Blue Crab

by Chef Justin Timineri
Florida's Culinary Ambassador

Blue crab is a shallow water crab found along Florida’s Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It can live in salt, fresh and brackish waters of bays, channels and river mouths, feeding on plants and animals. During the winter months, it moves into deeper water and enters a state of semi-hibernation. Blue crab is commercially harvested using traps primarily July through October.

It is regarded as one of the most commercially valuable crustaceans in the United States. The blue crab has a dark green or brown-green hard shell and five pairs of bright blue legs. The undersides of the body and legs are white. The crab shell turns a scarlet red when cooked.

Blue crab is available as both hard- and soft-shell, with soft-shell crabs being more valuable on the market. The soft-shell blue crab sheds its shell in a process called molting. When ready to molt, the crab or “peeler” is held in water filled trays until the soft shell is formed and it sheds the hard shell. Hard-shell crab is commonly boiled whole and served in its shell.

The soft-shell crab is prepared differently and the entire crab may be eaten, shell and all.
Characteristics of the crab include a light, low fat meat with a mild, sweet flavor and a delicate texture. Blue crab can be substituted with stone crab, golden crab, spiny lobster, or shrimp.

Buying and Storing Tips

For Live Crab: Blue crabs should have some leg movement when purchased. Discard dead crabs and those with broken shells. Store crabs in a cool, moist environment at 50°F in a breathable container such as a paper bag or cardboard box. Do not store crabs directly on ice. Storing live crabs in the refrigerator at 32° F will kill them.
For Crab Meat: Blue crab meat is sold fresh or pasteurized in the following forms: lump, backfin, special, claw and cocktail claw. Store pasteurized blue crabmeat in unopened containers up to 6 months in the coldest part of the refrigerator. Once opened, use within 3 days. Store fresh blue crab meat on ice in the coldest part of your refrigerator and use within 7 to 10 days.
For Soft-shell Blue Crab: Soft-shell blue crabs are available live, fresh or frozen. Fresh soft-shell blue crabs should be cooked within 2 days. Cleaned soft-shell crab can be stored in the refrigerator at 32° F up to 4 days.

Florida Blue Crab Cakes with Tangy Butter Sauce

¼ cup Florida red onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh Florida parsley, chopped
3 tablespoons light mayonnaise
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
¾ teaspoon seafood seasoning
½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 egg whites, lightly beaten
1 pound Florida lump blue crabmeat, drained, shell pieces removed
1 ½ cups panko (Japanese breadcrumbs), divided
2 tablespoons olive oil
¾ cup fat-free chicken broth
3 tablespoons Florida shallots, chopped
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 ½ tablespoons butter

Combine first seven ingredients in a medium bowl. Gently fold in crabmeat and ¾ cup panko crumbs. Cover and chill 30 minutes. Shape the crab mixture into 8 patties each ¾-inch thick. In a shallow dish, roll patties in remaining ¾ cup panko crumbs, coating evenly. In a nonstick skillet over medium heat, heat oil and cook 4 crab cakes at a time for 7 minutes until golden. For butter sauce, combine broth, shallots and vinegar in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook until reduced to ¼ cup. Remove from heat and stir in butter. Serve with crab cakes.

Fried Florida Soft-shell Blue Crab

12 medium Florida soft-shell blue crabs
2 Florida eggs, beaten
¼ cup milk
1 teaspoon salt
¾ cup all-purpose flour
¾ cup dry bread crumbs
1 teaspoon seafood seasoning
½ cup canola oil for frying

Rinse crabs under cold running water; pat dry with paper towels. In small bowl or pie plate, combine eggs, milk and salt. In a separate pie plate, combine flour, bread crumbs and seafood seasoning. Dip crabs in egg mixture; then roll in flour mixture. Heat the oil to 375 degrees F in a heavy saucepan. Cook crabs in a single layer for 4 minutes or until golden. Drain on absorbent paper.

Print these Recipes

Calling All Cooks

Florida Homes for Sale

Blue Crab