The Best New Orleans Blue Crab Recipes to Try Today

January 29, 2021 at 5:00 AM
You have numerous options when preparing New Orleans blue crab.

While there are several things to love about the city of New Orleans, undoubtedly one of the best is the fantastic cuisine you can find here. Situated right on the coast of the Gulf of Mexico, it's home to some of the best seafood in the country, and one of the staples of our dishes is the blue crab. This versatile ingredient can be used in a variety of different meals, but if you're looking to elevate your next dining experience, consider trying one of these New Orleans blue crab recipes.

New Orleans Blue Crab Recipes You Need to Try

Blue Crab Cakes

What's you'll need

  • 16 ounces fresh jumbo lump crab meat
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/2 cup regular mayonnaise
  • 1/2 cup Keto Bread Crumbs or Italian bread crumbs
  • 1 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
  • 1/8 teaspoon fines herbs (sold by Spice Island)
  • 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1-2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Directions

Step 1

Set the oven to low broil and place the oven rack near the top.

Step 2

In a medium-sized bowl, carefully pick through the crab meat to remove any shells. Try not to break up the lumps. Be as thorough as possible.

Step 3

In a separate bowl, whisk the egg and then add in the mayonnaise until combined.

Step 4

Add the breadcrumbs and stir to combine. Add the Old Bay, fines herbs and garlic powder. Add the mustard and Worcestershire sauce, stir until well combined.

Step 5

Gently stir the wet mixture into the crab meat, one spoonful at a time. This part takes some patience because you really want to avoid breaking up the lump meat as much as possible.

Step 6

Carefully form 5-6 crab cakes with a biscuit ring.

Step 7

Lightly grease the bottom of a baking sheet (cooking spray works well for this) and place the crab cakes on the sheet. Place a small piece of butter on top of each crab cake.

Step 8

Broil on low for 12-15 minutes, keeping a close eye to make sure they don't burn. Don't flip them, just allow them to cook on one side the entire time (the lack of filler makes them very delicate). If the tops seem like they're going to burn, lower the oven rack. You're not cooking the meat but you want the filling to solidify and the egg to cook through.

Step 9

If you want the tops a bit more golden, switch the broiler to the high setting for the last minute or so.

Step 10

When the tops are golden brown, remove the pan from the oven and allow the crab cakes to cool slightly before serving.

Step 11

We recommend serving them with Saltine crackers and dijon mustard. They also make a great sandwich.

Blue Crab Soup

What you'll need

  • 2 (14.5 ounce) cans stewed tomatoes
  • 3 cups water
  • 1 cup fresh lima beans
  • 1 cup frozen corn kernels
  • 1 cup sliced carrots
  • 2 tablespoons chopped onion
  • 2 tablespoons Old Bay Seasoning TM
  • 2 cups beef broth
  • 1 pound blue crab crabmeat
  • 10 blue crab claws, steamed
  • 1 gallon water

Directions

Step 1

Place whole tomatoes, water, lima beans, corn, sliced carrots, chopped onion, Old Bay seasoning, and beef broth, in a 4 quart pot. Heat to simmer, cover, and cook for 5 minutes.

Step 2

Bring 1 gallon water to boil. Add crab claws and boil 6 minutes. Drain crab and set aside

Step 3

Stir crabmeat (and crabs claws, if desired) into tomato and vegetable mixture. Cover and simmer 10-15 minutes longer. Serve hot.

Old Bay Steamed Blue Crabs

What you'll need

  • One 12-ounce bottle lager-style beer
  • 1 cup cider vinegar
  • 1/2 cup seafood seasoning, such as Old Bay
  • 1 dozen live blue crabs, preferably males ("Jimmies")
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt

Directions

Step 1

Set up a steamer for the crabs. The steamer insert should sit 2 to 3 inches above the bottom of the pot so that the crabs do not touch the liquid beneath.

Step 2

Add 1 1/2 cups water, lager, vinegar and 2 tablespoons seafood seasoning to the bottom of the pot. Whisk to combine and bring to a simmer.

Step 3

Layer the crabs in the steamer insert, generously sprinkling the salt and remaining seafood seasoning on each layer of crabs.

Step 4

Cover the pot and steam the crabs for 30 minutes. The cooked crabs should be a bright orange color throughout with no trace of blue or green.

Get the Freshest New Orleans Blue Crabs Available!

For nearly 40 years, Tommy's Seafood, Inc. has been providing restaurants and distributors with the best frozen blue crab available. With a nearly 30,000 square-foot factory with multiple workshops, we can work with you to custom pack our products to meet your individual needs, and with our revolutionary freezing process, you can have confidence knowing you're receiving the highest-quality New Orleans blue crab possible. Visit us online to learn more or to schedule your order.