There’s nothing better than sweet, tender crab meat, and frying crab claws still gives you that great taste, if not better. Inside the crust, the crab stays nice and soft and flaky. The outside has a tasty southern-fried coating that, when dipped in your favorite sauce, gives your taste buds a flavor experience they’ll never forget.
These tasty little finger foods, which are also called “crab fingers,” are usually served as an appetizer at most New Orleans seafood restaurants. Youll sometimes find them on a seafood platter too. [feast_advanced_jump_to].
The Blue Crabs that come to south Louisiana are most active from late spring to early fall. You can still find crabs at other times of the year; in Louisiana, crab season lasts all year. But there are more of them in the summer.
Like I said when I posted my Stuffed Crab recipe, I was going to post this one too. If you like crab dishes, I also have the best Corn and Crab Bisque recipe you’ll ever try.
Although the fried crab claws look like they need to be darker, trust me, they will get a little darker after you take them out of the hot oil. The color you want them to be is golden brown.
Fried crab claws are a delicious finger food that makes a great appetizer or snack. Their crispy, golden exterior gives way to sweet, succulent crab meat inside Eating crab claws does take some technique, but it’s easy once you get the hang of it Here is a complete step-by-step guide to mastering fried crab claws.
Start with High Quality Claws
The best crab claws for frying and eating are the larger claws from mature crabs. Blue crab, stone crab and snow crab claws are common varieties used. Choose claws that have a good amount of meat inside and aren’t too skinny. Make sure the shell is intact with no cracks. For the meatiest claws, go for jumbo lump.
Bread and Fry the Claws
To prep the claws for frying, pat them completely dry first Then dip each one in flour, shaking off any excess Next, dip in beaten egg. Finally, roll them in breadcrumbs or panko, pressing gently to adhere. Deep fry the breaded claws in 350°F oil for 2-3 minutes until golden brown and crispy. Drain on paper towels.
Use the Pinchers as Handles
The beauty of eating crab claws is that nature designed them with built-in handles. The two thin, long pincher parts extending from each claw act as ready-made holders for getting a good grip. Pinch these parts between your thumb and index finger to grab the claw. They should be easy to hold.
Twist Off the Pincher
Before eating the meaty part of the claw, detach and discard the pincher handle Simply twist and pull it off It should come away cleanly with little effort. Removing this thin, crusty part improves your access to the crab meat inside.
Crack Open the Wider End
Now comes the fun, slightly messy part. With the pincher gone, you can see the opening at the wider end of the claw shell where the meat is visible. Place this end up to your mouth. Bite down to crack the shell. Just bite firmly enough to create cracks without shattering completely.
Wiggle and Twist the Shell
After that initial bite crack, hold the claw in both hands. Wiggle and lightly twist the shell while continuing to bite. This helps further break open the shell to expose more of the meat inside. Pull small pieces of shell apart with your teeth or fingers.
Scrape Out the Meat
Keep wiggling and twisting until you create an opening big enough to access the crab meat. Then simply scrape your teeth along the meat to loosen it from the cartilage. The sweet, flaky crab will come off in satisfying chunks. Discard any leftover cartilage or shell.
Watch for Hidden Pockets
Be sure to fully explore the claw for pockets of hidden meat tucked away after initially picking out the main lump. Small bits often hide in crevices so keep nibbling and pulling meat out until the claw is completely emptied. Leaving meat behind is a rookie mistake!
Mind the Cartilage
While digging out all the succulent crab meat, beware of the translucent cartilage inside. This should easily separate from the meat when scraped or bitten. Avoid swallowing large pieces of the cartilage which can be unpleasantly chewy.
Employ Crab Crackers If Needed
If your claws prove difficult to open and the shell doesn’t crack easily with biting, bring out crackers or mallets designed specifically for crabs. Position the claw in a cracker to break open and expose the meat. A few whacks with a mallet can also do the trick.
Bring Wet Wipes for Mess Control
Eating fried crab claws inevitably leads to butter or oil dripping down your fingers and chin. Keep some damp wipes or a warm moist towel on hand for easy clean-up anytime things get drippy or sticky. Prevent greasy fingers by having plenty of napkins ready too.
Serve with Dipping Sauces
Offer fun dipping sauces alongside the fried crab claws to add even more flavor. Tartar sauce, cocktail sauce, aioli, remoulade, drawn butter, lemon wedges and more all make tasty companions for dunking the sweet crabmeat.
Add a Chilled Beverage
A cold, fizzy beverage provides welcome refreshment when enjoying rich fried crab claws. Iced tea, lemonade, craft beer or a crisp white wine are all excellent choices that complement the sweet crab. A frosty margarita, piña colada or Moscow mule work great too.
With a little practice, you’ll be adept at extracting every sweet morsel of meat from fried crab claws. Just follow these simple steps: twist off the skinny pincher, crack the wider end with a bite, wiggle and twist to break open further, then use your teeth to scrape out the lump crab meat inside. Discard any leftover shells or cartilage, and dip the crab in fun sauces. Enjoy this finger food delicacy with napkins and wet wipes nearby!
Substitutions and Variations
- For a little more heat, you can add more hot sauce to the egg wash if you like your fried food that way. You could also spice up the crumbs with cayenne pepper if you wanted to.
- If you want to make stuffed crab claws, you can take fresh crab claws and stuff them with crab meat before breading them. You could try crab meat, shrimp, green onions, etc.
