Lawrence Ginn is a man who surely knows his crabs.

Owner of Ginn’s Seafood in Washington, he said he’s been in the business for 35 years.

“Our crab meat is all local, with most of it out of the Pamlico Sound,” Ginn said. “We purchase from local crabbers. We’ve got some of all of it … picked crab meat, frozen, cleaned crabs, soft shell crabs, even crab cakes. You can buy it by the pound or you can buy live crabs by the dozen.”

Crabber Fran Welch, who lives in the Blounts Creek community and who sets crab pots along the Pamlico River, said he’s concerned about the future of the industry.

“From what I see, there’s a lot of run-off and that will make fish and crabs push out of these areas,” he noted. “A healthy Pamlico River is important. We have a beautiful river and it’s definitely something we all need to take better care of.”

Welch said his young son Keegan is the main reason he got into crabbing.

“I wanted him to appreciate a little bit of sweat and hard work, and he gets paid every week,” Welch said. “We’ve just really got to take care of this resource.”

Welch said he practices a bit of conservation of his own every day he works on the river.

“All the female crabs are culled and put back into the water,” he said. “That way they can lay eggs. If you keep the females then the crab population will die out.”

One of Washington’s biggest and fun-filled events this time of year is Pickin’ on the Pamlico, an evening of good eating and great music. The 2016 event is set for Sept. 24. For more information, visit www.washingtononthewater.com.

 

 

Looking for a yummy treat pulled fresh from the Pamlico? Try any of these crab recipes, all of which appear in local fundraising cookbooks. Enjoy!

CRAB DIP

Irene Page

Bath United Methodist Church

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened; 1/2 cup mayonnaise; 1 pound crab meat; 1/2 cup minced onion; 1 tablespoon lemon juice; 1/2 teaspoon pepper sauce; 1/4 cup pecans (optional); 1/4 cup finely chopped green or red peppers (optional).

Beat cream cheese until smooth. Stir in remaining ingredients. Spoon into small ovenproof dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, or until bubbly.

 

CRAB OMELETTE

Lynne Futrell

Ephesus Free Will Baptist Church, Blounts Creek

6 large eggs; 4 ounces cream cheese, cubed; 4 ounces cooked crab meat; 1 teaspoon fresh dill.

Whisk six eggs together. Pour into large skillet coated with nonstick cooking spray. Add cream cheese, crab and dill.

 

CRAB CAKES

Edna Moore & Sara Moore

First Free Will Baptist Church, Washington

1 pound crab meat; 2 teaspoons lemon juice; 1 small bell pepper, diced; 1 small onion, chopped; 3 tablespoons mayonnaise; 1 egg; 14 saltine crackers, crushed; 3 tablespoons butter; 1 teaspoon mustard.

Saute onions and peppers in butter until done. Mix the onions and peppers with the remainder of the ingredients. Heat a large skillet with about on inch of oil. Take a handful of crab mixture, form into a patty and place in the skillet. Repeat until skillet is full. Turn patties over one time and continue cooking until golden brown.

 

CRAB SALAD

Delores Mayo

Hodges Chapel Pentecostal Holiness Church, Chocowinity

3/4 pound cooked crab meat; 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese; 2 ribs celery, chopped; 1/4 to 1/2 cup onion, chopped; salad dressing to taste.

Mix all ingredients together; add enough salad dressing to obtain the desired consistency.

 

CRAB STEW

Bessie Toler

Old Ford Volunteer Fire Department

4 dozen hard crabs; 1 pound salt pork; 2 pounds onions, peeled and sliced; salt; pepper; catsup; Worcestershire sauce; hot pepper; 1/2 cup vinegar; cornmeal.

Prepare crabs for stew, washing well. Fry cut cubes of salt pork until brown and put in a deep pot. Add alternating layers of crabs and onions. Cover with hot water. Add vinegar and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil and let boil 15 minutes. Add Worcestershire, catsup and hot pepper to taste. Cook 15 minutes longer. Sprinkle in a little cornmeal. Let cook until thickened. If not as thick as desired, add more cornmeal. Serves eight.

 

FRIED SOFT-SHELL BLUE CRABS

Skybo Langley

Smyrna Original Free Will Baptist Church, Blounts Creek

12 soft-shell blue crabs; 2 eggs, beaten; 1/4 cup milk; 2 teaspoon salt; 3/4 cup flour; 3/4 cup dry bread crumbs.

Dress crabs by cutting off the faces just back of the eyes. Remove the apron; remove the spongy parts (the gills, stomach and intestines) under the parts of the body covering. Rinse in cold water; drain. Combine egg, milk and salt. Combine flour and crumbs. Dip crabs in egg mixture and roll in flour and crumb mixture. Place crabs in a heavy frying pan that contains about 1/8 inch fat, hot but not smoking. Fry at moderate heat. When crabs are brown on one side, turn carefully and brown the other side. Cooking time is approximately eight to 10 minutes. Drain on absorbent paper. Serves six.