ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Softshell crabs need little adornment recipe-wise.

Hookin’ Ain’t Easy owner Matthew Neumann offers a simple recipe for softshell crabs at his St. Pete café.

The Gulf crabs are from Matlacha in Lee County.

Softshell crab season in Florida goes from the late spring to the late fall, depending on water temperatures. As water temperatures warm, crabs molt, and it takes a few days for the new shell to harden.

The softshell crab sandwich recipe makes four softshell crab sandwiches.

Ingredients

  • 4 softshell crabs
  • 1 cup of milk
  • 2 cups of flour
  • 2 pieces of butter-toasted bread
  • 1 quart of oil
  • Tomato slice
  • Remoulade sauce

Directions

  1. Soak each crab in milk, and coat with flour.
  2. Repeat the process for a double dip.
  3. Fry four minutes at about 350 degrees.
  4. Fry two minutes, flip and fry two more.
    • You can set the crabs on a paper towel to absorb any excess oil before building sandwiches.
  5. Toast the bread, and serve the sandwich with a tomato slice and remoulade sauce.