Storage safety

[Harrington]

I got a few questions. I am at work and I caught some crabs in spare time.  I've been keeping them in a holding pin for about 3 days adding to them as I catch, My wife and kids or coming this weekend so im waiting on them to boil them. I recently took them out because I didn't want them to eat each other. I sorted out any dead ones then  submerged them in Ice Water Slurry for an hour as to put them to sleep. Hopefully it wasn't to long even if the where to die I know what killed them but are they safe to eat?  Then I cut them in half and cleaned them. I placed them in a freezer for the night. Then I read that freezing them makes them mushy so I took them out and put them in the fridge for a day with Ice on top. Will they still be good to steam as for a safety and taste?

[Harrington]

?

[tbishop]

Sounds like a mess, you might be going to the emergency room. STEAM every day what you cache then put in the frig will be good for days.

[Seanile]

You've asked many questions that are difficult to answer. You've also offer a convoluted scenario as to what you did with them after they were caught.

If you had steamed them (not boiled) after their ice water bath, you would have been ahead of the game.

Will they be fit to eat now?  Doubtful.

[Crabcruncher]

Boiled crabs will last a week refrigerated. If you ice live crabs down overnight, you will get some that are mushy. Suggest you hold crabs in a cooler with a frozen milk jug of ice, cover crabs with wet towel, and crack open lid to allow air to circulate. Any crabs that don't move throw out.