Whether you’re dining out or shopping at a fresh seafood market, you may notice different types of crab listed on the menu. Soft-shell and hard-shell crabs are the two main types, and each one goes through a different cooking method, achieving a unique texture and flavor. Below is more information about both options to help you decide which one you want to try.

Soft-Shell

While soft-shell crabs are the same species as hard-shell, they are in a different phase of their life cycle. Once a crab matures, it outgrows its shell and sheds it, leaving the entire body soft. Eventually, the new shell will harden. The molting process usually happens in the spring, which means these crabs are most common between May and September. However, you can often find them throughout the year.

In its soft-shell phase, you can cook and eat the entire crustacean. Soft-shell varieties are usually crunchier because you are eating the shell. Additionally, the meat is sweeter. There are many ways to prepare this type of crab, with grilling, sauteing, and frying being the most common. Some people prefer to bread and fry the crustacean and eat it on a sandwich.

Hard-Shell

Hard-shell crabs are what you see more commonly in grocery stores and on restaurant menus. When you purchase this variety, the shell has hardened and matured, which means you can't eat it. Instead, you must remove the shell to get to the meat inside. While this is a more time-consuming process, the meat inside is tender and thicker. To prepare this style, most people opt to boil the crustaceans. Then, you crack the shell and claws with a mallet and pull out the meat.

If you love hard-shell crabs, hosting a boil is an excellent way to gather friends and family together for an exciting day. While you can customize the boil to suit your tastes, most include red potatoes, corn, and a lot of seasoning. Other popular dishes that use lump meat from hard-shell crabs include bisques and dips.

When you need fresh, delicious seafood to feed your family, visit Billy’s Seafood in Bon Secour, AL. Established in 1975, this seafood market strives to provide the freshest products available. They serve retail and wholesale customers, and carry shrimp, oysters, fish, and crawfish. They even provide local, overnight, and second-day air shipping. Call (251) 949-6288 to speak with a team member, and visit the website to learn more about their products.