The single greatest food season if you live near the coast. I will probably have at least one soft shell crab dish a week for the next month or two...cooked in as many ways as possible. Had a bad-ass soft shell crab in a yellow curry sauce last night.










Can you get decent soft shell crab in Raleigh?? Shit is delicious.

4/20/2014 7:51:34 PM

doubt you can get soft shell crab in Raleigh

I'm sure the exoskeleton grows back during that 2 hr drive from the coast

4/20/2014 7:55:18 PM

Fish Monger's in Durham does a decent job

4/20/2014 7:56:13 PM

Mmm I want that sammich like right now

4/20/2014 8:13:10 PM

wait... you can eat the whole damn crab?

4/20/2014 8:42:20 PM

The fried one I had was gross but the steamed was OK. Restaurants reserve the better for steamed or broiled typically so the blame is on me

4/20/2014 9:16:48 PM

I think that is so fascinating. ..but I can't bring myself to eat it...

4/20/2014 9:18:59 PM

Just don't eat it too late in the season...that's when the shells get tougher. I had one late a few years ago that was a little tough to get through....won't make that mistake again. The one I had last night was perfect. Was less "tough" than the skin on my bojangles fried chicken for lunch today.

My wife is obsessed. I imagine we'll eat out twice a week for the next couple weeks just so she can see what everyone does with their crabs this year.

[Edited on April 20, 2014 at 9:43 PM. Reason : .]

4/20/2014 9:42:03 PM

even at the coast, most of the soft shell crab you're eating is farm raised

nothing we can't duplicate in any city in America

4/20/2014 9:48:49 PM

Yaknow what? I believe that. ..

4/20/2014 9:53:22 PM

i don't think that's true for blue crabs

if by "farm-raised" you mean they catch live crabs and put them in holding tanks and circulate salt/brackish water through and wait for the crabs to molt, then yes.

[Edited on April 20, 2014 at 10:11 PM. Reason : sadf]

4/20/2014 10:03:01 PM

"farm cultivated"

4/20/2014 10:29:29 PM

Yea, they are not farm raised

Most crabbers pull the ones that are about to molt and put them in a separate pen at the dock. These are called "peelers". As soon as they shed, they are packed and sold as soft shell crabs.

4/20/2014 10:35:52 PM

"farm finished"

4/20/2014 10:37:42 PM

"wild caught"

4/20/2014 10:38:31 PM

How much do they sell for in Charleston? They go for $5/each at the fish market here. I caught one in my crab trap once. It was delicious.

4/21/2014 12:09:41 AM

Quote :

"Shit is delicious."

X2

4/21/2014 12:23:15 AM

Mmm spider roll

4/21/2014 12:24:34 AM

Garland made a soft shell crab cemita last year that was irreproachable, I'm hoping they bring it back.

4/21/2014 12:40:35 AM

Two molting season. Now til lat May, then End of July through August. The 'toughness' is how long you leave them in the water to build up calcium in the shells. Preferably 1-2.5 hours after molting is best to harvest and cook within a few days.

The harvesting is a bitch because it's around the clock, but usually around the wee hours of 2AM is when most of them molt. Ah, the fun of summer jobs with no sleep.

4/21/2014 1:09:03 AM

where is the closest place to raleigh to get one of these at a restaurant?

4/21/2014 8:09:47 AM

Love soft shell crabs.

Will be hitting up Locals Seafood all season.

4/21/2014 8:15:30 AM

mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

4/21/2014 9:12:09 AM

deathly allergic to shellfish, so i've never had one.

since i can't eat them, i'm sure they're fucking delicious.

4/21/2014 9:20:01 AM

I'm allergic to shellfish. And I can still tell you that they are delicious.

4/21/2014 9:25:50 AM

can't stop wont stop

[Edited on April 21, 2014 at 9:35 AM. Reason : .]

4/21/2014 9:34:16 AM

where do restaurants serve these in raleigh?

4/21/2014 9:34:55 AM

I know 42nd st does. I'd imagine any real seafood restaurant does as well.

4/21/2014 9:36:54 AM

i just want to run in somewhere and get a soft shell sandwich for lunch today

4/21/2014 10:00:13 AM

The farmer's maket seafood market may have softshell as well.

4/21/2014 10:05:28 AM

It's back motherfuckers. Popping up in restaurants as we speak. Got dinner planned for this entire week...but will be stuffing my face with these beauties next week....FO SHO!

4/6/2015 3:09:00 PM

love this stuff, glad to be a Charlestonian

4/6/2015 3:10:38 PM

Where in Raleigh can I get one? never had a soft crab

4/6/2015 3:17:49 PM

^Check out Locals Seafood. They have a stall at the Farmers market, and last I knew they can/will deliver to your door if you order enough seafood.

An excuse to go to the coast. Perfect.

4/6/2015 3:31:11 PM

Fish mongers in Durham has a softshell crab sammich I think

[Edited on April 6, 2015 at 3:48 PM. Reason : lol posted the same thing last year]

4/6/2015 3:47:23 PM

I'm going hunting for some tonight. Preferably cooked since I don't want to ruin it by trying to cook it myself.

4/6/2015 3:49:33 PM

These things are nasty. Don't know why they are even a thing.

But on a side note, these were typically caught live and kept in separate tanks when I was living in Maryland.

[Edited on April 6, 2015 at 4:01 PM. Reason : T]

4/6/2015 3:58:24 PM

Got my fix in for the season. Tempura fried soft shells in a sweet chili sauce with veggies and a side of sticky rice. Fucking delicious:

4/14/2015 1:11:15 PM

Still too cold for NC Peelers

4/14/2015 1:13:19 PM

^^ I'd eat that.

4/14/2015 1:18:12 PM

Yea that woman looks tasty

4/14/2015 1:36:12 PM

omg looks so good.

4/14/2015 8:01:39 PM

Yeah chick in the gingham shirt

4/14/2015 8:43:01 PM

I need to find a good place in Charlotte that has some. Very few top tier seafood places left in the city, but fried foods are usually better at the more casual joints. Maybe Cajun Yard Dog? I've got a craving now, dammit.

4/14/2015 11:23:36 PM

I eat these all year round in spider rolls. They are not that big but still darn tasty.

4/15/2015 12:46:29 AM

Fuck it...I did it again last night. Softshell sammy...another tempura fried crab, brioche bun, local tomatoes, arugula, and a spicy aioli. Another fucking tasty softshell experience.



[Edited on April 15, 2015 at 10:47 AM. Reason : .]

4/15/2015 10:46:50 AM

So, where in Raleigh can I get one cooked properly. I don't care if it cost $exas.

4/15/2015 10:52:56 AM

I need some in my life ASAP! Hopefully I can get some this weekend in Jax, FL.

4/15/2015 12:44:04 PM

Champa up in Brier Creek has a Soft Shell curry. It's been a few years since I had it but I remember it being pretty tasty.

4/15/2015 12:46:19 PM

It's back motherfuckers. Wife's at home recovering from surgery, so I think I'm going to pick up a few soft shell sammie's for lunch. Probably going to hit up a nice brunch on Sunday at a place that's serving them as well.

3/24/2016 8:46:56 AM