Where to Find Delicious Soft Shell Crabs for an Unforgettable Meal

If youre searching for delicious Maryland soft shell crabs for sale, youve come to the right place. Harbor House Crabs has been proudly supplying Maryland soft shell crabs and other high-quality seafood for more than twenty years and has built a reputation for giving our customers the best quality. Â.

Because their hard shells haven’t grown back yet, soft shell crabs are delicious. You can eat the whole crab. As a result, soft shells can be only harvested during specific times of the year. We gather soft shell crabs of different sizes so that they can be frozen and shipped quickly.

Our crabs come from the beautiful Chesapeake Bay and are as good as, if not better than, crabs you’d find in a restaurant. Our business sells fresh soft shell crabs that are sure to please. You can bake them, deep-fry them with egg, flour, butter, Old Bay, salt, and pepper, or pan-fry them with crab seasonings and put them in a salad. Â.

Soft shell crabs are one of my favorite foods of the summer Their delicate sweet flavor and soft, edible shells make them a real treat But finding high-quality soft shell crabs that are fresh, not previously frozen, can be tricky for those not living in coastal areas.

After scouring the web, talking to industry experts, and crisscrossing the country, I’ve learned the best ways to track down these delectable crustaceans. Whether you’re lucky enough to live near a source or need them shipped, here’s everything you need to know about finding great soft shells.

What Exactly Are Soft Shell Crabs?

First, a quick primer on what makes soft shells unique Soft shell crabs are regular blue crabs that have recently molted their hard outer shells For a short window after molting, just a couple hours, the new shell is soft and pliable before it hardens again. It’s during this temporary soft stage that the crabs are harvested and sold as soft shells.

Since the shell hasn’t hardened yet, you can eat the whole crab! Legs, claws and all. This yields more sweet meat than a regular crab, and without having to crack through a hard shell.

When Is Soft Shell Crab Season?

The harvest season for soft shells runs approximately April to November. The season starts earlier in the Gulf Coast (Texas to Florida) and runs a bit later there too, lasting into December in some spots. Further north, like the Chesapeake Bay, the season typically runs May to September.

Within a given region, the peak of the harvest follows the crabs’ molting cycle. As water temperatures rise in the spring and summer, the crabs molt more frequently, yielding more soft shells. So late spring and early summer tend to produce larger quantities.

Where to Buy Soft Shell Crabs Locally

If you’re lucky enough to live near a coastal region where soft shells are harvested, finding fresh crabs at the peak of season is easier. Here are some of the best places to check:

Fish markets and seafood shops – In coastal cities, quality fish markets and seafood specialty stores are going to be your best sources for fresh soft shells in season. Established shops, like Grand Central Oyster Bar in NYC, are great for knowing when the first fresh catch arrives.
Farmers markets – In coastal areas, farmers markets frequented by local fishermen often have soft shell vendors during peak season. Ask around to find the most reputable one.
Asian grocery stores – Markets selling ingredients popular in Asian cuisines may carry soft shell crabs, sometimes even when out of season if they frozen import them. Check the freezer section or ask a clerk.
Restaurant specials – Keep an eye out for soft shell crab specials at local seafood-focused and upscale restaurants during peak season. It’s a sign they’ve got a fresh catch.

No matter where you buy them, make sure the crabs look fresh: whole, with all legs and claws, and with soft, pliable shells rather than paper-like. And avoid any pre-wrapped or cellophane-covered crabs, whic

where to find soft shell crab

More Information On Maryland Soft Shell Crabs

Do you want to know how crabs get their soft shells? When a crab molts, its shell becomes soft. This means the crab is forming a new larger soft shell under its hard shell. The crab then sheds the hard shell and becomes a soft shell. It’s harder to catch soft shell crabs because they only stay in them for a short time. If you buy soft shells frozen, you can eat them all year. They are in season from May to October.

Order Soft Shell Crab Around the Country

“Where can I find and buy frozen soft shell crabs from Maryland?” The answer is simple: Harbour House Crabs! They sell soft shell crabs at a good price all year long, no matter where you live in the US. At Harbour House Crabs, we work hard to make sure that all of the Maryland soft shell crabs we send to our customers are in great shape so they can enjoy them. For that reason, we take great pride in the care we devote to our packaging process. We promise that our soft shell crabs will arrive safe and sound, ready to prepare in your kitchen!.

Families from all over the country can order soft shell crab from Maryland thanks to our reliable and very fast shipping methods. We’re only a mile from a major shipping hub, which lets us quickly send our crabs to customers. You can count on us to deliver fresh seafood quickly for surprise feasts and other events where you need it right away.

How to Cook & Eat Softshell Crabs

FAQ

Where are soft-shell crabs found?

The first soft shell crabs of the year generally come from Florida, beginning as early as March. As the Florida soft shell crab season ends, a new one begins in Georgia and South Carolina, then trickles up the coast to Virginia, Maryland, and into the Northeast.

What month is best for soft-shell crabs?

When is soft shell crab season? We are in soft shell crab season along the Gulf Coast of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida. It usually starts in early April and runs through October or early November. The season runs longer than the Chesapeake or East Coast.

How to get soft-shell crabs?

You can find soft-shell crabs at your local reputable seafood market or specialty grocer.

Why is softshell crab expensive?

Soft-shell crabs are swimming crabs that fetch a higher price because they can be consumed together with their shell (also known as their exoskeleton). However, they must be captured and consumed during their “pre-molt stage” — in other words, prior to the hardening of their exoskeleton.

Where can I buy soft shell crabs?

You can find soft-shell crabs at your local reputable seafood market or specialty grocer. While plenty of online retailers such as White Stone Oysters or Fulton Fish Market will ship fully cleaned, fresh soft-shell crabs right to your door, there is something special about a live crab that is purchased and eaten on the same day.

What is a soft-shell crab?

People sometimes mistakenly think soft-shell crabs are their own species, but they are simply crabs that have recently molted and shed their hard outer shell (via The Baltimore Sun ). The new shells harden in hours, leaving a small window to harvest these crabs in their soft-shell form.

Are soft shell crabs real?

Also nicknamed “soft-shells” or “softies,” soft-shell crabs are equal parts weird and fascinating. Their wrinkled paper-thin shells almost make them look fake. Yet, so many people enjoy their delicate, sweet flavor and hop on board the soft-shell craze every year.

Do soft shell crabs come in different sizes?

Soft shell crabs come in different sizes. Soft shell crabs are categorized into 5 basic size categories: mediums, hotels, primes, jumbos, and whales. These size categories are defined as: We carry jumbo blue soft shell crab. There’s a two-step process for humanely killing soft shell crabs: Chill the crab.