Winter, summer, spring, or fall, my favorite soups are seafood soups. From cioppino to clam ramen, I love them all. Especially this recipe for Oregon’s Best Dungeness Crab Bisque.
In my family, big gatherings usually mean a crab feed of some sort and growing up in Seattle, Dungeness Crab is the go-to. Dungeness Crab is a highly sustainable seafood with a season that runs into the winter months. So whether it’s Christmas Day lunch or an outdoor summer picnic, crab is usually on the menu. Compared to other types of crab, Dungeness has a sweet, mild flavor making it an excellent choice for a variety of different recipes from crab cocktails, salads, crab cakes, a variety of soups, and chowders, and dare I even say paella?
Dungeness crab is caught with traps, baited with squid, clams, or herring set at the bottom of the ocean floor. It is easy to find boat tours in Alaska, Washington, and Oregon for catching crab. I recommend Astoria Fishing and Guide Service out of Astoria, Oregon. In Oregon, only male crabs measuring 6 ¼” across are allowed to be harvested. Throwing back females helps to ensure sustainability.
To cook a whole crab, plunge them headfirst in boiling water – making sure they are fully covered. Cook for 15-20 minutes, depending on the size of the crab. Note: if you are buying Dungeness crabs at your local seafood counter and the shells are already that red/ pink color you are familiar with, that means the crab is already cooked.
After you have caught and cooked, don’t be afraid of cleaning your own crab. A whole crab can be cleaned in about 5 minutes with just a little water. Instructions below!
How to Clean a Dungeness Crab
Total Time: 5 minutes
STEP 1: The Apron
Lay the crab belly-side up on a flat surface. Pull off the long triangle-shape known as the “apron.”
STEP 2: The Head
Over a sink, large bowl, or bucket with the crab head-side up, plant your thumb of your left hand at the back of the crabs head. While holding the body of the crab with your right hand, gently pull the head until the shells separate. Rinse and reserve the head for display if needed.
STEP 3: The Mouth
Break off the mouth of the crab and discard.
Step 4: The Gills
Remove the gills of the crab. Rinse through and continue to clear away anything that does not look like crab meat.
This Oregon’s Best Dungeness Crab Bisque starts with making your own crab stock by roasting the shells and boiling them in water. Store-bought seafood stock can be used as a substitute, but why? With the whole crab, make use of every part!
Top off this hearty meal with some crusty french bread. I suggest making your own or hitting up your local farmer’s market or bakery. In Bend, I love Village Baker. You’ll definitely want the bread to sop up all the delicious flavors of this Oregon’s Best Dungeness Crab Bisque broth.
Dungeness Crab Bisque
Ingredients
- Shells and Meat from 1 whole Dungeness Crab separated
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 cup onion minced
- 2 stalks celery minced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 2 tbsp BWE Roasted Pepper Relish
- 2 sprigs thyme chopped
- 2 tsp seafood seasoning
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 tbsp Tabasco or other hot sauce
- salt and pepper
- 2 tbsp microgreens
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400F degrees. Break the crab shells into small pieces. Roast shells for 10 minutes. Put shells in a large stockpot. Fill with enough water to cover shells. Gently simmer for 1 hour. Strain and reserve the liquid, about 2 cups
- In a new pot, heat olive oil over low heat. Gently saute onion, celery, and garlic for 10-12 minutes. Add tomato paste, red pepper spread and wine. Cook uncovered for another 10 minutes.
- Add crab broth, herbs, and cream. Gently simmer for 15 minutes. Pour through fine-mesh sieve to remove solids.
- Top with a generous portion of fresh crab meat and a sprinkle with micro-greens and a Tabasco to taste. Serve with crackers or crusty bread.
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
Please let me know how it turned out for you! Leave a comment below and tag @bewildeats on Instagram and hashtag it #bewildeats.
This is one of the best crab bisque I have ever had. I added paprika, garlic celery, and old bay when making the crab broth.
Fresh crab is always the best…..not to thrilled with previously frozen crab but it will do in a pinch.
So good….a real treat any day!!!!
I substituted shrimp for crab. Its too expensive. Turned out good. My family enjoyed it.
Two thumbs up!!!
Without question my favorite recipe on your entire site! Very nice way to have Dungeness crab, and ever better that most lobster bisques.
I love to go crabbing here on the Oregon coast and recipes like this one really make the trip worthwhile. Savory, smooth and everything I hoped this recipe would be. A piece of bread to dip goes perfectly with this and gives you something to wipe the bowl clean with so you don’t leave any of the goodness behind.
This crab bisque recipe knocks it out of the park! It’s soooooo good that I had to add an extra kick with a bit more hot sauce. Trust me, you won’t regret it!
I doubled the recipe because we are dungeness crab zealots. I also added a roux for a thicker soup. Huge hit with the family. Upside; tasty and easy to make. Downside; I ate too much! The micro greens were a great add!!
Many thanks!!!
So glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Do you have a recipe for the red pepper spread? Thanks
Hi there! I sell my red pepper spread so I can’t reveal the precise recipe, but start with coating 1/2 an onion and about 1 cookie sheet full of peppers with olive oil. Both should be cut into chunks and seasoned with salt and pepper. Grill on a bbq. When the peppers and onion are done cooking blend with about 1/4 cup vinegar, sugar to taste and your favorite herbs and spices. The most important part is cooking the peppers on the grill. The smokiness adds another layer of flavor to the soup. Enjoy and happy cooking!
Made the stock tonight for freezing. I don’t have access to the red pepper spread, can you recommend a substitution please? I did consider making as you suggest but have no idea what the goal is or what herbs/spices I would use. Thank you so much.
Hi Heather! If you have made the stock than you are 90%+ of the way to a delicious bisque.
The purpose of the spread is to add a little smokiness and sweetness to the soup. I have been looking online at spreads that can be ordered online since I am not exactly sure when you live or what markets you have access to. So big caveat, these recommendations are just from reading the ingredients list, but perhaps try – https://www.amazon.com/Grannys-Secret-Roasted-Pepper-Spread or https://www.amazon.com/Mamas-Homestyle-Preservatives artificial-Additives/
Another option might be 1 Tbsp sugar, 1 tsp paprika, 1 tsp cumin and 1 1/2 tsp vinegar, but I would SUPER big caveat that as I haven’t tried it.
If you try any of the above, please let me know how it turns out!