Author Notes: There’s nothing at all wrong with a fried soft shell crab, but sometimes I want something a little different. I mashed up two Mark Bittman recipes, and came up with this simple and incredibly delicious preparation. You could serve these on top of a salad, or sandwich them between two pieces of bread. The “barbecue butter” is so good you will want to slather it on everything. —ieatthepeach
Serves: 4 as an appetizer, or 2 as an entree
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Ingredients
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4
tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
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3-4
garlic cloves, minced or finely grated
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1/4
teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, or to taste
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Juice of half a lemon, or to taste
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4
soft-shell crabs, cleaned (thawed if frozen)
Directions
- Heat your grill until moderately hot OR turn your broiler to high. Position the grill grate or oven rack at least 4 inches from the heat source.
- In a small saucepan or a microwave-safe bowl, combine the butter, garlic, Worcestershire sauce and lemon juice. Warm over medium-low heat, or microwave in 15-second bursts, until the butter is melted and the mixture is warm and fragrant. Stir to make sure everything is combined.
- Brush the crabs on both sides with a thin layer of barbecue butter. Grill or broil for 3-4 minutes per side, brushing them occasionally with the barbecue butter. When the crabs are plump, firm, and pink, they’re done. Serve with lemon wedges to squeeze over the top.