Learn how to make a Maryland-style soft shell crab sandwich from Chef Devin Keopraphay of Rising Tiger.
Soft shell crab sandwich
Soft Shell Crab Sandwich
Chef Devin Keopraphay
Total time: 10 minutes
What are soft shell crabs? How do you defrost frozen soft shell crabs?
Chef Devin has those answer for you in the video below!
Ingredients List
Softshell crabs (if small, like the ones we had, use 2 per sandwich)
AP flour or rice flour
1 Egg
2 tablespoons water
Cornflakes
Kosher salt
White pepper
Olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
Bread (2 slices per sando)
1/4 head of Iceberg lettuce for 2 sandos
Thinly sliced tomato
Tartar sauce
Chef Devin Keopraphay of Rising Tiger in Longmont, Colorado
Prep
Softshell crab prep: If you are using frozen crabs, defrost them overnight in your refrigerator. Once they are defrosted, rinse them in cold water, and then press them in paper towels to remove as much moisture as possible. Then roll each crab in a paper towel to store until you cook them. Use within 2 days. If the crab becomes slimy or stinky, DO NOT cook it.
Make your tartar sauce. Devin’s recipe is here.
How to Make a Soft Shell Crab Sandwich (aka softie sando)
Step 1
Put some AP flour on a plate and season with kosher salt and white pepper. Crack the egg in a bowl and whisk with 2 tablespoons of water. In the third bowl, add some crushed up cornflakes and season with salt. You can always add more to each bowl if you didn’t add enough. This is the set-up for the standard breading procedure. Dredge each crab in flour. Then dip into the egg. Then coat in the cornflakes.
Step 2
In a skillet, add 1/4” of olive oil and the butter. Heat it up over medium high heat.
Step 3
Once the butter has melted and the oil is hot, add the soft shell crabs. Don’t overcrowd the pan. After a minute and a half, check to see if they are ready to flip. You’ll know by how sturdy they are. If you pick them up and everything stays straight, they are ready to turn. Smaller crabs will be done in about 3.5 minutes. You’ll know when they are done with you pick them up and both sides are sturdy, and both sides have nice color. Bigger ones will be done in 4 to 5 minutes.
Step 4
Thinly slice the iceberg lettuce. Line a plate with paper towels.
Step 5
When the crabs are cooked, remove them to the plate lined with paper towels. Season with salt.
Step 6
Generously slather both pieces of bread with tartar sauce. Put the lettuce on one slice of bread. Layer thinly sliced tomatoes on top of the lettuce. Next put two fried crabs down, with the claws and legs sticking out of the bread. Then put a few drops of lemon juice on the crabs. Top with the other piece of bread and halve the sandwich down the middle.