The thought of consuming the entire crab should not deter you. It is excellent, delicate, and somewhat salty. And after frying, the interiors have a straight meat appearance with no discernible “guts.”
| Prep Time: | 15 mins |
| Cook Time: | 5 mins |
| Total Time: | 20 mins |
| Servings: | 4 |
| Yield: | 4 crabs |
Ingredients
- 1 quart vegetable oil for frying, or as needed
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup bread crumbs
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon seafood seasoning (such as Old Bay®)
- 1 tablespoon ground paprika
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 4 (4.5 ounce) soft-shell crabs, cleaned
- ½ cup milk
- 2 large eggs
Instructions
- Heat 2 inches oil in a deep pot to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
- Whisk flour, bread crumbs, cornstarch, seafood seasoning, paprika, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and chili powder together in a bowl until evenly combined. Mix milk and eggs together in a separate bowl.
- Dredge each whole crab in the flour mixture, dunk in the egg mixture, then back in the flour mixture to coat.
- Lower crabs carefully into the hot oil. Fry until they start to float, then fry for an additional minute, flipping halfway through. Transfer to a paper towel-lined tray to drain oil. Serve immediately.
- Nutrition data for this recipe includes the full amount of breading ingredients. The actual amount of breading consumed will vary. We have determined the nutritional value of oil for frying based on a retention value of 10% after cooking. Amount will vary depending on cooking time and temperature, ingredient density, and specific type of oil used.
Nutrition Facts
| Calories | 882 kcal |
| Carbohydrate | 81 g |
| Cholesterol | 218 mg |
| Dietary Fiber | 4 g |
| Protein | 34 g |
| Saturated Fat | 8 g |
| Sodium | 1305 mg |
| Sugars | 4 g |
| Fat | 47 g |
| Unsaturated Fat | 0 g |