By Mary Parks | 3 Hours

Instead of caramelizing the crab and aromatics on the stovepot this recipe uses an oven. After roasting the crab, alliums, and seasonings in the oven we add white wine, lemon, and water. The result is a warming and hearty stock perfect for hearty and creamy dishes like She Crab Soup or Gumbo. 

INGREDIENTS & Materials

• sheet pan

• stock pot

• wooden mallet, rolling pin, or potato masher

• 3 Tbsp olive oil

• 3 lbs whole green crab, rinsed well

• 1 yellow onion, sliced in half skin-on

• 2 heads of garlic, sliced in half skin-on

• 1 fennel bulb, sliced in half

• 1 Tbsp peppercorns

• 1.5 gallons of water

• large and small mesh strainer

• splash of sherry

• fine mesh strainer

  
  

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat your oven to 400 °F.

2. Add alliums, fennel, and green crab to a sheet pan and drizzle with olive oil. We recommend using frozen green crabs for this recipe or spearing your crabs with a pin before popping them in the oven.

3. Bring water to a boil while the crabs, alliums, and fennel roast for 30 minutes.

4. Remove the sheet pan from the oven and lightly crush the crabs with a mallet, rolling pin, or potato masher.

5. Add the sheet pan contents to boiling water and reduce the heat to a simmer. Hold on to your sheet pan for the next step!

6. Add sherry and a half cup of water to the sheet pan and pour into your stock, scrapping any frond leftover and repeating with another cup of water.

7. Simmer for 2-3 hours, skimming off any foam and impurities that float to the surface with a large slotted spoon or small fine mesh strainer.

8. Pour through a large then fine mesh strainer. Use within two days or freeze in a deli container or whiskey ice cube tray for later use.