The soft shell crab grill recipe is a quick, easy, and healthy meal for any day of the week. Rather than deep-frying it, this recipe prefers to grill the seafood with garlic and lemon juice. The result is crunchy on the outside while still tender on the inside.
The recipe is not difficult to make, but you must keep a few ingredients on hand. Sea scallops can be used if a soft shell crab is unavailable.
The time it takes for the seafood preparation will depend on how long you grill the soft shell crab. If the seafood is grilled too long, it may become tough and dry.
A mixture of vinegar and water is used to soak parts of the grilled seafood before starting the recipe. This helps to keep the seafood from becoming tough. Serve this recipe with any side dishes you prefer.
How to make a Soft shell crab grill recipe?
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
Difficulty: Easy
Ingredients for Soft shell crab grill recipe:
- 6 soft-shell crabs
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- Salt and freshly ground
- black pepper to taste
- 2-3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
Steps for making Soft shell crab grill recipe:
1. Soak the soft shell crabs with vinegar and water mixture. Set aside for 15 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, cook the scallops on high heat on both sides until medium and slightly crispy. Remove from the food processor and squeeze the garlic onto it to taste. Set aside.
3. Season the soft-shell crabs with salt and pepper and grill on low heat for 2-3 minutes per side until slightly charred.
4. Topping: Place the squeezed garlic, scallops, crab meat, and lemon juice into a food processor with olive oil. Process into a coarse paste, then pour over the grilled seafood before serving.
5. Serve with rice and bread or mix vegetables as side dishes to your choice.
Tips and Warnings
You could replace scallops with any other types of seafood you prefer.
Please ensure the medium-done scallops are not overcooked, as they will become tough and dry.
*For a better taste, serve with a lemon wedge on the side.
*Grilling time will depend on how long you grill the crabs. If your crabs are fresh, you do not have to grill them for a long time as they are soft inside but slightly charred outside.
*You can peel the crabs before grilling.
*Season your crabs with salt and pepper just before grilling. This will allow the crab meat to cook quickly on both sides without burning, and you can enjoy the crab meat that is not overcooked.
*If you do not like scallops, you can use any seafood you choose, such as shrimp or lobster meat.
Nutrition Facts of Soft shell crab grill recipe
- Calories: 595
- Fat: 26.1 grams
- Cholesterol: 72 mg
- Carbohydrates: 14 grams
- Protein: 45.9 g
- Sodium: 500 mg
Best 5 Health Benefits of Soft shell crab grill recipe
1. Like many other types of seafood, crab meat is rich in proteins and vitamin B-12. Vitamin B-12 aids in the formation of red blood cells.
2. Crab meat is also rich in selenium. Selenium promotes a healthy heart and supports the liver to help with its detoxification functions.
3. Crab meat contains zinc that helps to strengthen the immune system and keeps your eyesight sharp.
4. Crab meat contains high levels of protein. Protein is important because it builds, repairs, and maintains cells, tissues and organs.
5. Crab meat is low in calories, saturated fat, and cholesterol, making it a healthy food choice for weight management.
You can modify the ingredients to experiment with your favorite seafood recipes
How do you prepare a soft shell crab to eat it?
Soft shell crabs are popular because they are easy to prepare. Traditionally the method of preparation is by mixing and grilling with bread crumbs, garlic, wine vinegar, and olive oil. The method is simple, and you can use it as a recipe to jazz up your dishes.
The main problem in this kind of preparation is oil penetration into the food resulting in toughness, whereas other types of cooking techniques prevent softening at all.
Do you have to clean soft shell crabs before cooking?
This question is often asked because cleaning soft shell crabs can be time-consuming. The process, however, is simple and can be done with little or no effort. With just a bit of preparation before your meal starts, you will have delicious crabs for dinner!
How do you clean soft shell crab?
The first step to cleaning all crabs is to remove the gills at the center of the underside by cutting them away. This job should be done with a knife as it will kill any bacteria that may enter your food while cooking.
After removing the gills, remove the outer shell by twisting it off and separating it from the meat. This process should be done gently so as not to break the crab’s legs.
To remove the sponge between the two shells, use a spoon or your hands to pry it off. You can also chop this up and use it for seasoning. However, ensure not to include this in your recipe since it will make your food taste bitter.
Conclusion
Soft shell crabs are a type of seafood with high nutritional value and low calories. It contains protein and selenium, which maintains our liver functions. You also enjoy the combination of fresh crab meat in your recipe. This is one seafood that can be enjoyed in many different ways.
I hope you enjoy the recipe of Soft shell crab grill recipe. The soft shell crab recipe is quick and easy to make. I hope this recipe will inspire you to make it at your home.