She Crab Soup is a rich, deliciously creamy bisque that I discovered on a visit to Charleston, SC. Whether you use fresh crab or canned, this easy recipe will become a favorite.
She crab soup and crab soup are two classic seafood soups that both highlight the sweet, succulent flavor of crab meat. But if you look closely, you’ll notice some key differences between these two dishes. In this article, we’ll break down the history, ingredients, texture, taste, and best uses for she crab soup versus regular crab soup.
A Brief History
She crab soup originated in the early 1900s in Charleston, South Carolina It was created by local chefs using blue crabs harvested from the waters of the lowcountry The term “she crab” refers to using only female crabs, which contain orange roe (eggs). The roe adds richness and a slightly sweet, briny flavor to the soup.
Crab soup is a more general term that can refer to any soup made with crab meat Recipes for crab soups have been found in coastal cuisines worldwide dating back centuries, The recipes vary widely based on the local ingredients and cooking methods
Key Ingredients
The core ingredients in both soups are crab meat and some type of broth or stock. However, she crab soup has a few distinctive ingredients:
- She crab meat: Meat from female blue crabs, including roe
- Heavy cream or egg yolks: Added for a velvety texture
- Dry sherry: For depth of flavor
- Old Bay seasoning: Provides warmth and spice
Crab soup recipes can use any type of crab meat, including cheaper options like imitation crab. The broth might be tomato-based, creamy, or clear. Crab soup also tends to have more flexible seasonings based on regional tastes.
Texture and Flavor
She crab soup has a lush, creamy texture thanks to the addition of egg yolks or heavy cream It coats your mouth with its velvety richness. The crab roe contributes a slightly salty, ocean-like taste Overall, it’s an indulgent, elegant soup.
Crab soup can have a wide range of textures depending on the recipe. Tomato-based versions will be hearty but lighter than she crab soup. Asian crab soups might feature thin, clear broths. The crab flavor still shines through but tends to be more delicate without the addition of roe.
Best Uses
She crab soup is considered a gourmet coastal classic. It’s most often served as a starter for special occasions like weddings or holidays, especially in the South. The rich flavor and silky texture make it ideal for formal multi-course meals.
Crab soup has more versatility as an everyday soup. You can find crab soups on lunch and dinner menus at casual seafood restaurants nationwide. Lighter broth-based crab soups are perfect as appetizers. Heartier recipes can be a meal in themselves accompanied by salad and bread.
Nutrition
Both soups provide a good dose of protein from crab meat. She crab soup will be higher in calories, fat, and cholesterol because of the heavy cream and/or egg yolks. Crab soup is lower in calories but provides less vitamin A, calcium, and other nutrients that come from the crab roe.
Overall, she crab soup makes for an occasional indulgence while crab soup can be incorporated into a healthy diet. Moderation is key with these rich, seafood-based soups.
How to Make Your Own
If you want to recreate these crab-packed soups at home, here are some tips:
For she crab soup: Seek out blue crab meat and roe if possible. Use about 1 lb of lump crab meat. Make a veloute sauce base with butter, flour, clam juice and chicken broth. Finish with about 1/2 cup heavy cream.
For crab soup: Choose your favorite broth or tomato base and add 1 lb of lump or shredded crab meat. Season to taste with Old Bay, oregano, garlic, etc. Cook any vegetables until tender before adding the crab.
No matter which style you choose, use high-quality crab for the best flavor. Let the sweet crab shine against the backdrop of whichever soup base you prefer.
She Crab or Crab Soup: Which One’s For You?
She crab soup brings the essence of coastal fine dining with its satiny texture and sweet crab flavor accented by sherry and roe. Crab soup offers versatility – make it as rich or as light as you want depending on the occasion. Either way, you can’t go wrong highlighting fresh crab meat in a comforting soup.
What are the Ingredients in She Crab Soup?
After returning from that trip to Charleston, I was determined to re-create the recipe for She Crab Soup. I got ideas from The Joy of Cooking’s lobster bisque recipe, which is where this recipe is mostly based.
Most recipes call for fresh crab. To make things even more French, you could use the crab shells to make a very rich stock. Obviously this is not always practical. And if you don’t live in a place where crabs are regularly caught, it will probably be harder to find “female” crabs.
The seafood counter at my grocery store sold canned lump crab meat, and I used bottled clam juice instead of fish stock to make this She Crab soup recipe quick and easy. If you can find fish stock, substitute that for the bottled clam juice and chicken stock.
Red bell pepper, butter, dry white wine, white rice, tomato paste, Old Bay seasoning, Worcestershire sauce, heavy cream, and spices are some of the other things you’ll need.
What gives this bisque that certain ineffable quality, is the addition of sherry. If you can help it, don’t skip that step! For extra kick, I like to add a shot of sherry right before serving.
What is the “She” in She Crab Soup?
One summer we took a family trip to Charleston, South Carolina. Whenever I go somewhere new, I like to find the dish that the city is known for and eat it as many times as I can. How else would you know which is the “Best She Crab Soup in Charleston” if you haven’t tried a lot of them?
She Crab Soup, also called She Crab Bisque, was the dish of the trip. I discovered that the soup is made with female crabs. Makes sense. In addition, the roe (fish eggs) of the female crab is added to the recipe.
How can you tell the difference between a male and a female crab? A crab vendor taught me about “crab anatomy” at a food conference in New York City one spring.
He flipped over two crabs and explained that the male crabs have the Washington Monument on their undersides.
The females have the wider Capitol Building on their bellies.
Amazing Crab Bisque/Crab Bisque, Cream of Crab, She Crab…What’s the difference?
FAQ
What is special about she-crab soup?
What makes she-crab different?
What does she-crab soup taste like?
Is she-crab soup a southern thing?
What is the difference between crab soup and she-crab soup?
The main difference between crab soup and she-crab soup is that as the name suggests, she-crab soup is traditionally made with crab roe (crab eggs found inside a female crab, hence the “she”). but it’s incredibly difficult to get your hand on these days.
What does she crab soup taste like?
The “she” comes from the fact the soup is traditionally made from crab roe or eggs carried by a female crab. What does she-crab soup taste like? She-crab soup tastes like a creamy bisque or chowder with pieces of vegetable and crab throughout.
What is the difference between Crab Bisque and crab soup?
The ingredients in crab bisque and She-Crab Soup can be almost identical; both incorporate fresh lump crabmeat, cream, stock, sherry, and fresh herbs, and both are typically thickened with a flour-based roux. Velvety in texture and brimming with fresh seafood, it can be hard to distinguish between the two.
Does she-crab soup contain crab roe?
There are some commercially canned she-crab soups, such as that from the Blue Crab Bay Co. They sell condensed Southern-style she-crab soup. It is a creamy bisque and they say it contains crab roe. She-crabs are female crabs and some recipes specifically call for this ingredient. The difference is the eggs, or crab roe, prized in the she-crab soup.