# explain the appeal of soft shelled crab. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 10, 2012, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-appeal-of-soft-shelled-crab/609051 "2012-01-10T15:39:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2012, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-appeal-of-soft-shelled-crab/609051/21 "2012-01-10T19:00:43Z")
What I’m looking to find are soft-shell clams. Haven’t had them in 40 years, and haven’t even seen them in a fish market in decades. Loved them as a kid. ---
**Author:** ![romansperson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/romansperson/32/17100_2.png) [@romansperson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/romansperson)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2012, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-appeal-of-soft-shelled-crab/609051/22 "2012-01-10T20:03:32Z")
I don’t know that they taste better, necessarily, but they do have their own particular flavor. And yes, you can only get them fresh from (generally) late spring to early fall, so the somewhat limited availability I suppose could make some folks consider them a delicacy. They’re also quite a bit of work for the watermen who do this to process. We belong to a seafood CSA and usually get a couple deliveries of soft shells from each run. They are pretty good fried and eaten in a sandwich (I usually top 'em with cole slaw too, for added crunch). ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2012, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-appeal-of-soft-shelled-crab/609051/23 "2012-01-10T20:29:35Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > I’ve never prepared one myself, but, so far as I can tell, they are cleaned: the head, the gills, and the “apron” are removed. Good to know. I don’t mind eating generic innards, but the gills in the Dungeness crabs that I usually eat always struck me as inedible. ---
**Author:** ![Chopper9760](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cdc98d/32.png) [@Chopper9760](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chopper9760)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2012, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-appeal-of-soft-shelled-crab/609051/24 "2012-01-10T20:48:26Z")
My mom ordered as soft shell crab sandwich assuming that it would be crab and fixin’s in a soft shell tortilla. The look on her face when the blue spider sandwich arrived was priceless. I traded her my pulled pork sandwich - best trade ever! I’d love to try it again but you don’t run into soft shelled crab much in Idaho. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2012, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-appeal-of-soft-shelled-crab/609051/25 "2012-01-11T00:27:18Z")
> [@hogarth](#): > > Good to know. I don’t mind eating generic innards, but the gills in the Dungeness crabs that I usually eat always struck me as inedible. Yeah, they remove the gills, guts, and gonads. The rest is pure good eating! ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2012, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-appeal-of-soft-shelled-crab/609051/26 "2012-01-11T03:27:48Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > What I’m looking to find are soft-shell clams. Haven’t had them in 40 years, and haven’t even seen them in a fish market in decades. Loved them as a kid. Known as steamers here in New England. They’re plentiful in the Northeast, but the rest of the country may not get many. Steamers usually refer to Littleneck clams outside of New England, so don’t expect to get them that way. Last year the availability was pretty good, and prices in the $3-$4 a pound range (expensive for something that is more than half shell weight, but not bad for steamers lately). ETA: I see you are in Schenectady. I’d think there must be someplace in the area carrying soft shell clams. You’re local fish market could probably get some in if you ask them. ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2012, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-appeal-of-soft-shelled-crab/609051/27 "2012-01-11T12:57:46Z")
Yes- softshell crabs are much easier to eat. Frankly, cracking a harshell blue crab and extracting the meat is a TON of work, for a very small return. The jonah/rock crabs commony sold in the NE are even worse-and when you crack the shells, they break into little pieces that get in the meat. ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2012, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-appeal-of-soft-shelled-crab/609051/28 "2012-01-11T15:00:25Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > Yeah, they remove the gills, guts, and **gonads**. The rest is pure good eating! I can do without the gills. But I thought the crab ovaries were supposed to be the yummiest part (at least according to my wife and other Chinese folks I’ve talked to). ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2012, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-appeal-of-soft-shelled-crab/609051/29 "2012-01-11T15:12:16Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Known as steamers here in New England. They’re plentiful in the Northeast, but the rest of the country may not get many. Steamers usually refer to Littleneck clams outside of New England, so don’t expect to get them that way. Last year the availability was pretty good, and prices in the $3-$4 a pound range (expensive for something that is more than half shell weight, but not bad for steamers lately). > > ETA: I see you are in Schenectady. I’d think there must be someplace in the area carrying soft shell clams. You’re local fish market could probably get some in if you ask them. I have discovered that they’re called “Ipswitch” clams here, though they are hard to get. ---
**Author:** ![Scubaqueen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c0e974/32.png) [@Scubaqueen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scubaqueen)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2012, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-appeal-of-soft-shelled-crab/609051/30 "2012-01-11T15:14:58Z")
> [@Heart\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > Jandara? Love the food and the bizarre outer-space decor. Which reminds me of another delicious use of soft shell crab: [spider roll](http://www.google.com/search?q=spider+roll&hl=en&prmd=imvnse&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=5HwMT4_GM8T40gGs7pDVBQ&sqi=2&ved=0CCkQsAQ&biw=1024&bih=612). ug. i cannot go near a spider roll. they are disgusting - and i’m a bona fide sushi addict. the divemaster loves them, bless his cotton socks. i leave him to it. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Lukeinva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lukeinva/32/17872_2.png) [@Lukeinva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lukeinva)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2012, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-appeal-of-soft-shelled-crab/609051/31 "2012-01-11T18:04:53Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > You can also deep fry them; the crisp breading and the shell give it a nice crunch. > [@Heart\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > 😕 > > I thought it was always deep-fried. Have you had it plain, and if so, what did you think? Uff don’t deep fry a soft shell… dust it with flour and pan saute in butter. ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2012, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-appeal-of-soft-shelled-crab/609051/32 "2012-01-11T18:34:56Z")
> [@Algher](#): > > And called a spider roll when wrapped in rice and seaweed at a sushi joint!.. At Texas (& probably Louisiana) sushi joints, you can get rolls made with soft shelled crawfish! They look alien but taste great… ---
**Author:** ![Hail\_Ants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/dc4da7/32.png) [@Hail\_Ants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hail_Ants)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2012, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-appeal-of-soft-shelled-crab/609051/33 "2012-01-12T04:39:44Z")
> [@Chopper9760](#): > > My mom ordered as soft shell crab sandwich assuming that it would be crab and fixin’s in a soft shell tortilla. The look on her face when the blue spider sandwich arrived was priceless. > > I traded her my pulled pork sandwich - best trade ever! I’d love to try it again but you don’t run into soft shelled crab much in Idaho. Exact same thing happened to me. I ordered it expecting a soft shell ‘crab salad’ sandwich or something, and instead I get an _ **Alien Facehugger on a raft!** _ Grinned, beared & ate it though. Wasn’t bad at all, but I couldn’t face it again… ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2012, 7:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-appeal-of-soft-shelled-crab/609051/34 "2012-01-12T07:01:02Z")
> [@Hail\_Ants](#): > > Exact same thing happened to me. I ordered it expecting a soft shell ‘crab salad’ sandwich or something, and instead I get an _ **Alien Facehugger on a raft!** _ Grinned, beared & ate it though. Wasn’t bad at all, but I couldn’t face it again… Understandable. But, I’m afraid you’ll have to – briefly – when it hatches. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-appeal-of-soft-shelled-crab/609051.md?page=1)