A tasty and easy Stuffed Dungeness Crab recipe
The perfect Dungeness Crab appetizer should always start with love. The love of food can break your bank or put a hole in your wallet. But if it is for a good cause, it is worth it. Let’s talk about crabmeat.
Real crabmeat can be very expensive. Sold in different types of packaging, claw meat, jumbo lump crab meat, lump crab meat or backfin crab meat, prices vary for each category. Even when you buy, the whole crab or just the crab legs, the prices are high, and they also differ.
My sister always says that it is better to buy a whole crab instead of the pre-packaged, or canned. You get more crabmeat for your money, that is if you have the time or the patience to clean and de-shell the crab.
Dungeness Crab is one of the most sold crabmeat available on the market. Usually packaged in canned, it facilitates the preparation of quick and easy appetizers.
Dungeness Stuffed Crab or Baked Crabmeat is a quick and delightful appetizer. If you are entertaining, you can prepare this dish in advance and keep it warm until your guests arrive. If you are making it for lunch, snack, or dinner to serve your family or for yourself, it is beneficial to clean the crab in advance to save time.
If you have someone, like my sister Erika who does not mind cleaning seafood, then you will be the happiest person on earth. I don’t care about cleaning fish, but when you have shellfish like crab, and lobster, the task can be quite challenging. It is challenging because you can to make sure that the meat comes out whole – much better when preparing exotic and elegant dishes.
The recipe only has one expensive item. The Dungeness Crab! When in season, they are sold by the pound. Try to take advantage of the sales and take your time to clean it.
Two other ingredients can be pricey as well. Gruyere cheese and creme fraiche. Having an excellent aged gruyere cheese is ideal. Gruyere cheese is mildly sharp, so the older the cheese, the tastier it will be.
Creme fraiche is sold in most supermarkets these days. You should visit a specialty store if you are unable to find it at your local store. For this recipe, it is best not to substitute creme fraiche for another ingredient.
You may have already noticed that Rhum Barbancourt is on the ingredient list. The rum adds a subtle and exotic flavor to the crabmeat. You can replace the Rhum Barbabcourt with your preferred rum. Make sure you use a dark colored and robust flavored rum.
I have also added my original gourmet hot sauce for more flavor. The remaining ingredients are available in every supermarket.
One last note, after cleaning and removing the crabmeat from the shell and the legs, you will notice that you have plenty of meat. When compared to storebought crabmeat, you will want to remember that it might be beneficial to consider buying whole Dungeness crabs.
Make this excellent, comfortable, and delicious dish and serve it with crackers or sliced French baguette toasts
Enjoy!
A tasty and easy Stuffed Dungeness Crab recipe
Ingredients
- 1 whole cooked Dungeness Crab about 2 pounds
- 1 teaspoon butter
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon original gourmet hot sauce
- 1 shallot medium to large, finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon parsley finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons Rhum Barbancourt
- 1 tablespoon Breadcrumbs
- 1 1/2 tablespoon Creme Fraiche
- 2 tablespoons Gruyere Cheese
- 1 teaspoon oyster sauce or Worcestershire Sauce
- 2 tablespoons Gruyere Cheese
Instructions
- Buy a whole cooked dungeness crab or follow the instructions below to cook the crab.
- To cook the crab:In a large pot filled with enough water to cover the crab, add salt (about 1 teaspoon). Bring to a boil and cook for 10 – 15 minutes depending on the size of the crab.
- Remove the crab carefully from the hot water, set aside and let completely cool. When cool, remove the carapace and set aside to be stuffed with the crabmeat mixture later. Continue by removing the meat from the abdomen and the legs.
- In a bowl, mix the breadcrumbs with the creme fraiche and set aside. Finely chopped the shallots, parsley and garlic.
- In a skillet melt butter and add oil. Add shallots, garlic and parsley. Add breadcrumb mixture and the crabmeat. Mix well. Let cook for about 1-2 minutes. Add oyster sauce or worcestershire sauce, rum and original hot sauce. Mix well. Cook while stirring for about 2 minutes under low heat.
- Prepare the crab shell.
- Stuff the shell with the crab mixture. Sprinkle the gruyere cheese and broil in a 415 degrees preheated oven under a broiler for 5-8 minutes or until the top is brown.
- Serve hot with toasted french bread or crackers.
Video
Notes
You can substitute canned crab meat. Use ramekins to finish cooking the crabmeat in the oven.
Nutrition
Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on the products used.
Nutrition info is automatically generated and provided as a courtesy and as an estimate only.
