Soft Crab Shell Season

Soft crab shell season is very abundant is in the late spring to early fall where the regular crab start the molting process or from early March to late September which depending on the weather. The season usually start from Florida to the Atlantic Coast and then to Maryland before they are back down again to Florida. It is very recommended that you get the soft shell crab before Labor Day.

Understanding soft crab shell season
Just like we already mentioned above, the soft crab shell season is available abundantly in late spring through late fall. This is where the crabs started their molting process in the sea. Many fishermen will catch them and sell them to the market during this season.
After you know when the soft crab shell season is then maybe you are wondering what is soft crab shell and what is the difference between soft shell and hard shell crabs? In fact, both soft shell crab and hard shell crab are the same species. They are NOT different crabs. The regular crab just shed their shells through process called molting. After this process, the shell will slowly begin to harden again and they will not become soft shell anymore. Even though it is not always been the case, however the crab that going through molting process will have wrinkle appearance with pale abdomen.

Since the crab is growing bigger, of course they also need bigger shell and in order to do that they need to replace the old shell with the new one through molting process. It is happen periodically through the crab life. The crab will form some new soft coat under the old hard shell and then they swell themselves up enough so the shell start to separate. And the crab inside will out with their new ‘soft’ shell and in quick glance, the shell is not different with the old shell since it also completed with swim fins and claws, however when the soft shell is touched, it is actually as hard as the rubber chicken.
Crab in their softer shell is very weak and they are also vulnerable in the ocean. They can be pried easily by other sea animals if they are not being careful. However, within hours, their shell becomes harder and the crab will be back into hard shell crab just like the usual or regular crab. Now, the question is: how do the fishermen catch the crab during that moment?

For your information, they are not catch the crab in that brief interim period, what they do just caught the crab just before they start the molting process and keep them in large temperature control tanks till they are perfectly molt. The fishermen or the crab suppliers will remove them after that and thus the hardening process will automatically stop. The soft shell crabs are directly packed and delivered to various seafood markets as fresh soft shell crabs. You can find them anywhere including supermarket, fresh seafood market, grocery stores, and so on. You can find frozen soft shell crabs in the market as well, they are stored in the processor or storage to freezing.
Can you eat the whole soft shell crab?
Can you eat this soft crab all the way even with the shell? Many people often ask and curious whether they can eat the whole shell when consume soft crabs. Well, it is depending on the cooking methods, you can eat the whole soft shell when they are seasoned and prepared in the right way. Actually the whole soft shell has incredible taste and they are also edible.

You can prepare the soft shell crabs with variety of cooking methods including grilling, frying, and sautéed. You can also marinate the crab with extra virgin olive oil, fresh herbs, and garlic to add more flavor. After that you can grill the crabs about two to three minutes each side. You do not even need to add some sauce by cooking them with this method. They are already tasted so delicious. And when the soft crab shell season comes, you can try pan fried soft shell crab easily in so many seafood restaurants.
How to buy soft shell crabs?
When you want to buy soft crab shell then it is suggested that you select ‘fresh’ soft shell crab if it is possible. You can find them at reputable seafood market. The freshest and live soft shell crabs usually move weakly and very little, they will not fight that hard when you handle them as their shell will be pliable. Never hesitate to touch and examine them carefully because their claws also not as strong as when they still in hard shell. They are harmless in such state. In addition, it is better to avoid soft shell crabs if they have weird strong odor since it indicates they are start to spoil. Fresh crabs should smell just like the ocean waters.

Conclusion
We are going to point some conclusion based on the information we already share to you above which are:
·         The soft crab shell season usually starts from late spring to early fall. This is when you can buy them abundantly.
·         Soft shell crabs are actually just regular crabs which going through molting process to replace old shell with the new one.
·         You can eat the whole soft shell of the crab and prepare them with many cooking methods.
·         When you want to buy soft shell crabs, you can examine them carefully because they are harmless. Checking them and make sure you get the best quality of soft shell crabs.
·         Soft shell crabs are available in fresh and frozen state. But if it is possible, always try to purchase freshest soft shell crabs.
In addition to the information above, the soft crab shell season is abundant during early March to late September when they are begin the molting process. Most of the soft crab shell that you will likely encounter is the blue crab one since they are really abundant.