Soft Shell Po' Boy Recipe

Clean and pat dry

Rinse each soft shell crab under cold water, remove any gill material and apron if present, and pat very dry with paper towels. Trim the face or spines if desired. Lightly season both sides of each crab with a little salt and pepper.

Dredge

Place the 1 cup flour in a shallow dish. Dredge each crab in the flour, shaking off excess. This dry coating helps the batter adhere.

In a medium bowl whisk together 0.25 cup cornstarch, 1 cup flour (measure the remaining flour after dredging or use a separate small amount), 1 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp salt, and 0.5 tsp black pepper. In a separate small bowl beat 1 large egg. Add the egg to the dry mix, then slowly whisk in 1 cup cold beer until smooth. If you prefer a lighter, thinner batter, whisk in up to 0.25 cup cold club soda. Add 1 tsp hot sauce and adjust seasoning. The batter should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon but still fluid.

Keep the batter cold by placing the bowl over another bowl with ice or chilling briefly in the fridge until ready to fry. A cold batter makes a crisper coating.

Pour about 3–4 inches of neutral oil into a deep pot or Dutch oven. Heat to 350°F (175°C). If you don't have a thermometer, test with a small drop of batter — it should sizzle and rise to the surface steadily.

Working in batches (do not crowd), hold a dredged crab by the legs, dip it into the batter, letting excess drip off, then gently lower into the hot oil. Fry 2–3 crabs at a time for 3–4 minutes, until golden brown and crisp. Turn once if necessary to ensure even color. Cook time will vary with crab size; avoid overcooking to keep meat tender.

Use a slotted spoon or spider to remove crabs and drain on a wire rack set over a baking sheet or paper towels. Immediately sprinkle a light pinch of Cajun/Creole seasoning over each fried crab if you like extra flavor. Keep warm in a 200°F (95°C) oven while frying remaining batches.

In a small bowl combine 0.5 cup mayonnaise, 1 tbs Creole or Dijon mustard, 2 tbs finely chopped cornichons (or dill pickles), 1 tsp chopped capers, 1 tsp lemon juice, 0.5 tsp Worcestershire sauce, 0.5 tsp hot sauce, 0.5 tsp paprika, 0.25 tsp garlic powder, 0.25 tsp salt, and 0.25 tsp black pepper. Stir until smooth and taste; adjust lemon, hot sauce, or salt to preference. Refrigerate until ready to assemble.

Split the 6 rolls and butter the cut sides with the softened butter. Toast in a skillet or under a broiler until lightly golden and just crisp, about 1–2 minutes under a broiler or 1–2 minutes per side in a skillet over medium heat.

Toss or loosely dress shredded iceberg lettuce with a light pinch of salt and a squeeze of lemon if desired. Slice tomato thinly and have pickles ready.

Spread about 1 to 1.5 tablespoons of remoulade sauce on the inside of each toasted roll (split between top and bottom). Place a handful (about 1/3 cup) of shredded lettuce on the bottom half of each roll.

Place one hot fried soft shell crab on top of the lettuce. Add 2–3 slices of tomato and one pickle slice (or arrange to taste). Sprinkle a light pinch of Cajun/Creole seasoning over the crab if you want more heat.

Close the sandwich and serve immediately with lemon wedges on the side for squeezing over the crab.

Serve each crab po' boy hot with fries, potato chips, or coleslaw. Leftover remoulade will keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Fried crabs are best eaten immediately; if reheating, heat briefly in a 350°F (175°C) oven on a rack to help re-crisp, but expect a loss of peak texture.