This easy she-crab soup recipe is a South Carolina classic that you must try at home. It makes a thick, rich, and deliciously creamy bisque that is full of juicy crab flavor.
Have you tried she-crab soup? It comes from South Carolina but can be found all over the South. It’s like a rich and flavorful creamy bisque, but with juicy crab pieces.
If you’re here to give it a go, rest assured this is an easy she-crab soup recipe. Even though the list of ingredients looks long, don’t be scared! It’s really simple and easy to make in one pot, which is my favorite kind of meal. To make she-crab soup, you’ll need butter, flour, garlic, onion, celery, salt, pepper, heavy cream and half-and-half, chicken broth, sherry wine, dill, Worcestershire sauce, hot pepper sauce, and crab meat. Yep, she’s packed full of flavor, alright!.
Now, the directions say to melt the butter and mix it with the flour to make the soup roux. This makes the soup thicker. Then, slowly add the rest of the ingredients, except for the crab meat. Let it cook for about 30 minutes. The final step is to add the crab pieces and simmer for a further 10 minutes. Then you’re she-crab soup is ready to serve.
This soup is great as an appetizer or side dish, but my family often eats it as the main dish because it’s so hearty, rich, and filling. The combination of the succulent crab and creamy and flavorful soup broth is so tasty. This is the perfect cozy comfort food dish to enjoy as the weather gets cooler. Whip up some garlic bread, biscuits, or cornbread and you will have the perfect meal.
She crab soup is a delicious, creamy bisque loaded with sweet crab meat and seasonings. This soup originated in South Carolina and is a regional specialty in the coastal states. With its rich, indulgent flavors, it’s easy to see why this soup is so beloved!
If you’ve made a batch of homemade she crab soup, you may be wondering if you can freeze the leftovers for another time. Freezing soups and stews is a great way to save time and avoid waste However, not all soups freeze well So, can you freeze homemade she crab soup?
An Overview of She Crab Soup
She crab soup gets its name from the female crab roe that is used to provide richness and flavor It typically contains crab meat, heavy cream or whole milk, sherry, seasonings like Old Bay, and vegetables like onion and celery Some versions also include crab roe.
The soup has a smooth, creamy bisque-style consistency thanks to the dairy ingredients. Chunks of crab meat are stirred in at the end to retain their delicate texture. The result is a comforting, velvety soup with a distinctive seafood flavor.
Factors That Determine If a Soup Can Be Frozen
When deciding whether a soup can be frozen, there are a few key factors to consider:
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Dairy content – Soups with lots of cream or milk tend to not freeze well. The dairy can curdle or separate when thawed.
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Starch content – Starchy ingredients like potatoes generally freeze just fine. The starch helps maintain the soup’s texture.
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Fat content – High fat ingredients like cream and butter don’t fare well in the freezer. The fat can separate out.
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Acidity level – Acidic components like tomatoes, wine, and citrus juice can cause soups to separate when frozen.
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Spices and seasonings – Delicate herbs don’t retain their flavor during freezing. It’s better to add them fresh when reheating.
Can You Successfully Freeze She Crab Soup?
Taking into account the composition of she crab soup, can it be frozen? The answer is yes, with a few caveats.
Here are some tips for successfully freezing homemade she crab soup:
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Leave out the crab meat and any roe until ready to reheat. This prevents the delicate seafood from becoming mushy.
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Hold off on adding dairy like heavy cream or half and half. The high fat content could curdle or separate when thawed.
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Avoid freezing for more than 2-3 months. The quality deteriorates over time.
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Portion into freezer-safe containers, leaving 1-2 inches of headspace. This prevents cracking from expansion.
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Let the soup cool completely before freezing. Hot soup can “explode” in the freezer.
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Place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the soup’s surface to prevent ice crystals.
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Label containers with the recipe name and freeze date.
Thawing and Reheating She Crab Soup
When ready to enjoy your frozen she crab soup again, use these tips for thawing and reheating:
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For food safety, thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Don’t thaw at room temperature.
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Once thawed, transfer to a saucepan and reheat over medium-low heat. Avoid boiling.
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Stir frequently to prevent scorching on the bottom of the pan.
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Add any cream or half and half once the soup is hot. Stir well to incorporate.
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Fold in the reserved crab meat at the very end, just until warmed through.
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Adjust seasonings to taste. You may need extra salt, pepper, or herbs.
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Garnish bowls with oyster crackers, parsley, paprika, or lemon wedges.
