Crab Bisque
Updated April 19, 2024
- Total Time
- About 2 hours
- Prep Time
- 20 minutes
- Cook Time
- 1½ hours
- Rating
- Notes
- Read community notes
Advertisement
Ingredients
- ¼cup unsalted butter (½ stick)
- ¼cup all-purpose flour
- 1large yellow onion, finely chopped
- Kosher salt
- 3celery stalks, thinly sliced
- 2tablespoons tomato paste
- 4garlic cloves, minced
- 1½ cups dry white wine
- 6cups seafood stock, preferably homemade
- 1teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
- Ground black pepper
- Ground cayenne, optional
- 3thyme sprigs
- 2bay leaves
- 1cup heavy cream
- 1pound cooked lump or claw crab meat, or a combination (fresh, if possible, but frozen and thawed or canned are OK)
- Fresh parsley, finely chopped
Preparation
- Step 1
Make the blonde roux: Melt the butter in a Dutch oven or large, heavy skillet over medium. Sprinkle in the flour and whisk vigorously until the mixture is bubbling. Reduce the heat to low and continue whisking until the roux emits a nutty aroma and is the color of light khaki, about 5 minutes total.
- Step 2
Add the onion along with a generous pinch of salt and increase the heat to medium. Stir frequently with a wooden spoon until the onion softens (about 5 minutes), ensuring that onion bits covered in roux do not stick to the bottom of the Dutch oven. Add the celery and continue stirring until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Step 3
Use the spoon to clear some space, and add the tomato paste; stir frequently until it caramelizes and emits a sweet aroma, about 2 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes.
- Step 4
Add the white wine and use the wooden spoon to scrape up any bits that are stuck to the bottom. Stir in the seafood stock, Old Bay seasoning, 2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, pinch of ground cayenne (if using), thyme sprigs and bay leaves and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium low. Cook at a low simmer, uncovered, 45 minutes. After 15 minutes, remove the crab from the refrigerator so the meat will come to room temperature.
- Step 5
Remove and discard the thyme sprigs and bay leaves. Use an immersion blender to purée the soup. (Alternatively, purée the soup in batches in a blender and return to the Dutch oven.) Over low heat, stir in the heavy cream and heat through (do not let the bisque boil).
- Step 6
To serve, ladle the bisque into bowls. Divide the crab meat among the bowls and top with parsley and cracked black pepper.
Private Notes
Cooking Notes
Step 6 To serve, ladle the bisque into bowls. Divide the crab meat among the bowls and top with parsley and cracked black pepper.
I would put it in at the last minute. Allowing just enough time for it to get to the same temperature. Over cooking will toughen the crab
Ok. When do you actually add the crab? I see where you remove the crab from the refrigerator to let it come to room temperature, but I don’t see any instructions to actually add it to the bisque.
Too much onion, garlic and spices for Dungeness crab, I would scale those back. But doing a roux and taking the time for seafood stock would be great and enhance the sweet yummy Dungeness crab.
Easy and flavorful bisque that doesn't involve crushing the shells and making a stock. This is an easy weeknight but elevated treat!
I was so disappointed having followed the recipe to the letter the soup is not creamy or thick an has rather anodd taste
This would be better without the raw pork shoulder.
I think a 1/4 cup of butter is a bit skimpy for a large onion, three celery stalks, and 4 garlic cloves. Maybe 3/8 cup butter with a corresponding increase in flour. Not sure the thyme adds anything, especially if you use cayenne, and fishing the thyme sprigs out is a pain in the neck. Otherwise, a great recipe. We will do it again.
Why do some recipes tell you to cook with unsalted butter but then tell you to add salt or add broth that contains salt? Why not used salted butter then don’t add salt later, or add salt “to taste,” or use low salt broth?
With unsalted butter, you know how much salt is in the butter: none.
Wow! This recipe is exactly what I’ve wanted for some time. Followed recipe as written and love it. Will use crawfish instead of crab next time, but whatever we use will be delicious because of the fabulous bisque! Thanks a million for this one!
The word bisque usually means that cooked rice ground up in the soup provides thickness. The washed shells provide another level of flavor not in the flesh of the crab or the lobster. There are no shortcuts to a real bisque. See the Julia Child recipe in her book and go to work! It takes about 3 hours, but the result is astonishing.
Easy and flavorful bisque that doesn't involve crushing the shells and making a stock. This is an easy weeknight but elevated treat!
Step 6 To serve, ladle the bisque into bowls. Divide the crab meat among the bowls and top with parsley and cracked black pepper.
Too much onion, garlic and spices for Dungeness crab, I would scale those back. But doing a roux and taking the time for seafood stock would be great and enhance the sweet yummy Dungeness crab.
Ok. When do you actually add the crab? I see where you remove the crab from the refrigerator to let it come to room temperature, but I don’t see any instructions to actually add it to the bisque.
The crab looks to be added at the very end, in the bowls.
Step 6 when serving. The crab never cooks with the bisque, doesn't sound appetizing to me.
I would put it in at the last minute. Allowing just enough time for it to get to the same temperature. Over cooking will toughen the crab
Advertisement