She crab soup was popular in Charleston restaurants before it became a restaurant dish. It was often made at home by local cooks. The creamy concoction, studded with crab meat and roe, then spiked with sherry, was highly prized. Consider this ditty appearing in the iconic cookbook, “Charleston Receipts”:
A soup to remember! The feminine gender of crabs is expedient – the secret ingredient. The flavor essential makes men reverential who taste this collation and cry acclamation.
This was before the 1990s shrimp and grits craze. That’s when chefs in the area dressed up the simple Charleston dish “shrimps and hominy,” which has roots in both Native American and Gullah cuisine, and brought it into the fine dining world.
She crab soup is a cherished staple in the cuisine of Charleston, South Carolina and a delicious delicacy enjoyed by seafood lovers across the South But where did this rich, creamy bisque get its distinctive name from? The moniker provides a clue into the key ingredient that sets this soup apart
The Role of the Female Crab
As the name implies, she crab soup is made using female crabs, specifically the roe (eggs) from female crabs. This is what gives the soup its characteristic pinkish hue, thick texture, and distinctively sweet, briny flavor. Using the roe is essential to achieving the traditional taste and mouthfeel that she crab soup is prized for.
Female crabs were likely chosen over males for pragmatic reasons. In times of scarcity, thrifty cooks made use of every bit of crab they could. The smaller female crabs provided tasty meat for the stock. But the real treasure was the roe, which acted as a flavorful thickening agent.
Origins in Charleston’s Cuisine
The beginnings of she crab soup are steeped in the cultural history of Charleston. There are a few origin stories floating around about who created the first batch.
Some say it emerged just after the Civil War, when crabs became more plentiful as a food source. Others trace it back to Colonial times before the Revolutionary War. Whenever it originated, she crab soup grew to be closely associated with the city’s identity.
Legend has it that a chef named William Deas invented the soup when he served it to President William Howard Taft on a visit to Charleston in the early 1900s. From humble origins, it became a high society delicacy that cemented Charleston’s status as an emerging culinary capital.
Evolution of the Recipe
The original she crab soup consisted of female crab meat, heavy cream, sherry, and the all-important roe blended into a creamy puree. The roe gave the soup an orangey-pink color and a tangy umami depth.
Over time, recipes evolved along with changing tastes and laws As conservation efforts protected egg-bearing female crabs, immature females and crab claw meat were substituted For visual flair reminiscent of the original, chefs creatively used egg yolk, mascaro, or flying fish roe instead of the now-rare crab roe.
Modern renditions vary, but still aim to capture the quintessential flavors of this Charleston specialty – the sweetness of the crab, the richness of the cream, and a hint of sherry’s nutty complexity, all coming together in satiny spoonfuls.
She Crab Soup Etiquette and Serving Suggestions
As a first course, she crab soup shines when proper etiquette is observed. Refrain from crumbling crackers directly into the soup, as it can create an unappealing texture. Instead, enjoy a few oyster crackers on the side if desired.
Some elevated serving ideas include:
- Garnishing with fresh herbs like chives or tarragon
- A drizzle of sherry or lemon juice to cut the richness
- A sprinkle of paprika or cayenne for visual flair
- Pairing with a crisp white wine like Sauvignon Blanc
She crab soup is best savored slowly, without too many accompaniments that distract from its velvety texture and oceanic flavors. Let it take center stage while you linger over each soul-warming spoonful.
Trying an Authentic Version in Charleston
For an truly classic she crab soup experience, it’s worth visiting Charleston to savor it where it originated. Look for it on the menus of established restaurants like Magnolia’s, eloquent events or Slightly North of Broad. Select cafes like the Five Loaves Cafe prepare it fresh daily. Ask a local for their top picks.
You can also purchase handmade, small-batch she crab soup from Charleston specialty food purveyors to take home a taste of the city. Look for it sold fresh or frozen in gourmet markets for a unique edible souvenir.
