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Fried Crabs Recipe

Fried Crabs Recipe

Crispy, golden Fried Crabs with tender, juicy meat inside. A simple seasoned coating and hot oil are all you need for restaurant-quality results at home—perfect as an appetizer, main dish, or part of a seafood feast. Author Use Default (Don’t show) Servings 4 people Estimated Cost $5 Times Prep Time: 0 days 0 hours 20 minutes Cook Time: 0 days 0 hours 10 minutes Resting Time: 0 days 0 hours 5 minutes Total Time: 0 days 0 hours 35 minutes Categories Courses: Appetizer, Main Dish Cuisines: Coastal, Southern, Mediterranean Keywords: Fried Crabs Recipe, crispy fried crab, soft-shell crab, seafood fry
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
5 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 4
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Mediterranean, Southern
Calories: 380
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • Crab choose one:
  • 8 soft-shell crabs cleaned (prime or jumbo)
  • OR
  • 2 –2½ lb 900–1150 g hard-shell blue crabs, cleaned and halved/quartered
  • Seasoned dredge & coating:
  • ¾ cup 95 g all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup 50 g cornstarch (extra crisp)
  • 1 cup 70 g panko breadcrumbs or fine cornmeal (for hard-shell option)
  • 1½ tsp kosher salt divided
  • ¾ tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp paprika sweet or smoked
  • ½ tsp garlic powder
  • ¼ tsp cayenne optional, for heat
  • Egg wash:
  • 2 large eggs + 1 Tbsp water
  • For frying & finish:
  • 1 –1½ cups neutral oil peanut, canola, or vegetable
  • Lemon wedges parsley, and flaky salt for serving
  • Optional dips: tartar sauce garlic-lemon aioli, or chili-lime mayo

Equipment

  • 1 Cutting board & knife – cleaning and trimming
  • 3 Shallow bowls – flour, egg wash, crumb mix
  • 1 Large heavy skillet or Dutch oven – frying
  • Tongs or spider – safe handling
  • Instant-read thermometer – oil temperature (350°F / 175°C)
  • Wire rack set over sheet pan – draining to stay crisp
  • Paper towels – patting dry

Method
 

  1. Prep crabs:
  2. Soft-shell: Clean if not prepped; pat completely dry.
  3. Hard-shell: Steam or par-boil 3–4 minutes, cool slightly, clean, then pat very dry so coating adheres.
  4. Set up dredge: In bowl 1, mix flour, cornstarch, 1 tsp salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, and cayenne. In bowl 2, beat eggs with water. In bowl 3, place panko (or cornmeal) mixed with remaining ½ tsp salt.
  5. Coat: Dust crabs in seasoned flour, shake excess. Dip in egg wash, then press into panko/cornmeal (skip crumbs for ultra-light soft-shells if preferred—just flour works). Place on a rack 5 minutes to set.
  6. Heat oil: Add ½–¾ inch oil to skillet; heat to 350°F / 175°C. Maintain between 340–360°F for crisp results.
  7. Fry: Working in batches, fry crabs 2–3 minutes per side for soft-shell (until deep golden), or 3–4 minutes total for hard-shell pieces (until coating is crisp and meat is heated through). Avoid crowding to keep oil hot.
  8. Drain & finish: Transfer to wire rack, rest 5 minutes. Sprinkle flaky salt, add parsley, and serve with lemon wedges and your favorite dip. Enjoy immediately for peak crunch.
  9. Nutrition (per serving, approx.)
  10. Calories: 380 kcal
  11. Protein: 25 g
  12. Carbohydrates: 28 g
  13. Fat: 18 g
  14. Saturated Fat: 3 g
  15. Fiber: 1 g
  16. Sodium: 780 mg
  17. (Will vary with crab type, oil absorption, and coating.)

Notes

Oil temp = crispness: Too cool = greasy coating; too hot = burnt exterior. Monitor with a thermometer.
Lighter option: Use only seasoned flour (no crumbs) and shallow-fry quickly.
Flavor twists: Add Old Bay, lemon zest, or smoked paprika to the dredge.
Make-ahead: Clean and dry crabs; refrigerate up to 24 hours. Bread just before frying.
Serving ideas: Pile into butter-toasted rolls with slaw, or serve over herby salad or saffron rice.