Famous Savannah "she Crab Soup" Recipe
Creamy crab bisque laced with sherry
Was this page helpful?
Help improve this recipe for others.
Send this recipe to your inbox.
We'll email it straight to you - plus weekly cooking inspiration.
Ingredients
Some product links may be affiliates. If you buy through them, you're supporting the site and Pekin may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Base and aromatics
Liquids & stock
Crab & garnish
Optional/seasoning
Method
Base and aromatics
- 1
Sweat aromatics
In a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat, melt the unsalted butter. Add the diced onion, celery, and carrot and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, about 6–8 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant.
- 2
Tomato and roux
Stir in the tomato paste and cook 1–2 minutes to remove the raw flavor. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir constantly for 1–2 minutes to form a light roux; this will slightly thicken the soup and remove the raw flour taste.
Liquids & stock
- 3
Deglaze
Pour in the dry white wine (or additional stock) and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Let the wine reduce by about half, 2–3 minutes.
- 4
Add stock and simmer
Slowly whisk in the chicken or seafood stock until smooth. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, reduce heat to low, and simmer uncovered for 12–15 minutes to meld flavors and slightly thicken.
- 5
Add dairy
Lower the heat to the lowest setting. Stir in the heavy cream and whole milk and warm gently—do not boil once the cream is added, to prevent splitting. Maintain at a very low simmer.
Crab & garnish
- 6
Prepare crab
While the base simmers, pick through the lump and backfin crab meat for any remaining shells and gently flake larger pieces so you have a mix of chunks and smaller bits.
- 7
Temper egg yolks
In a small bowl, whisk the 2 egg yolks lightly. Ladle about 1/2 cup of the warm (not boiling) cream-soup base into the yolks in a slow stream while whisking constantly to temper them.
- 8
Finish soup with crab & sherry
Stir the tempered yolks back into the pot, whisking to incorporate. Add 3 tablespoons of dry sherry, the picked crab meat (reserve about 2 oz for garnish if desired), paprika, salt, black pepper, and optional cayenne and Old Bay if using. Warm gently for 2–3 minutes—do not boil—until the crab is heated through and flavors are combined.
- 9
Adjust seasoning and serve
Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt, pepper, or lemon juice (about 1 tablespoon) to brighten. Ladle soup into warm bowls, garnish with reserved crab meat and a sprinkle of finely sliced chives and a light dusting of paprika.