If You Can’t Beat Them, Eat Them: Invasive Asian Shore Crabs & Green Crabs

Winter is the perfect time to get out and explore the many wonderful edibles available to us on the coast! Parking is ample, tides are at their lowest and the cold water leads to sweeter tasting seaweeds and seafood.

While January through March is prime time for clamming, there is an even easier forage right at your finger tips – invasive species! You don’t need a license or fancy equipment to gather these pesky but delicious critters either. Flip up a few rocks in the tidal zone and you can have a tasty meal in no time.

In New England, there are two particularly invasive species of crab that are reeking havoc on underwater environments – the Asian Shore Crab and the Green Crab. Both are easily distinguishable from our native crabs.

The Asian Shore Crab has expanded its territory over the past few decades and is now found in large numbers throughout the east coast. Their square shaped bodies and striped legs make them a breeze to identify. The Green Crab hitched a ride on boat hulls from Italy. In the 80’s, lobstermen were encouraged to use them as bait since they were cheap and thought to be harmless. Unfortunately, this idea backfired and Green Crabs soon began out competing a variety of native shellfish for food while also passing on bacteria and diseases to other bottom dwellers. Their green color differentiates them from our red crabs.

But, it’s not all doom and gloom! Both invasive species are edible and quite good. There is no number or size limit for harvesting them and there are a wide variety of recipes that can turn this tragedy into triumph. From stocks to ferments, fish sauces to fried whole, these crustaceans are perfect for your dinner plate!

Crispy Fried Invasive Crab Recipe

Ingredients:

• Live Asian Shore Crabs or Green Crabs, the smallest of your catch
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 tablespoons Korean red pepper paste (gochujang)
• 1 tablespoon chili flakes
• 4 teaspoons soy sauce
• 4 teaspoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons honey
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• Peanut, grape seed, or canola oil for deep frying
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon roasted sesame seeds

Instructions:

Gather between 20 – 40 crabs (or more!) and place them in a bucket. Before leaving the beach, make sure to fill the bucket with ocean water to cover the crabs. This will help them live longer while you transport them.

Once home, thoroughly rinse the live crabs in cool water. Select the smallest ones, leaving larger ones to make a lip-smackingly delicious stock.

In a large saucepan, mix together the garlic, red pepper paste*, chili flakes, soy sauce, sugar, honey, and black pepper. Set aside. *Not into spice? Substitute out the red pepper paste and chili flakes with Old Bay seasoning.

Heat the oil in a Wok or deep fryer. Stir together the flour and salt and coat the crabs in it, shaking off any excess. When the oil reaches 325 to 335 degrees, add the crabs, frying until their shells begin to redden and the coating becomes a golden brown.

Remove with tongs or a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. When the frying is complete, transfer the sauce from the mixing bowl to a pan set on medium heat, stirring until well mixed and very hot. Add sesame oil, the fried crabs, and sesame seeds, coating the contents in the sauce. Serve immediately.

While eating whole crabs may seem foreign to us Americans, it is rather commonplace throughout Asia and Europe. If you like funky flavored potato chips, this recipe is guaranteed to be a hit!

Not sure where to find these creepy crawlies? Join me on an upcoming coastal forage!

February 22 in Rye Beach, NH

March 8 in Gloucester, MA

**Special thanks to Kris and her adorable son for sharing photos of their harvest!