The Catch Of The Day - Soft Shell Crabs
Knute Hogan, The Culinarian, June 2007

Soft shell crab is a seasonal seafood delicacy which can be eaten in its entirety. This is possible because crabs periodically shed or 'molt' their tough outer shells, revealing new, soft, pliable shells. The molting of coldwater blue crabs is highly seasonal and usually lasts from late spring into early Fall with the peak production occurring from May through July. Watermen harvest soft shell crabs from their wide beamed shallow draft boat as peelers (about to shed), rank peelers (within hours of shedding) and busters (in the process of shedding).

As these crabs grow larger, their shells cannot expand, so they molt the exteriors and have a soft covering for a matter of days when they are vulnerable (and desirable) to both wild predators and Watermen. Watermen often put crabs beginning to molt aside until the molting process is complete in order to send them to market as soft shells. Once caught, they are kept under running bay water, in shallow boxes called floats, until they molt. The entire molting process can take just a few hours. After molting, the new shell begins to develop within hours. These soft shells remain edible only for a few days. Four days from molting is the typical time limit for use as soft shell crabs. Any longer and they begin to rebuild their shells. As the new thin shell develops, they are referred to as "papershells" and are crunchier when eaten. Papershells are less desirable to many people. Consequently, that narrow window of opportunity makes soft shell crabs a prized but short-lived indulgence. Aficionados know to take advantage of the crab's prime time when the time presents itself.

The blue crab requires both inshore brackish waters and high salinity ocean waters to complete its life cycle. They are common from Massachusetts to Texas and some have been reported as far north as Canada and as far south as South America. The Chesapeake Bay, North Carolina and Louisiana support the largest blue crab fisheries. The best quality soft shell crabs come from the Chesapeake Bay whose colder waters and estuaries produce a Blue Crab high in flavorful fat. Carolina Blue Crabs are considered second to Maryland while Louisiana provides less expensive options for those who like larger crabs. Ultimately, soft-shell crabs are a delicacy that require appropriate handling and care to insure a quality product.

Watermen have been catching Chesapeake Bay's renowned blue crabs and other varieties of commercially-valued seafood since the first settlers landed. The blue crab stock behaves as one unit throughout Chesapeake Bay; a unified management approach among Bay jurisdictions is employed with the principal goal to manage blue crabs in the Chesapeake Bay to conserve the bay wide stock, protect its ecological value, and optimize the long-term utilization of the resource. To achieve this goal, a sustainable level of spawning stock must be maintained; regulations must adequately protect the resource and optimize harvest.

The blue crab's scientific name, Callinectes sapidus, translates to "savory beautiful swimmer." Experienced crabbers can quickly spot crabs preparing to molt. Five to ten days before molting, a narrow white line appears just within the thin margin of the last two joints of the swimming legs. A few days before shedding, the crab's narrow white lines give way to a red line, and fine white wrinkles appear on the blue skin between the wrist and upper arm. The actual molting lasts for only a few minutes as the crab pushes out the rear of the old shell.

The resulting soft crab, which is limp and wrinkled, will swell to normal shape and usually increase in size by thirty percent. If disturbed, the vulnerable soft shell crab can swim and walk but prefers seclusion. The blue crab is an important bottom-dwelling predator and a member of the swimming crab family. Male and female crabs can be distinguished by examining their segmented abdomen. The abdomen is folded and fitted snugly into a groove on the underside of the crab. The male's abdomen is long and slender, resembling an inverted "T". A female's abdomen changes as it matures; an immature female has a triangular shaped abdomen whereas; a mature female's is rounded.

Soft-shell crabs are marketed by size as measured across the shell with the largest commanding premium prices. Soft-shells are split up into 5 basic sizes; whales, jumbos, primes, hotels and mediums, the sizes most often offered on the West Coast are Jumbos - measuring 5 to 5 1/2 inches, Primes -measuring 4 1/2 to 5 inches and Hotels - measuring 4 to 4 1/2 inches. They are available frozen year round.

Soft shell crabs are shipped live but typically marketed as fresh. If they are hearty and strong they may arrive live. However, it is not uncommon for them to perish in transit. Motion and heat are the biggest factors affecting the Blue Crabs mortality. The best indicator to determine the freshness is smell. Any crabs that have a distinct ammonia odor should not be served. Soft shell crabs that have perished but have no odor are still fresh and edible. The best way to store a soft-shell crab is in cool, moist packaging. Wet newspaper and straw have all been used to maintain the moisture content. If the product is to be held as fresh, standard coolers of 36-degrees are acceptable. Holding live crab at 36-degrees will ultimately kill the product and move it to the fresh category. A one to three day shelf life can be expected here on the West Coast.

Because the crabs need direct heat to give them their characteristic outer crispness, they should not be boiled or steamed like hard-shell crabs. Soft-shell crabs take only minutes to cook, so they're traditionally simply fried or sautéed. But they do lend themselves nicely to the broiler or grill, as well. They can be featured on menus from appetizers to salads to sandwiches to entrees. The flavor is sweet to mildly briny and tender texture.