Do you know the difference between soft-shell and hard-shell crabs?
Hard-shelled crabs are a staple in Maryland, but soft-shell crabs may be a mystery to even the biggest seafood fans. If you love crabs and are interested in learning about the how these crabs differ from Maryland’s famous steamed hard-shell crabs, continue reading!
What Are Soft-shell Crabs?
Soft-shell crabs are simply crabs that have matured and outgrown their shells. As a hard-shell crab grows, it must shed its shell since they do not grow. This molting process happens around the same time each year, typically in May. These crabs do not stay soft-shell for long, as their new shell will soon harden and protect the crustacean. This means that early summer is the best time to enjoy the delicacy while they are fresh. At Box Hill, we always serve the freshest soft-shell crabs whenever they are in season!
How To Eat Soft-shell Crabs
The soft-shell crab can be prepared in various ways and is the main star of many seafood dishes. Instead of steaming the crabs, like Marylanders are used to with hard-shell crabs, they are often battered and fried. The crab meat is so soft that you can eat the entire thing once it’s cooked, making it perfect to put on a sandwich, similar to a crab cake.
Hard-shell Crabs
Box Hill’s world famous crab cakes begin their life as blue crabs. The meat of a blue crab is dense, flavorful, and is ideal for making delicious Maryland crab cakes. The blue crabs used at Box Hill are always fresh and are usually delivered to our restaurant within 24 hours of being caught. Once the crabs arrive, our experienced workers pick through them to ensure our customers experience crab cakes with no shells- just delicious crab meat packed with flavor. Come on down to Box Hill to try our famous crab cakes, and don’t forget to order soft-shell crabs when they are back in season!
It’s Always the Right Time for Box Hill
We are located in Abingdon, Maryland, and our crab cakes are available year-round! If you ever have any questions or comments about Box Hill or our Maryland crab cakes, use our contact form here.
Box Hill Crab Cakes is your source for the freshest, most authentic Maryland crab cakes—and we’ll ship them to your door! Our top-secret family recipe has been fine-tuned for decades, and we guarantee you will love them. Visit us online to place your order or give us a call at 410-515-3662. Want to get recipe ideas, updates, and information on sales? Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Google+, Trip Advisor, YouTube, and Twitter.
Order Today!Tags: Box Hill Crabcakes, Maryland Blue Crab, soft-shell crabs, world-famous crab cakes