Ingredients:

  • 5 fresh soft shell crabs, cleaned
  • 0.5 cup all-purpose flour
  • 0.5 cup cornstarch
  • 1 tbsp Old Bay Seasoning
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 0.5 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 2 cups high-smoke point oil for frying
  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
  • 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

Instructions:

  1. If not pre-cleaned, use kitchen shears to remove the eyes, mouth, the apron on the bottom, and the gills under the side points. Pat the crabs extremely dry with paper towels to ensure a crispy crust.
  2. Set up a dredging station with two bowls. In the first bowl, add the buttermilk. In the second bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, Old Bay, garlic powder, cayenne, salt, and pepper.
  3. Dip each crab into the buttermilk, allowing excess to drip off, then press firmly into the flour mixture until completely coated. Let the breaded crabs rest on a tray for 5 minutes to help the coating adhere.
  4. Choose your cooking method. For frying: Heat 0.5 inch of oil in a skillet to 350°F (175°C). Fry crabs top-side down for 3-4 minutes, then flip and cook for 2-3 minutes until golden brown. For Air Fryer: Spray crabs with oil and cook at 400°F (200°C) for 10-12 minutes, flipping halfway. For Baked: Place on parchment-lined sheet, drizzle with butter, and bake at 425°F (220°C) for 12-15 minutes.
  5. While crabs rest on a wire rack, melt 4 tbsp of butter in a small pan with minced garlic until fragrant. Stir in fresh parsley and lemon juice.
  6. Drizzle the warm lemon-garlic butter sauce over the crabs immediately before serving.