- (You could use an air fryer.) Just make sure to spray cooking spray on the crab claws before you fry them so they get crispy. Before you start cooking, set your air fryer to 390°F.
- For baking in the oven, put a cooling rack on a baking sheet so that the claws are off of the tray. Spray with cooking spray and bake for 10 minutes at 400°
- Lemon Juice—If you’d like, sprinkle with lemon juice afterward.
- It’s okay to use salt and black pepper instead of the Creole Seasoning if you’d rather.
- Gluten-free: Use fish fry instead of plain flour in the recipe. Add some almond flour to thin out the mixture.
- Cajun Seasoning Blend – instead of the Creole seasoning.
- If you use snow crab claws or jonah crab claws, they might be too big for this recipe. I have never tried this before. You can ship these gourmet crab claws if you can’t find them in your area. They are flash-frozen.
See this Seafood Gumbo recipe on my website, for even more crab filled deliciousness!
Other Crab Recipes
Everything seafood (even boiled crawfish!) gets dipped in a great sauce that I make myself.
I recommend you use this sauce alongside your fried crab claws.
I used a Dutch Oven pot to fry these claws. You can use your favorite fryer, but this one works great for keeping a steady temperature in any heavy-bottom saucepan. I have some affiliate links to the equipment I used down in the recipe card below.
Once they have completely cooled, if you have some left (Im betting you wont). They can stay in the fridge for up to three days if you put them in a container that keeps air out.
Save some of the claws from the crab boil if you get to go to one. That’s one of my kids’ favorite things to do. They’ll taste great fried, thanks to the spices that were used to boil them. You could peel them and put them in a bag that you can seal, then freeze them and take them out when you’re ready to fry them.
Crab meat has a delicious sweet flavor, like a cross between lobster and shrimp. After being covered in a southern-fried crust, the texture is soft and flaky. The different tastes and textures go really well together.
Following being peeled, they should be covered in some kind of crumb and then quickly dropped into 350°F hot oil. Thats it. Serve them with your favorite dip.
At 390° theyll need about 12 minutes. Dont forget to spray with cooking spray.
Theyre a finger food, typically served as an appetizer. You take a bite of the claw after dipping it in your favorite sauce (Remoulade is good). Theres a fin in the middle, which you dont eat. Just use your teeth to scrape the crab meat off this fin. Maybe a side of salad if you like.
Try my Cajun Crabs recipe if you like crabs. It’s the best crab boil ever! You can find the recipe here.
If you’ve tried this Fried Crab Claws recipe or any other great recipe on my site, let me know in the comment section below, how it turned out, we love hearing from our readers! You can also follow me on PINTEREST, FACEBOOK and INSTAGRAM to see more amazing recipes!
- 2 Large Eggs
- ⅓ Cup Whole Milk
- 2 Teaspoons Hot Sauce
- 1 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 1 Teaspoon Onion Powder
- 2 Teaspoons Creole Seasoning divided
- ½ Cup All Purpose Flour
- ¼ Cup Cornstarch
- ½ Cup Cornmeal white stoneground
- 8 oz Crab Claws or cocktail crab fingers
- Vegetable Oil for frying
- Take a heavy skillet or large pot and heat the oil over medium-high heat. Bring the oil to 350°F.
- In a small bowl, mix the eggs, milk, hot sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, and 1 teaspoon of the Creole seasoning. Make sure the ingredients are well mixed by whisking them together.
- Put the corn starch, flour, cornmeal, and the last teaspoon of Creole seasoning in a second large bowl. Be sure to mix the ingredients well.
- Spread the crab claws out and dip them in the egg wash.
- Coat them well with the flour mix, then put them on a plate until they’re all covered.
- Fork-test the vegetable oil until it reaches 350°F. Then add the crab claws. Use your slotted spoon to move them around a bit so they don’t stick together. Remove after about 3 minutes. Theyll be a nice golden brown in color.
- Let them drain on a paper towel-lined plate, and then serve them with your favorite pool or dip sauce.
Fried crab fingers!!!
FAQ
Do you eat the shell of fried crab claws?
How to eat breaded crab claws?
How do you eat a fried hard crab?
How do you eat fried crab claws?
Eating fried crab claws or fingers is similar to eating an artichoke leaf. Hold the claw by the pincer, gently bite down where the meat begins, slide the pincer and cartilage out of your mouth and enjoy this delicacy! What’s the difference between cocktail crab claws and stone crab claws?
How do you cook crab claws with corn flour?
Add the corn flour, Creole seasoning, and salt to a pie plate or shallow dish. Whisk to combine. Add the buttermilk to a medium-size bowl and about half of the claws. Remove the crab claws from the buttermilk and let any excess drip off. Add them to the corn flour breading mix and toss gently to coat.
Should you season crab claws before frying?
Seasoning the crab claws before frying can enhance their flavor. You can sprinkle them with salt, pepper, garlic powder, or your favorite seasoning blend. For an extra kick, you can even add a pinch of cayenne pepper or Old Bay seasoning for a classic seafood taste. How should I serve fried crab claws?
How do you make Creole crab claws?
In a bowl, combine the eggs, milk, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and Creole seasoning. Whisk until combined. In a separate bowl or freezer bag, combine the flour, cornmeal, cornstarch, salt and Creole seasoning. Shake to combine. Dunk each crab claw into the egg mixture, then fully coat in the flour mixture.