Similar to crab cakes, deviled crabs are seasoned breaded crab stuffed into shells, baked until golden, and eaten as a first course or light supper.
Deviled Crab
By Sue Lau | Palatable Pastime
My recipe of the day is with Fish Friday Foodies, it being the third Friday of the month, when a group of food bloggers gets together to post recipes on a theme.
This month the theme is for Seafood Appetizers. So I chose deviled crab, which can be great as an appetizer, or combined with other foods to be a part of a larger seafood supper. Some ideas for a bigger meal include adding fried fish or shrimp, plus things like cole slaw, hush puppies, and french fries.
Handy Disposable Cups
Deviled crab are often stuffed right back into their own shells. But if you are making these with lump crab, you can use the baking shells sold for food service to put these in. Or if you can’t locate those, shaping a double layer piece of aluminum foil into a crab shell shape works effectively. Then you don’t have to worry about guests objecting to real eyes on the crab shells, and with foil, especially as a patio dinner, you can just dispose of the shells afterwards for easy cleanup.
My Love of Deviled Crab goes Way Back
I first had freshly made deviled crab when visiting my Aunt Eudocia back in the 1970’s down in Baytown Texas. I went crabbing with my cousins and we caught buckets full. After bringing them back to the house, my aunt cooked those up and we spent the time before dinner picking crab. And then she proceeded to make the most delicious deviled crab.
It’s a bit fun to go crabbing, providing they don’t latch onto your finger as one did to my cousin. I heard words fly out of his mouth I didn’t know he knew. And picking crab is a bit tedious- so you might want to consider using lump crab. But either way, the end result is so worth any amount of effort.
Similar to Crab Cakes
Deviled Crab is very similar to crab cakes except generally has a bit more breading, especially if they are shaped without the shell, more like croquettes or hush puppies. I like these in the shell so there is a bit less breading. But I can see adding crab to hush puppies–but I would just serve those as hush puppies, more a bread course than anything really.
Fish Friday
Seafood Appetizers
- Deviled Crab by Palatable Pastime
- Grilled Stuffed Squid by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
- Oysters on the Half Shell by A Day in the Life on the Farm
- Shrimp Bites by Sid’s Sea Palm Cooking
- Shrimp Rémoulade by Karen’s Kitchen Stories
- Sunshine Sauce Prawns On Cucumber Salad by Sneha’s Recipe
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Gambas al Ajillo
Crab Cakes with Homemade Tartar Sauce
Tuna Stuffed Deviled Eggs
Crab Stuffed Shrimp
Bacon-Wrapped Shrimp Kebabs
Deviled Crab
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons melted butter
- 1/2 cup fresh minced onion
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 2 ounce jar pimientos drained
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 1 teaspoon dry mustard
- 1 teaspoon old bay seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons minced parsley
- 1 egg beaten
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 cup clam broth
- 1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs
- 1 pound lump crab meat any bits of shell removed
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- Topping:
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
- 2 tablespoons soft bread crumbs
- Serve:
- Lemon Wedges
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375° F.
- Heat butter in a small skillet and saute the onion and garlic until soft.
- Combine with remaining ingredients (except for toppings) in a bowl.
- Spray shells or foil shells with nonstick spray and mound crab filling in them.
- Toss bread crumbs for topping with butter and sprinkle over the top.
- Bake for 25 minutes, then place under the broiler a couple of minutes more (if needed) to become golden brown on top.
- Serve hot with fresh lemon wedges as needed.
Notes
Visit my community on Facebook where my friends and I enjoy sharing our blog creations and cooking tips:
I love crab cakes so I know I am going to love this deviled crab as well.
They are sort of similar- although these have slightly more breading.
I’ve never had Deviled Crab, and I may just need to rectify that, especially if I follow your recipe. It looks great.
It’s not as breaded as most deviled crab- also mot as unbreaded as top of the line crab cakes, but a nice midway. 😁
My mother had these oven safe mini casseroles shaped like scallop shells that she would bake this in for dinner parties in the 60s. Yours sounds delicious and the foil solution is genius. Love your crab plate too!
I think you can get the fool shells at Gordons foodservice and there are lots of places with scallop shells- although its easy to have a mundane solution. I saw more expensive reusable crab shell shaped bakers but they cost a ton! And I spend too much on props as it is. 🤣
I have never had deviled crab, but I can’t wait to try it. Thanks for sharing.
I have never tried to make this recipe, but this looks so yum, must try it soon.