Signs Your Frozen She Crab Soup Has Gone Bad
How can you tell if frozen she crab soup is still safe to eat? Here are some signs of spoiled soup:
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Unpleasant or “off” odors when thawed and heated. Good soup smells fresh and appetizing.
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Watery consistency instead of creamy and smooth. This indicates separated fat or curdled dairy.
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Discoloration or grayish tones. The soup should retain its natural pale bisque color.
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Presence of ice crystals or frosty layer on top. This is a sign it’s been in the freezer too long.
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Mold growth anywhere on the soup. This is an automatic discard.
When in doubt, remember the old adage “When frozen goods go bad, they go bad.” Don’t risk getting sick – toss it out!
Tips for Next Time You Make She Crab Soup
Here are some helpful tips to keep in mind for your next batch of homemade she crab soup:
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Use frozen crab meat instead of fresh. It holds up better when frozen a second time.
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Substitute half the heavy cream with evaporated milk or coconut milk. The lower fat content freezes more reliably.
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Skip the sherry, which could make the soup separate when thawed. Use chicken or seafood broth instead.
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Underseason slightly before freezing. You can tweak spices to your liking when reheating.
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Add a spoonful of cornstarch when reheating to help thicken and stabilize the soup.
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Garnish individual portions before freezing so they’re ready to enjoy when thawed.
Frequency of Entities:
she crab soup: 23
freeze: 16
soup: 15
crab: 12
cream: 7
freeze she crab soup: 6
heavy cream: 4
reheat: 4
seafood: 3
bisque: 3
roast: 3
seasonings: 3
Old Bay: 2
sherry: 2
onion: 2
celery: 2
crab roe: 2
leftovers: 1
South Carolina: 1
coastal states: 1
indulgent: 1
freezing: 1
stews: 1
texture: 1
waste: 1
female crab roe: 1
whole milk: 1
velvety: 1
comfort
How to Make A Classic She-Crab Soup Recipe
Melt butter in a large stockpot over medium heat.
Cook and stir in flour to make a smooth paste or the soup roux (about 3 minutes).
Mix in onion, celery, and garlic, and season with salt and pepper.
Continue to cook and stir for about 4 minutes.
Now it’s time to slowly add the half-and-half cream.
Gradually whisk it in so that no lumps form.
Next, stir in heavy cream…
And chicken broth and bring to a simmer.
Then pour in 1/2 of the sherry.
Season with dill, Worcestershire sauce, and hot sauce.
Cover and simmer until soup has reduced by about a third (about 30 minutes).
It should look like this.
Give that a stir before…
Finally adding the crab meat.
Simmer the soup for a further 10 minutes.
Now it’s time! Grab a ladle…
And ladle the soup into bowls.
I recommend topping each serving with a splash of remaining sherry and a sprinkle of chives.
- You can keep crab soup in the fridge for up to two days if you put it in a container that won’t let air in. Reheat leftovers on the stovetop.
- You can also freeze soup for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating on the stovetop.
- Make sure you use fresh or real lump crab meat and not fake crab meat.
- You can use equal parts chicken broth instead of the sherry wine if you don’t want to.
- A hand blender can be used before adding the crab meat to make the soup really smooth.
- I suggest grating the vegetables because it’s best to keep them small.
- Do not use chicken stock. Instead, use crab stock, fish stock, or seafood stock if you can get it.
- You can use any kind of hot sauce for the pepper sauce, like Sriracha or Tabasco.
- Instead of chives, top your soup with chopped fresh parsley.
For she-crab soup, the main difference is that it is traditionally made with crab roe, which are crab eggs found inside a female crab, hence the “she” in the name. but it’s incredibly difficult to get your hand on these days.
To make the soup, crab roe or eggs laid by a female crab are usually used, hence the “she” in the name.
She-crab soup tastes like a creamy bisque or chowder with pieces of vegetable and crab throughout. Garlic, sherry wine, chicken broth, dill, Worcestershire sauce, and hot pepper sauce make this she-crab soup recipe taste even better.
Blue crab is said to be the sweetest and thus tastiest crab. Luckily, Atlantic blue crab meat is what she-crab soup is traditionally made with. But you can use any kind of crab meat in this recipe (I won’t tell).
As I said in the beginning, this soup is a great main dish. Depending on my mood, I like to serve it with toasted bread, garlic bread, biscuits, or cornbread.
You can make she crab soup up to two days ahead of time. To store it in the fridge, I’d follow the recipe until I got to the part about adding the crab meat. After that, I’d heat it up on the stove, add the crab meat, and let it cook for a few minutes before serving.