Crab Shala
Monday, July 25, 2011 at 9:43AM When ever I mention crab shala, to even my most knowledgeable foodie friends, I always get puzzled looks.
I grew up in Florida but now live in New England. I love the seafood here - lobsters, clams, cod and oysters. In Florida we ate different local seafoods:, gulf shrimp, grouper and blue crabs.
When I was young, I would catch blue crabs in the canal near my home. In fact many of my family’s outings involved crabbing in other areas, mostly sea walls, docks and piers. You tie a piece of fish or chicken neck to a string; drop it along the sea wall, when you feel a tug you’ve got a crab. The crab usually stays clawed to your bait while you pull up the string, as soon as you see the crab hanging on to your string you scoop it up with a long handled crab net. We always kept going until we had a couple of buckets full of crabs.
Crab shala is a regional dish, from what I understand – is usually only seen in the coastal areas of Florida. Every family has their its own special recipe, but they always involves pieces of blue crab, shell and all, tomato sauce and lots of green bell pepper.
My family served ours over spaghetti. It’s a dish that’s best eaten outside, at least the way I remember eating it, cracking those shells, tomato sauce flying, sucking the meat from the shells and the sauce, simmered low and slow with all those crabs. All I can say is…………Culinary Heaven!
Southern food
Reader Comments (19)
Man, I've been eating this all my life. This is a Tampa Bay area thing. I'm cooking some this weekend. I noticed that you did not say how spicy this dish is. I add crushed red pepper and hot sauce. This time I'm going to add Dungness crab and some jumbo shrimp. This is because I'm having some new crab shala eaters over. If you did not grow up eating crab, you may need something alittle more familiar. That way the new guys can ease into the joy of this most wonderful dish.
Man, I've been eating this all my life. This is a Tampa Bay area thing. I'm cooking some this weekend. I noticed that you did not say how spicy this dish is. I add crushed red pepper and hot sauce. This time I'm going to add Dungness crab and some jumbo shrimp. This is because I'm having some new crab shala eaters over. If you did not grow up eating crab, you may need something alittle more familiar. That way the new guys can ease into the joy of this most wonderful dish.
Robert,
Thanks for the comment. I do like mine spicy. Sounds great with the shrimp, I do a similar dish with whole octopus. Maybe I'll save that for a future blog.
I lived on Tampa, FL from 96-03. I make mine with blue crabs, shrimp, sausage, mussels, clams, boneless skinless chicken breast, black olives, and any type of pasta. Also make my own sauce. I know of people making it with chicken parts and neckbones (I thought it was gross but to each their own lol)
YES ITS GOING DOWN AT MY HOUSE THIS WEEKEND 11/17/12 IN TAMPA FL AND WE ARE PUTTING CLEANED BLUE CRABS, SHRIMP, SCALLOPS, AND CRAWFISH IN THE POT OF SHALA.... OH AND I DIDNT FORGET THE SPICE, LOL
IT IS ON AT THE BREAK OF DAWN.... :)
My dad's side of the family has been making this wonderful dish for generations. Granny and Pawpaw lived in Valrico, and I remember as a toddler watching Pawpaw and uncles making the shala (shallau?) under the carport, shucking oysters, singing, having a good time.
My dad made a great batch today for our family Thanksgiving get-together. He now lives down in Englewood, but it's well worth the drive (I live in Sarasota) to all get together and slurp some sauce! Our family recipe is both a bit sweet and a bit spicy. The sauce is made and simmered, with several cans of lump crab meat, some scallops, sometimes shrimp. The cleaned crabs are added last. One great ingredient is Zatarains liquid crab boil. Dad has it down to a fine art, and I can't imagine any way another recipe could be any better!
Here's to all my fellow native Floridians and those fortunate enough to know the wonderful, unique epicurean pleasure of a made-with-love batch of crab shala!
I loved reading all the comments. I grew up in Tampa, the people around me always made shala but every time I was invited it was consumed before I got a taste. I have been chasing around for years trying to find the recipe for the sauce.
Could someone please send me the recipe, I have the other ingredients.
Thank you,
Linda
Oh this is the best. My cousin came from Texas and gave me the idea of putting okra in along with the sauce, we make it with mussel scallops crabs of course etc. but long story short seafood Fridays has became a once a month holiday for us every month...blues beer crabs crab shala and tequila shots can't beat it.
I thought this was something my aunt made up when I was younger, but I always loved it. I'm so glad I googled it and found this article. I too get puzzled looks when I ask someone about Crab Shala.
I was raised in Tampa crab shala ain't no joke. That's bout the best dish I had growing up.. I made a similiar dish and took it to work. People was paying me for a taste. Try it
I was born and raised in Tampa and now I'm in Houston. When I told everyone here about crab shala they look lost so I plan on cooking some this weekend and showing them how we eat in Florida. My family made ours with crabs, shrimp, sausage, ground beef and the small corn on the cobs..... it's about to go DOWN!
OMG, I'm from Tampa, currently living in Georgia. I love this dish! And yes I remember eating it spicy!
I've posted here previously, and again I have to say, it's my all time favorite dish.
Now that I have plans to write a recipe book I'm definitely adding Shala to it.
I saw previously that people add Shrimp.... well, I refuse to give out my wonderful recipe since I'm doing my book lol, but I also add shrimp, all different sizes, all types of other seafood, along with a few cans of Crab Lump Meat, my family and friends will not leave me alone about it, every weekend I have at least one person calling me to either have a seafood party or wanting to pay me to make them some.
This dish is very messy, but it is the best mess you could ever make!
Lived in Tampa. We love crab Shala here. Making some tonight.
Definitely aTampa dish. Making it tonight. Snow crab, mussels, calamari, shrimp, clams. Hmmmm good.
Now I hate to break-up this Tampa love affair however, I was born and raised in MIAMI ... Crab Shala is VERY common there. Many people of Caribbean decent throughout the Bahama Islands make this dish.
I am from Bradenton and Crab Shalla made it to the coast. Along with the rest of you Crab Shala got strange looks and great reviews. If it came from the Caribean, thank you or from the Spanish or Cuban community it still is great. It is not in Tampa or Florida cook books.
Enjoy more than Mickey in Florida
I am from Bradenton and Crab Shalla made it to the coast. Along with the rest of you Crab Shala got strange looks and great reviews. If it came from the Caribean, thank you or from the Spanish or Cuban community it still is great. It is not in Tampa or Florida cook books.
Enjoy more than Mickey in Florida
Please Please Please would you send me a recipe for this. Have eaten it many times and love it. I know it's not difficult and I have guessed but doesn't seem to taste how I remember a good friend of mines tasted. She has pasted on and I would love to be able to serve this delicious dish to my grandchildren. Sorry now I didn't get her recipe. Thanks for sharing!!!!