Sheila's Sauteed Soft Shell Crabs with Lemon Butter Sauce
Transform your dinner table into a coastal escape with Sheila's Sautéed Soft Shell Crabs with Lemon Butter Sauce. This elegant yet approachable recipe highlights the tender, delicate flavor of fresh soft-shell crabs, perfectly seared to golden perfection and draped in a luscious garlic-infused lemon butter sauce. A light dredge of seasoned flour gives the crabs a crisp exterior, while the deglazed pan sauce, enriched with fresh parsley, bright lemon juice, and a hint of chicken broth, adds a burst of zesty, buttery richness. Ready in just 30 minutes, this dish is ideal for impressing guests or elevating a weeknight meal. Serve these succulent crabs with crusty bread or a simple salad to savor every drop of the irresistible sauce. Perfect for seafood lovers, this recipe is a true celebration of coastal flavors!
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Ingredients
- 4 whole Soft-shell crabs
- 0.5 cup All-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 0.5 teaspoon Ground black pepper
- 4 tablespoons Unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons Olive oil
- 2 tablespoons Lemon juice
- 0.25 cup Chicken broth
- 2 cloves, minced Garlic
- 2 tablespoons, chopped Fresh parsley
- 4 optional, for garnish Lemon slices
Directions
Step 1
Inspect the soft-shell crabs. Using kitchen scissors, remove the face (located just behind the eyes) and discard. Lift the top shell on each side and remove the gills. Gently rinse the crabs under cold water and pat them dry with paper towels.
Step 2
In a shallow dish, mix the flour, salt, and ground black pepper. Dredge each crab lightly in the flour mixture, shaking off any excess.
Step 3
Heat 2 tablespoons of butter and the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until the butter melts and starts to bubble.
Step 4
Place the crabs in the skillet, top shell side down first, and sauté for 3-4 minutes. Flip the crabs carefully and cook for an additional 3-4 minutes, or until both sides are golden and the crabs are cooked through. Remove the crabs from the skillet and set aside on a plate lined with paper towels.
Step 5
Reduce the heat to medium. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter to the skillet along with the minced garlic. Sauté for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly, until fragrant but not browned.
Step 6
Pour in the lemon juice and chicken broth, scraping the bottom of the skillet to deglaze it and incorporate the flavorful browned bits. Let the sauce simmer for 2-3 minutes until slightly reduced.
Step 7
Stir in the fresh parsley and remove the skillet from the heat.
Step 8
Return the crabs to the skillet, spooning the lemon butter sauce over them to coat.
Step 9
Transfer the crabs to serving plates. Garnish with lemon slices if desired. Serve immediately with crusty bread or a side of your choice to soak up the sauce.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving size | (538.8g) |
|---|
| Amount per serving | % Daily Value* |
|---|---|
| Calories | 1055.7 |
| Total Fat 46.8g | 0% |
| Saturated Fat 8.5g | 0% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat 2.7g | |
| Cholesterol 280.0mg | 0% |
| Sodium 3786.5mg | 0% |
| Total Carbohydrate 51.0g | 0% |
| Dietary Fiber 2.4g | 0% |
| Total Sugars 1.2g | |
| Protein 87.9g | 0% |
| Vitamin D 0IU | 0% |
| Calcium 441.6mg | 0% |
| Iron 9.9mg | 0% |
| Potassium 1048.1mg | 0% |
Source of Calories