Are soft crabs actually soft?

Yes, soft crabs are actually soft. They are hard-shell blue crabs harvested at a specific life cycle stage. When they are molting their shells are very soft. This is the process of how a crab grows in size. The crab backs out of their existing “hard shell”, to reveal a new temporary soft shell. During this time, the crab’s shell has not fully hardened.

How long does a soft crab stay soft?

3-4 hours. Molting is the process when a crab backs out of its current shell, and begins to grow a new, larger shell. During this process, a crab can grow by as much as 30%! The crab is extremely vulnerable to predators during this stage. Within 12 hours, the crab’s shell reaches the “paper shell” stage.

How do watermen catch soft crabs?

Watermen use “floats” or large shallow tanks to keep the crabs until they molt. Once the crab “sheds” its shell, it is at the most desirable stage for selling to seafood markets and restaurants. Because the window is so short from when a crab molts and the new shell begins to harden, it requires around-the-clock attention from the watermen to harvest them at just the right time.

What are peeler crabs?

Peeler crabs are blue crabs in the pre-molting stage. Because the cost associated with harvesting soft crabs is quite high, watermen mainly use peeler crabs for their shedding facilities since they don’t spend as much time before shedding. Peeler crabs can be identified by the color markings on thier legs. As the peeler crab gets closer to shedding, the back paddle fins will start to turn red.

What is a buster crab?

A “buster crab” is a peeler crab during the first stage of molting. The peeler crab is in the process of “busting” or backing out of its shell, to begin the process of transitioning to a soft-shell crab.

Is there a season for soft crabs?

Yes. Blue crabs will continue to molt based on water temperature and salinity levels. In Florida, blue crabs molt all year long. However, in the Mid-Atlantic area or Chesapeake Bay region, the soft crab season is April – September.

How do watermen keep soft crabs soft?

Once the soft crabs have been harvested or removed from the water, they are immediately placed in a refrigerator. The cold temperatures delay the soft crab’s shell from hardening. However, live soft crabs only last for 2 – 3 days. If you are able to get fresh soft crabs, they are the best. But, frozen soft crabs are quite good as well.

Why do people love to eat soft crabs?

As the crab enters the pre-molting stage, it begins to build up fat. Many crab lovers feel the additional fat of the soft crab creates a better, giving the crab meat a more intense flavor. The most popular way to eat a soft crab is the fried soft crab sandwich.