Grilled Soft-Shell Crabs with Tartar Sauce

When you grow up in Baltimore, as Steven Raichlen did, soft-shell crabs in June are part of your culinary calendar. They're usually pan-fried or deep-fried, but grilling brings out their sweetness. The accompanying tartar sauce is flavored with Old Bay Seasoning, invented by a German-Jewish spice merchant in Baltimore. Amazing Seafood Recipes

By Steven Raichlen
June 2000

Gallery

Credit: © Amy Neunsinger

Recipe Summary test

Yield:
4
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Ingredients

TARTAR SAUCE
CRAB SANDWICHES

Directions

  • Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl.

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  • Light a grill. Brush the grate with oil. Melt the butter in a saucepan. Add the garlic, shallots and seafood seasoning and cook over high heat until fragrant, about 2 minutes; don't let the garlic brown.

  • Grill the rolls until golden; move the rolls to a cooler part of the grill. Brush the crabs generously with the aromatic butter and season with salt and pepper. Grill the crabs over high heat, turning occasionally, until bright red, crisp and charred in spots, about 4 minutes. Spread the tartar sauce on the rolls, top with the crabs and serve.

Suggested Pairing

Viognier would complement the sweetness of the crab and the creaminess of the tartar sauce. Try one from Washington State or California.

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