Classic Baltimore-Style Crab Soup
Classic Baltimore-Style Crab Soup brings together sweet blue crab, briny lump crabmeat, and a ham bone broth for a deeply seasoned, coastal flavor. Old Bay lifts the hearty mix of tomatoes, cabbage, potatoes, and vegetables, while barley adds body for a satisfying bite. Serve this on a cool evening or at a backyard gathering when you want a comforting, Chesapeake-inspired bowl.
- Prep30 mins
- Cook3 hrs 55 mins
- Serves12
- DifficultyHard
- 1
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add carrots and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Drain well and set aside.
- 2
Place ham bone, barley, salt, and pepper in a large stockpot with 4 cups water. Simmer over medium heat for 30 to 45 minutes.
- 3
Add cabbage and tomatoes and continue simmering for 15 more minutes.
- 4
Stir in potatoes and carrots; simmer until the potatoes are tender and easily pierced with a fork, 20 to 30 minutes.
- 5
Stir in 1 cup water, corn, green beans, lima beans, and peas; simmer for 20 minutes.
- 6
While the soup simmers, clean the crabs by opening them and discarding the lungs and mouth. Remove the yellowish-brown tomalley (fat) and set it aside.
- 7
Break the crabs in half and add them to the soup along with seafood seasoning. Simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- 8
Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate; reserve the grease in the skillet.
- 9
Cook and stir the reserved tomalley in the bacon grease over low heat until the mixture becomes gravy-like.
- 10
Stir the cooked tomalley into the soup with the remaining 1 cup water. Continue simmering for 45 minutes, then add lump crabmeat and season with additional salt, pepper, and seafood seasoning if needed.
- 11
Simmer for 1 hour and 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat to low until ready to serve.
- Calories 1159.21 kcal High
- Protein 171.24 g Good Source
- Carbs 48.53 g Moderate
- Total Fat 32.21 g High
- Saturated Fat 9.47 g High
- Trans Fat 0.29 g High
- Cholesterol 798.07 mg High
- Sodium 9678.38 mg High
- Fiber 11.66 g Good Source
- Sugar 18.07 g High
- Added Sugar 3.35 g Moderate
- Calcium 244.26 mg Moderate
- Iron 15.59 mg Good Source
- Potassium 2332.99 mg Good Source
- Vitamin A 138.89 mcg_rae Moderate
- Vitamin C 54.8 mg Good Source
- Vitamin D 0.0 mcg Low Source
Values are per serving. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet.
- Shellfish 🦐
- Wheat 🌾
- Gluten
- Corn 🌽
- Tomatoes 🍅
About This Recipe
Classic Baltimore Style Crab Soup is an American dinner recipe made with 17 ingredients. It takes about 4 hrs 25 mins, serves 12, and is rated hard. Key ingredients include Bacon, Barley, Black Pepper, and Bone In Ham. Each serving provides about 1159.21 kcal, and is a good source of protein.
Recipe Questions
- What is Classic Baltimore-Style Crab Soup?
- It is an American soup recipe made with 17 ingredients, usually served for dinner or lunch or soup.
- What is Classic Baltimore-Style Crab Soup made of?
- The main ingredients are Bacon, Barley, Black Pepper, Bone-In Ham, Carrot. The full list of 17 is above.
- What goes well with Classic Baltimore-Style Crab Soup?
- Explore these American side-dish recipes.
- How long does it take to make Classic Baltimore-Style Crab Soup?
- About 4 hrs 25 mins in total: 30 mins to prepare and 3 hrs 55 mins to cook.
- How many calories are in one serving?
- One serving provides about 1159.21 kcal. The full nutrition breakdown is above.
- Is Classic Baltimore-Style Crab Soup easy to make?
- This recipe is rated hard, with 17 ingredients and 11 steps.
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