Maryland Soft Crab Sandwich

Submitted by Maryland Jim

"As a boy, we lived a block away from the Chesapeake Bay. During the summer, my mother would send me out for fresh soft crabs from out of the grasses growing in the near by creek. This is how she made these delicious sandwiches. I still make them this way."

 

• Ready In: 15mins
• Ingredients: 7
• Serves: 4

ingredients

• 8 soft shelled crabs, cleaned (see note below)
• 1 cup flour
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 16 slices white bread
• tomatoes, slices
• mayonnaise
• lettuce

directions

1. To clean soft crabs, flip up the pointed ends of the crab and remove the gills (or as we called them, the devil) and just cut away the eyes. Rinse in cold water.
2. Salt and pepper each crab. Dredge in flour.
3. Heat butter in frying pan until hot and just smoking. Place two crabs in the butter at a time. Cook for about 2-3 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Remove to paper towel.
4. To make sandwich, place two crabs on a slice of white bread, add lettuce and tomato. Add mayonnaise to second slice of bread, salt and pepper to taste.

Reviews

[Andi Longmeadow Farm]

This is like summer on a plate. It is summer on a plate. A true Maryland tradition, one that has gone on for generations, right along the shores of the Chesapeake Bay. A very simple recipe to follow and eat. But a recipe that will and does bring you to your knees begging and whining for just one more. I don't think there is anything better then slapping a huge slice of tomato perched happily on top of a slice of bread (must be white). Thanks for preserving this tradition and thanks for bringing it to the forefront. Made for your football win week #1. Septembre 2009

 

[susie cooks]

Yummy! Soft shelled crabs are just about my favorite thing to eat! I miss them so much since we moved from the east coast that I order them from crabplace.com. This way I always have some in the freezer. This was so delicious and easy! I also toasted the bread. and I added a little fresh squeezed lemon juice. Wonderful!

 

[NurseJaney]

Oh, Maryland Jim !! You have made my mouth water and my tummy growl, just reading this !! Being a life-long Marylander, I can count the number of times each summer when we were lucky enough to find REAL soft crabs ! The only differnce to your recipe, is that we toated the bread (or buns). Parents lived on Spa Creek, in Annapolis, and we frequently got them from neighbors' crab traps ! Thanks for posting ! Janey