Old-School Baltimore Crab Soup

Description

This crab soup recipe mirrors the traditional crab soups made by Baltimore women over the last 50 years. It is a milder-flavored, lighter-colored soup than the ones typically served in modern seafood restaurants. Homemade crab soup is a staple at most Maryland cookouts and family gatherings. Serve with crackers.

Ingredients

  • 3 carrots, sliced
  • 1 ham bone
  • ⅔ cup barley
  • 2 tablespoons salt, or more to taste
  • 2 tablespoons ground black pepper, or more to taste
  • 4 cups water
  • 1 small head cabbage, shredded
  • 2 (14.5 ounce) cans diced tomatoes
  • 3 potatoes, peeled and cubed
  • 1 cup water
  • 3 (15 ounce) cans white corn, drained
  • 1 pound green beans, cut into 1 inch pieces
  • 1 (10 ounce) package frozen lima beans
  • 1 (6 ounce) package frozen peas
  • 2 tablespoons seafood seasoning (such as
  • ®), or more to taste
  • 4 female blue crabs
  • 4 slices bacon
  • 1 cup water
  • 2 (6 ounce) cans lump crabmeat, drained

Instructions

  1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the carrots
  2. and cook uncovered until tender
  3. about 5 minutes. Drain well
  4. and set aside.
  5. Place the ham bone
  6. barley
  7. salt
  8. and pepper in large stock pot with 4 cups of water. Simmer over medium heat for 30 to 45 minutes. Add cabbage and tomatoes; continue simmering for 15 more minutes. Stir in the potatoes and carrots. Simmer until the potatoes are tender and easily pierced with a fork
  9. 20 to 30 minutes. Stir in 1 cup of water
  10. corn
  11. green beans
  12. lima beans
  13. and peas. Simmer for 20 minutes.
  14. While the soup is simmering
  15. clean the crabs by opening it and discarding the lungs and mouth. Remove the yellowish-brown tomalley and set aside. Break the crabs in half and add to the soup along with the seafood seasoning. Simmer for 20 minutes
  16. stirring occasionally.
  17. Meanwhile
  18. place the bacon in a large
  19. deep skillet
  20. and cook over medium-high heat
  21. turning occasionally
  22. until evenly browned
  23. about 10 minutes. Drain the bacon slices on a paper towel-lined plate. Cook and stir the reserved tomalley in the remaining bacon grease over low heat until the mixture becomes gravy-like. Stir the cooked tomalley into the soup with 1 more cup of water. Continue simmering for 45 minutes
  24. then add the lump crabmeat. Season with additional salt
  25. pepper
  26. and seafood seasoning
  27. if necessary. Simmer for 1 hour and 15 minutes
  28. stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to low
  29. until ready to serve.

Prep Time: 25 mins

Cook Time: 4 hrs

Total Time: 4 hrs 25 mins

Servings: 12

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