TASTE OF MARYLAND "SHE CRAB SOUP" DEE STYLE

Taste of Maryland

I love crab soup. My recipe is a little bit of this & that from many Maryland She Crab recipes :) This takes a bit longer to cook then most crab soups out there....as it is a long simmering soup which really blends in the flavors. Feel free to add more veggies and tweak as you please! The cook time is a rough estimate....simmer...

Provided by Dee Tourville

Time 1h50m

Number Of Ingredients 19

Ingredients

1 ham bone
1/2 c sweet onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp lemon pepper
2 Tbsp old bay seasoning, divided
1 Tbsp worcestershire sauce
2 qt unsalted chicken broth,( 8 cups)
salt as needed. no salt if you are on a low sodium diet.
2 c unpeeled, new red potatoes washed & cubed
2 can(s) (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
1 c frozen or fresh white corn
1 c frozen or fresh green beans, cut in 1 inch pcs.
1 c frozen lima beans
16 oz lump crab meat ( i like to use phillips crab meat) please, no canned crab meat.
4 female blue crabs
4 slice thick bacon
2 1/2 fresh carrots, sliced. i almost forgot these. they should be listed right after potatoes :)
2 stalk(s) oops, should have added justt after the onion :)

Steps:

1. In a skillet sauté onions, garlic, celery in Olive oil for 5 minutes. Drain well and set aside.
2. Place ham bone in a large soup pot, adding 5 cups of chic. broth. Bring to a boil, add tomatoes , turn down to simmer.
3. Stir in potatoes and carrots continue to low simmer.
4. Add 1 cup of Chic. broth, corn, green beans & lima beans, while the soups continues to simmer.
5. While the soup simmers, clean the crabs by opening each one and discarding the lungs & mouth. Remove the yellowish-brown tomally ( some people call it the mustard), set it aside in a bowl. Break the cleaned crabs in half and add to soup. I use left over crabs ( a rare thing at our house) which I had steamed in Old Bay seasoning the day before. You can buy cooked crabs at your market & that's just fine.
6. Right after adding the crabs, toss in the bay leaf, add lemon pepper, worcestershire sauce, 1 Tbs. Old Bay seasoning and the sauted mixture that you set aside earlier. Continue to simmer .
7. Add more Chic. broth, if needed. I like my soup with lots of broth........I add another cup. Continue to simmer.
8. Place the bacon in a large deep skillet and cook over med/high heat until bacon is nicely browned & crispy, about 10 minutes or so.
9. Remove the bacon onto paper towels to drain. Save for another recipe or have a good munch while waiting for soup to finish cooking. Stir in the tomally to the remaining bacon grease . Cook over LOW heat until mixture becomes gravy-like. Turn off pan.
10. Stir the cooked tomally into the soup. Add more broth if needed (remember, I like broth). Continue to simmer for 45 minutes, while adding 1 TBS. Old Bay seasoning & the lump crab meat. Stir occasionally.
11. Reduce heat to low, until ready to serve. Remove bay leaf before serving. If soup is too thick add water or chicken broth 1 cup at a time.