15 Creative Ways to Use Leftover Crab Shells

Crab is a delicious treat that many people look forward to cracking open. However once you’ve picked out all of the sweet succulent meat, you’re often left with a pile of discarded crab shells. Before throwing them in the trash, consider these creative ways to make the most of leftover crab shells.

Make Flavorful Shellfish Stock

One of the best uses for crab shells is to make a rich, flavorful shellfish stock. This versatile broth can be used as the base for soups, stews, risottos, and more. To make crab shell stock, cover the shells with water in a pot along with some aromatics like onions, carrots, celery, garlic, peppercorns, thyme, and bay leaves. Simmer gently for 1-2 hours then strain out the solids. The resulting stock is loaded with briny, shellfish essence. The same method works for lobster and shrimp shells too.

Enhance Seafood Dishes

Since crab shell stock provides concentrated shellfish flavor it’s ideal for enhancing all kinds of seafood recipes. Use it in place of clam juice or fish stock when preparing chowders bisques, gumbos, jambalaya, paella and crab cakes. Just a splash or two of crab shell stock will give these dishes an extra hit of crab essence.

Make Homemade Fish Sauce

In Southeast Asian cuisine, fish sauce provides that iconic umami depth in dishes like pad thai, pho and green papaya salad. You can make your own fish sauce at home with leftover crab shells. Pack the shells into a glass jar, cover with water, add salt, cover and let it ferment for 6 months to a year. The resulting liquid is your DIY fish sauce.

Fertilize Your Garden

Ground up crab shells make an excellent natural fertilizer and soil amendment for your vegetable and flower gardens. They provide plants with calcium and other minerals that enhance soil health. Simply rinse shells, let them dry out, then run them through a blender or mortar and pestle into a coarse meal. Work some crab shell meal into the soil around your plants.

Make Crab Shell Mulch

In addition to fertilizing garden beds, crushed crab shells make a useful mulch and ground cover to retain moisture and discourage weeds. Spread coarse crab shell meal around the base of plants. The sharp, spiky texture creates a protective barrier against snails and slugs as well. The shells will slowly break down, releasing nutrients into the soil.

Add Texture to Succulent Planters

For a decorative touch in your succulent arrangements and planters, consider using small whole crab shells as top dressing. Position them creatively among the succulents, either nestled in the soil or propped up against the plants. The natural brownish-red hues of crab shells provide nice contrast to colorful succulents like echeveria.

Make Crab Shell Ornaments

With some acrylic paint and lacquer, you can transform crab shells into cute Christmas tree ornaments. Clean and fully dry the shells then paint them with fun holiday colors and designs. Add strings or hooks for hanging. Make coordinating sets for different trees or give them as gifts.

Create Wind Chimes

The curved shape and hollow body of crab shells allows them to catch the wind and produce pleasant chiming sounds. Use strong wire or string to assemble single shells or clusters into wind chimes. Paint them in bright colors and suspend vertically from branches or hooks. Hang them on your porch or anywhere you’d like to add a whimsical, nautical element.

Produce Crab Shell Powder

Crab shells can be dried and ground into a fine powder to be used as a calcium supplement for chickens, goats, horses and other livestock. The powder helps build strong bones and eggshells. Simply dry and sterilize crab shells, grind into a super fine meal using a high powder blender or mortar and pestle, then mix some into your livestock’s feed ration.

Make Glittery Paint Additive

Here’s a sparkly idea for kids. Clean and dry leftover crab shells then use a mortar and pestle to grind them into a coarse glittery powder. Add some to paint or clear glue to create shimmery, sand art-type crafts. The resulting “crab shell glitter” adds natural pizzazz to handprint art, painted seashells, picture frames, vases, and more.

Create Mosaics and Mirrors

Whole crab shells can make beautiful natural “tiles” for mosaics, mirrors and wind chimes when arranged artfully. Use strong glue or grout to firmly adhere shells to the surface in intricate patterns and shapes. Add pearls, sea glass and crystals too. Install a crab shell mirror or mosaic piece outdoors and let it age naturally for an ocean-chic focal point.

Make Felted Wool Dryer Balls

To make homemade wool dryer balls, wrap them around a core. Crab shells are perfectly sized and shaped to use as cores. Wrap wool roving tightly around a shell then felted it by washing and drying on hot. The end result is a palm-sized wool ball with a rattling crab shell inside to help separate clothes.

Fashion Jewelry

With their stunning natural shape and hue, crab shells can become beautiful pendants, earrings, bracelets and brooches. Clean and sterilize them fully, then use jewelry glue to affix bails, posts, clasps, hooks and other findings. Add some nautical style to your outfits by integrating crab shells into handmade jewelry pieces.

Create Stamped Paper

Here’s an artsy project for kids and adults. Use whole, cleaned crab shells as stamps to create patterned scrapbook paper, gift wrap and greeting cards. Load the inside of shells with fabric paint then press firmly onto paper to leave imprints. Try combining the stamps with other sea-themed items like starfish and shells.

Make Table Scatter Confetti

For seaside-themed events like weddings, showers and parties, make crab shell confetti for scattering across tables. Use hole punches or pinking shears to cut shells into small decorative shapes. For bonus sparkle, glue on fine glitter. Package the crab shell confetti in net sachets or glass jars to coordinate with nautical decor.

As you can see, crab shells have myriad uses beyond the trash bin. With a little DIY spirit, you can transform leftover shells into meaningful keepsakes, fertile garden amendments, decorative statement pieces, and more. Next time you crack open some Dungeness, blue crabs or other shellfish, set those shells aside and get creative with these inspiring ideas. Your trash will become treasure!