How long do you have to pick crabs before you should worry about spoilage?

[danielmancari]

Once crabs are steamed, generally, how long do you have to get them picked before you should worry about spoilage, etc?  I know a lot of the crab feasts out there go on for several hours with crabs just sitting out and then they eventually get picked or tossed...  Just curious, thanks!

[Dreampixels]

With proper storage you should be good for a week if you keep your crabs correctly - I keep mine in paper bags, then those bags are stored inside sealed plastic bags - the plastic bag seals in the moisture - you will find at that length of time the legs and claws will begin to dry out and the meat in them will become kinda dry and woody - the bodies store very well - always use you nose on them - they will have an Ammonia smell if they are going bad.........How long do you feel the supermarkets keep their crabs stored on ice wrapped in cellophane on Styrofoam?

They are not going to toss them out unless they are bad, and the other question is how long did the vendor have them before the supermarket got them.

The other option is to freeze them - wrap each crab in newspaper, then place in a plastic bag - when you have enuff in the bag suck the air out with your vac cleaner and seal the bag before the air gets back in - then place in the freezer - when you wish to eat them take out as many as you like - let them thaw at room temp and dive in.

I have eaten some crabs nearly a year old frozen like this - they are not as good as fresh as nothing is, but they were tasty for a year old crab. These crabs were steamed, cooled and frozen - they did not lay around for days before frozen.

I know there will be many that do not agree, but so be it - I et dem unt I bee typing now - the undead typist I am.

[fishingtom]

Bottum line trust your nose.  If a crab is bad you will know.

[mdjohn]

The other option is to freeze them - wrap each crab in newspaper, then place in a plastic bag - when you have enuff in the bag suck the air out with your vac cleaner and seal the bag before the air gets back in - then place in the freezer - when you wish to eat them take out as many as you like - let them thaw at room temp and dive in.

I have eaten some crabs nearly a year old frozen like this - they are not as good as fresh as nothing is, but they were tasty for a year old crab. These crabs were steamed, cooled and frozen - they did not lay around for days before frozen.

DP - I have tried freezing whole crabs in the past without much success. Only succes was using them for crab soup.
I like your idea and am going to try it this winter. I do see whole frozen blue crabs in plastic bags in the supermarket.
sounds good
 

[threesuns1]

One post on here a while back had crabs being sold in vending machine. You can imagine how "fresh" they were.

[registereduser]

the question in the op doesnt seem to concern storage or freezing. i believe  they are asking about crabs sitting out after being cooked. the answer would depend on where they were sitting and the ambient temperature. also insects esp flies. Use your best judgement just like the FDA.
in my experience the amonia smell is a dead crab that was cooked.

[danielmancari]

the question in the op doesnt seem to concern storage or freezing. i believe  they are asking about crabs sitting out after being cooked. the answer would depend on where they were sitting and the ambient temperature. also insects esp flies. Use your best judgement just like the FDA.
in my experience the amonia smell is a dead crab that was cooked.

That is the question I was asking, how long they can be unfrozen, not refrigerated.  If it's taking awhile to pick them by yourself, how long do you have after cooking them?

[mdjohn]

my general rule before putting them in the refrigerator

cooked in the shell after they cool down to ambient temp
inside the house/building out of the sun at around 70 deg ambient - usually gone in 2 hours
outside in or out of the sun 85 to 90 degress ambient - one hour

without shell is a lot shorter time and I don't do it

my general rule, IMHO, just for me and check them before eating

btw if possible I keep them in an ice chest - keeps them hotter longer and I only cook 1/2 bushel at a time so I spread it out.
I strip the bodies for picking crabs before putting them in the frig and take out a few at a time for picking - keep the main meat container in the frig and add to it from a small picking container as I pick

[Dreampixels]

DP - I have tried freezing whole crabs in the past without much success. Only succes was using them for crab soup.
I like your idea and am going to try it this winter. I do see whole frozen blue crabs in plastic bags in the supermarket.
sounds good
 

Thanks for the flowers - but not my idea originally - that idea was shared with me here in York when a few of us got together at Kellys for some eats - I am pretty sure the originator was "Wiseman". He is a member on here. I am surprised how well it works.

[jason22]

With proper storage you should be good for a week if you keep your crabs correctly - I keep mine in paper bags, then those bags are stored inside sealed plastic bags - the plastic bag seals in the moisture - you will find at that length of time the legs and claws will begin to dry out and the meat in them will become kinda dry and woody - the bodies store very well - always use you nose on them - they will have an Ammonia smell if they are going bad.........How long do you feel the supermarkets keep their crabs stored on ice wrapped in cellophane on Styrofoam?

They are not going to toss them out unless they are bad, and the other question is how long did the vendor have them before the supermarket got them.

The other option is to freeze them - wrap each crab in newspaper, then place in a plastic bag - when you have enuff in the bag suck the air out with your vac cleaner and seal the bag before the air gets back in - then place in the freezer - when you wish to eat them take out as many as you like - let them thaw at room temp and dive in.

I have eaten some crabs nearly a year old frozen like this - they are not as good as fresh as nothing is, but they were tasty for a year old crab. These crabs were steamed, cooled and frozen - they did not lay around for days before frozen.

I know there will be many that do not agree, but so be it - I et dem unt I bee typing now - the undead typist I am.

I have to try that art DP.  Usually I just pick the crabs and vacuseal them in 1 lb bags.  Never thought of using newspaper.  Always figured if I vacusealed them them the hard shell parts would break the bag but the newspaper would probably fix that.  Going to try it hopefuly next week.  Thanks for the info. 

[KI Crabber]

DP, Does the meat get tough? I froze a bunch of claws last year using the food saver. When I thawed them, they were tough as over cooked shoe leather (or wombat) .....Do you see any difference in the claw meat vs. body meat? If so, I may try some minus the claws.

[Dreampixels]

DP, Does the meat get tough? I froze a bunch of claws last year using the food saver. When I thawed them, they were tough as over cooked shoe leather (or wombat) .....Do you see any difference in the claw meat vs. body meat? If so, I may try some minus the claws.

Yea the legs and claws do seem to dry a bit but stil eatable  -  body meat was fine - remember nothing is as good as fresh batch - just do 6 or so to give it a try - everyone is different in taste. Us 3 guys at work thought they were good for being nearly a year old.

[clskinsfan]

The only thing I know is they never seem to last long enough to spoil. They are gone within a couple of days though.

[Dreampixels]

The only thing I know is they never seem to last long enough to spoil. They are gone within a couple of days though.

Good point

[Crab Shack]

I have eaten some crabs nearly a year old...

Well that explains a lot...