a kiss of smokiness like in these Grilled Soft-Shell Crabs with Tartare Sauce. Recipes like these show off the sweet, easy perfection of turning these crabs into a summer meal.