If someone you love is a fan of fried crab claws & cocktail sauce, make them feel special with this easy, yummy recipe.
I would never had made my own fried crab claws & cocktail sauce unless my birthday girl hadn’t requested them. When my Emma opted to forgo her traditional Bright Star birthday dinner by eating at home, I was hoping she would request something easy. Spaghetti, maybe?
When Emma told me she wanted filet mignon and fried crab claws & cocktail sauce, I smiled outwardly but inwardly wished we could eat out. I dreaded the thought of breading and frying. But, I told her “sure thing” and headed to the fish market for claws.
The story ends well, as the claws were NOT hard to make, and they were DELICIOUS!! Better yet, I bought two pounds (for what one would have cost at the restaurant), so we all ate claws to our hearts’ content.
If someone you love is a fan of this appetizer, give this recipe a try. You’ll be surprised at how easy it is, and your loved one will feel pampered and special.
For all of my favorite crab recipes, go to my blog post How to choose crab and the best way to cook it. It has a wealth of information on the types of crabs to choose from as well as various ways to cook crab.
The birthday dinner menu that I served is below, along with links to recipes that are on the blog. If you try any of these, please let me hear back from you. If you have any favorite recipes to share, please do. As always, thanks for stopping by. Be blessed, and stay savvy!!

Fried Crab Claws & Cocktail Sauce
These are easy to make and so delicious!
Ingredients
- FRIED CRAB CLAWS:
- 1 pound crab claws
- 1 1/2 cups cornmeal *see notes
- 1 1/2 cup panko crumbs
- 2 eggs
- 1-2 tsp Creole seasoning * see notes
- 2 cups oil (I used peanut oil)
- COCKTAIL SAUCE:
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 2 TB horseradish
- 1 TB fresh lemon juice
- dash hot sauce
Instructions
- FRIED CRAB CLAWS:
- Beat eggs; pour into shallow pan.
- Put cornmeal and panko crumbs into large bowl; mix well.
- Place large container aside to transfer breaded claws to hot oil.
- Heat oil in large 12" skillet on medium high to high.
- Dip claws in egg until coated on all sides..
- Toss claws in breading--shaking off excess.
- Fry claws in batches (roughly 15-20 claws) for 2-3 minutes or just until golden.
- Remove claws and drain on paper towels.
- Repeat until all claws are fried. Discard oil.
- Serve with cocktail sauce.
- COCKTAIL SAUCE:
- Mix all ingredients well; add more horseradish if needed to make spicier.
- Keep covered in fridge for up to one week.
Notes
McEwen & Sons Cornmeal is my favorite.
Zatarain's and Tony Chachere's Creole are my favorites.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 1570Total Fat: 122gSaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 106gCholesterol: 215mgSodium: 1838mgCarbohydrates: 80gFiber: 6gSugar: 12gProtein: 36g
Emma’s Birthday Dinner Menu
Fried Cocktail crab Claws (recipe below)
Kensington Club Filet Mignons
Gourmet Gruyere Cheese Grits
Roasted Asparagus with fresh Parmesan
Grilled Corn on The Cob
Kale Salad with homemade honey balsamic vinaigrette
Hi Elizabeth! I get mine at Snapper Grabbers in Birmingham; where do you live? I would think you could google fish markets in your area. I would call first, as claws are sometimes out of stock. Let me know if you find them. XoXo
I have checked at walmart, and several fresh seafood markets and have not found where to purchase the crab claws. Where did you purchase the crab claws?
Hi Jane! I usually have a little bit of breading left over but not enough to do another pound. I’d go ahead and double the breading ingredients to be safe. Thankfully they are inexpensive so it won’t matter if you have to toss leftover:-) Let me know how the claws turn out; they are my fave!!!
Your recipe calls for one pound of crab claws. If using two pounds of crab craws, would you double the recipe, or, would there be enough
for the second pound?
Hi Sheryl!!! I’m happy to hear from you!!! I buy my claws from Snapper Grabbers! They have great fresh seafood!!!!
So glad I found this blog!! I’m from Birmingham too!! Where did you purchase the crab claws? Can’t wait to try the recipe.
Hi Jack!!!! I mix all seasonings together before frying, but it might work both ways!!!! I’ve heard of Ed’s Shed but haven’t been there. Hope these turn out well for you. Please let me hear back!!!!
do you mix the creole seasoning with the cornmeal/breadcrumb mixture or season after frying? We eat these at eds shed outside of mobile and they are awesome! thank you for sharing.