Bubba’s Crab Stew: Creamy Comfort for Cozy Nights Recipe
Bubba’s Crab Stew is a rich and creamy seafood delight perfect for cozy nights. This comforting stew combines tender crab meat with a harmonious blend of aromatic fennel, celery, and onions in a luscious cream-based broth, enhanced by cooking sherry and half-and-half for depth and texture. Served with crusty bread, it’s an inviting dish that warms both body and soul.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
For the Stew
- 1 bulb Fennel
- 2 stalks Celery
- 1 large Yellow Onion
- 4 tablespoons Butter
- 0.5 cups Self-Rising Flour
- 4 cups Crab Base
- 1 cup Heavy Cream
- 0.5 cups Cooking Sherry
- 1 cup Half and Half
- 1 cup Whole Milk
- 1 pound Crab Meat
- Salt, to taste
- Pepper, to taste
For Serving
- 1 loaf Crusty Bread
- Fresh Herbs (dill or parsley), to taste (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the vegetables. Finely chop the fennel bulb, celery, and yellow onion using a food processor until smooth. Set the mixture aside.
- Sauté the vegetables. In a large heavy saucepan, melt 4 tablespoons of butter over medium-high heat. Add the chopped fennel, celery, and onion and sauté for 5-7 minutes until the vegetables are soft and translucent.
- Create the roux. Stir in 0.5 cups of self-rising flour and mix until fully absorbed. Continue cooking the mixture for 8-10 minutes until it becomes bubbly and turns lightly golden, which adds depth to the stew’s flavor and thickens the base.
- Add liquids and bring to boil. Gradually pour in 4 cups of crab base, 1 cup heavy cream, 0.5 cups cooking sherry, 1 cup half-and-half, and 1 cup whole milk. Stir the ingredients to combine thoroughly and bring the stew to a gentle boil over medium heat.
- Simmer the stew. Reduce the heat to low and let the stew simmer gently for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking and to allow flavors to meld.
- Finish with crab and season. Remove the stew from heat and gently fold in 1 pound of crab meat without overcooking it. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve. Ladle the creamy crab stew into bowls and serve with crusty bread for dipping. Garnish with fresh herbs like dill or parsley if desired to add brightness and color.
Notes
- Avoid overcooking the crab meat to maintain its delicate texture and flavor.
- Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- For freezing the stew, omit adding crab meat initially; add fresh crab meat when reheating to preserve its taste and texture.
- If fennel is not available, leeks can be used for a milder flavor.
- Self-rising flour is used here for convenience, but regular flour plus baking powder is an acceptable substitute.
Keywords: crab stew, creamy crab soup, seafood stew, comforting seafood recipe, Bubba’s Crab Stew
