Deviled crab

Deviled crab croquettes originated in Tampa, Florida, where they were developed in the Spanish, Cuban and Italian immigrant community of Ybor City.

[1] Once most of the liquid is gone, the cooked crab meat is rolled in breadcrumbs (traditionally stale Cuban bread) and hand-formed into the approximate shape of a rugby football or small potato, then deep fried until brown.

[1] As the croqueta's spiciness was toned down to account for a wider range of tastes, various pepper sauces became a common condiment utilized by those who liked their deviled crabs hot.

[3][4] Deviled crabs originated in the Spanish/Cuban/Italian immigrant community of Ybor City, Tampa, Florida during a late-1920s strike in the area's cigar factories.

These croquetas de jaiba became widely popular after the strike, when local entrepreneurs began selling their own versions of the snack from pushcarts and bicycles along Tampa sidewalks.