Sources

Soft Shell Crabs

Crisp. Golden brown. Earthy. Sweet and delicious. A noteworthy crunch as you bite into its briny, juicy center, devouring the whole thing, claws and all. Nothing else quite compares to a fresh soft shell crab, simply dusted in flour and pan fried. But before that soft shell hits the pan, a lot has to happen. So, let’s start at one of our sources: Beaufort, South Carolina.

This small city just northeast of Savannah is located on Port Royal Island. It’s there that some of the first soft shell crabs of the season—starting in March—begin to appear. And waterman, longtime Citarella supplier, and friend, Jerry Gault, is there to harvest them.

"Thanks to Citarella owner and original fishmonger, Joe Gurrera’s wholesale business at the Fulton Fish Market—supplying some of the finest restaurants in the country with impeccably handled crabs—we’ve worked with Jerry Gault for decades."

At Gault Seafood—a family crabbing operation that’s been in business for generations—Jerry and his team take the greatest of care to source crabs with a tender—never leathery—shell. First, of course, he has to catch them. Beautiful, wild blue point crabs are pulled from pots set in the Atlantic. After which, they’re placed in pristine, spacious, saltwater tanks. Then, he waits. And watches. Gault employs a team of “shedders” to observe molting crabs—also known as peelers—around the clock to ensure they are harvested at peak softness. And time is of the essence. Because every soft shell crab is a delicacy that by its very nature is fleeting. Each crab only molts so many times. 

And a bit like Cinderella at midnight, each soft shell crab that goes unharvested is destined for a hardshell life. The soft shell crab season moves with the sun’s summer warmth, up the eastern seaboard from Beaufort onto the Carolinas, up to Maryland, and finally to Port Norris, New Jersey where we source the last soft shells of the season each year. Then, the days get a little shorter. The air gets its first chill. And just like that, this delicious seasonal treat disappears ‘til next year.

At Citarella, we stay busy sourcing the finest seasonal ocean-fresh delicacies to enjoy: Like Stone crab claws from Florida as the autumn leaves turn red, yellow, and orange. And Nantucket Bay scallops when the snow flies. And we patiently wait for spring. And a call from our friends down south with news on the first soft shells of the season, freshly sourced for Citarella.