Soft-Shell Crabs With Brown Butter

Updated November 13, 2022

Total Time
10 minutes
Rating
4(21)
Comments
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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings
  • 4 large or 8 small soft-shell crabs, dressed for cooking

  • ¼ cup milk

  • ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper

  • Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

  • ½ cup flour

  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

  • 4 slices peeled lemon

  • 3 tablespoons butter

  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice

  • 3 tablespoons finely chopped parsley

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

21 grams carbs; 37 milligrams cholesterol; 246 calories; 8 grams monosaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 6 grams saturated fat; 17 grams fat; 3 grams fiber; 362 milligrams sodium; 6 grams protein; 3 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Put the crabs in a shallow dish in one layer and add the milk, cayenne, salt and pepper. Turn the crabs in the milk.

  2. Step 2

    Dip the crabs immediately into the flour, turning to coat them well. Shake off the excess flour.

  3. Step 3

    Heat the oil until quite hot in a nonstick skillet large enough to hold the crabs in one layer. Add the crabs, belly side down. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes (more or less, depending on the size of the crabs) until golden brown on both sides and cooked through.

  4. Step 4

    Transfer the crabs to a warm serving platter. Garnish with lemon slices.

  5. Step 5

    Wipe out the skillet with a clean cloth and add the butter. When it is bubbling and turned hazelnut color add the lemon juice and pour the mixture over the crabs. Sprinkle with parsley and serve immediately.

Tip
  • To clean soft-shell crabs, kill the crabs by piercing between the eyes with a knife. Lift the pointed ends of the shells and scrape out the spongy portions between the shells and the body. Put the crabs on their backs and cut off the tails.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
21 user ratings
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Comments

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Added wine at end instead of wiping pan

A classic. Simple. Delicious. All about the crabs.

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