How to Make Your Own She Crab Soup
Hankering for she crab soup but can’t make it to Charleston? Not to worry – you can recreate the magic at home with a basic recipe.
- Sauté onions, celery and carrots as the base. Garlic, thyme, oregano and bay leaf add depth.
- Use fish or chicken stock and heavy cream for the liquid.
- Fold in fresh lump crab meat just before serving so it doesn’t get overcooked.
- If you can find it, add crab roe for authentic color and flavor. Tobiko or mascaro are decent substitutes.
- Finish with a splash of dry sherry or lemon juice.
- Garnish with fresh chives. Offer oyster crackers on the side.
Now you can enjoy a taste of Charleston’s iconic soup no matter where you live. Just be prepared for requests for a second bowl!
She crab soup has a fascinating history behind its memorable moniker and place in Southern food culture. By learning about the origins and evolution of this delicious dish, we gain insight into the traditions and innovations that shaped Southern cuisine. Next time you crack into a bowl of this creamy crab bisque, you can appreciate the rich culinary story in each spoonful.
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She crab soup was popular in Charleston restaurants before it became a restaurant dish. It was often made at home by local cooks. The creamy concoction, studded with crab meat and roe, then spiked with sherry, was highly prized. Consider this ditty appearing in the iconic cookbook, “Charleston Receipts”:
A soup to remember! The feminine gender of crabs is expedient – the secret ingredient. The flavor essential makes men reverential who taste this collation and cry acclamation.
This was before the 1990s shrimp and grits craze. That’s when chefs in the area dressed up the simple Charleston dish “shrimps and hominy,” which has roots in both Native American and Gullah cuisine, and brought it into the fine dining world.
History of She Crab Soup
She crab soup has also been reborn. Its first life was as partan bree, a broth with cream and crab that was brought to South Carolina by a wave of Scotch-Irish settlers in the 1700s. French and Creole cooking styles have led cooks to brown roux to thicken crab soup over the years, though some just used a flour or cornstarch slurry.
In the early 1900s, William Deas, a highly skilled African chef and butler for then-Charleston mayor, R. Goodwyn Rhett, tweaked a pot of crab soup in the kitchen of the historic John Rutledge House by adding a glossy, red-orange cluster of crab roe to the pot. Not only did the roe give the soup a velvety orange hue, but it added body and infused it with a savory tang that offset the sweetness of the crab and sherry to prime advantage.
The new twist was liked by the mayor and his wife, who gave the recipe to a nearby newspaper. Around the 1930s, many home cooks in the area served the soup, and their dinner guests slurped it up quickly.
When Deas was hired to run the kitchen at Everetts Restaurant, he added the soup to the menu. It quickly became the chain’s most famous dish and a classic in Charleston.
South Carolina She-Crab Soup with Chef Michelle Weaver
Why is crab soup called she crab soup?
The soup is named for the “she-crab”, or female crab, originally a gravid (roe-carrying) crab, as the orange crab roe comprise a chief ingredient in traditional she-crab soup. As with turtle soup, other ingredients may be added to the soup or substituted for others, although crab meat is found in all versions.
Where did she crab soup come from?
Long before it made its way onto the menus of restaurants all over South Carolina, she-crab soup was mostly found in the kitchens of private homes. It originally came on the scene in South Carolina in the 1700s, when Scotch-Irish settlers would make a bisque using milk or cream, crab and rice.
What is she-crab soup?
She-crab soup is a luxurious and creamy chowder with an undercurrent of briny crab flavor. If this is your first time trying this type of soup, the flavor is somewhat similar to clam chowder. While clam chowder relies on hearty potatoes and bacon for flavor and heft, she-crab soup is more delicate.
Who invented crab soup?
In the early 1900s, William Deas, a highly skilled African chef and butler for then-Charleston mayor, R. Goodwyn Rhett, tweaked a pot of crab soup in the kitchen of the historic John Rutledge House by adding a glossy, red-orange cluster of crab roe to the pot.