Freezing Crab

[deputygene]

This has probably been asked before, but can you steam and clean your crabs then freeze them? How long will they last in the freezer. I am landlocked and only get to the coast 3 or 4 times a year.

[Felinis]

Yes.  Three months.

[CrabDog]

Yes you can.  Any remaininng steamed crabs I have left are picked within 2 days and then I seperate the claw from the backfin and place in freezer bags.  Should hold 3-6 months depending on what you are using it for.  Soup can go a little longer.  If you are making crab cakes etc 3 months is max.  I use mine with 4 months at most.  Tends to get mushy when you thaw it out it is too old in the freezer.
Vacuum pack will hold longer.  I use a bowl full of water and then push the freezer bag full of crab into the water and the water will squeeze out the air and almost make it is as good as a vacuum sealer.  good trick to try.
I always have enough crab for a couple of big pots of soup...Christmas tradition having some crab soup from Wye crabs in the late summer of early fall. 

.....CDog

[coastman]

After steaming and picking out the meat I freeze the crab meat in Cream of Celery Soup or whole milk. Santa is bringing a "food saver" vaccum system. I will try that this winter on crabs that I catch at the dock.

[Syoung]

Differant question! What about freezing raw crabs, then thawing and steaming them. I had seen some frozen dungeness crabs, and was thinking about buying some.

[CrabDog]

Differant question! What about freezing raw crabs, then thawing and steaming them. I had seen some frozen dungeness crabs, and was thinking about buying some.

I have only frozen cooked crab after steaming.  Not sure if you could freeze them raw.  I guess you could since you can freeze meats etc raw and then cook.  I freeze trout, rockfish, tuna, maui etc raw and then cook it.  I would suppose you would have to clean out the crab guts first and wash then freeze. 

....Cdog

[Crabbyd]

I have only frozen cooked crab after steaming.  Not sure if you could freeze them raw.  I guess you could since you can freeze meats etc raw and then cook.  I freeze trout, rockfish, tuna, maui etc raw and then cook it.  I would suppose you would have to clean out the crab guts first and wash then freeze. 

....Cdog

Hey JoeCrabs can you comment on this.  It sounds to me like frozen cbyc.

[Crabber Joe]

You can freeze cleaned uncooked crabs, I do it all the time.....  Just try and remove as much of the air as possible from the bag  that seems to be what will shorten the freezer life of them... I  vaccum seal them but the sharp points on the claws tend to poke holes in the plastic so I have been adding pieces of new cardboard top and bottom to prevent this problem... it seems to work like a charm and 4-5 months later they are as fresh as the day that I froze them.......

[tattoo]

THATS great to know.

[klyde]

You can freeze cleaned uncooked crabs, I do it all the time.....  Just try and remove as much of the air as possible from the bag  that seems to be what will shorten the freezer life of them... I  vaccum seal them but the sharp points on the claws tend to poke holes in the plastic so I have been adding pieces of new cardboard top and bottom to prevent this problem... it seems to work like a charm and 4-5 months later they are as fresh as the day that I froze them.......

Joe: Do you kill them first? How? Do you leave the top shell off or replace it. Have you tried cutting them in half and vacuum sealing them in a vacuum jar? Should be able to put close to a dozen in a jar if cleaned and broken in half.
thanks

[frankwyte4]

I've frozen uncooked crab meat.  Popped that shell off while it was still alive split it down the middle, clean it out and threw 'em in a glad freezer bag.  Tastes just fine.

[mdjohn]

soft blue crab are frozen raw.

dungeness, snow and king crab are frozen cooked in the shell.

so I have to try freezing steamed blue crabs.

then how do you thaw/cook them?

[R D]

If you are going to freeze steamed crabs then only steam them for half the time that way when you warm them to serve you will finish the cooking but not over cook