Freezing or Vaccuum Packing Crab?

[TundraIII]

I have tried every way possible to store crab for later use and have done the vacuum pack thing. NONE of those ideas comes even close to canning. Canning is by far the best way to keep crab. It is very easy although a bit time consuming, and worth it. Pack the crab with sea salt instead of canning salt like most recipe's call for and you will be pleasantly surprised at the quality of the end product. It's great to be able to grab a jar off the shelf whenever you want it and it's ready to go. We've taken 107 crab in the last two trips and I've canned 2/3 of it. Once you have the initial investment of a canner and jars its real cheap to do.

[Miss B Haven]

Tundra - what's your process for canning (time/pressure)? Do you crack it out raw and then do all the cooking while canning or what? :whazzup: I've never tried to crack raw crab - interesting! :cheers:

[Pitch Pocket]

Just a little tip on freezing before you vacuum pack.

I froze the crab in pieces (not solid packed) before I vacuum packed it and could not get the air out of it because of the angular nature of the pieces. Although I got a reasonable vacuum, I can see ice crystals forming in the crevices (the kiss of death to frozen seafood) .

On the next batch, I put it in the vacuum bag and squeezed the air out making a solid mass before freezing and vacuum packing. It makes a solid pack and there is no air in the vacuumed bag. I think it will last longer that way.

I'm real interested in the canning thing. I'd like to learn more too.

[TundraIII]

Cook whole crab as usual (boil in rock salted water of course) and crack the cooked crab as you normally would do. I like to use 1/2 pint jars because in the past I've used the full pints and inevitably I open one up because of a craving and then promptly forget about it as it gets buried in the fridge. 1/2 pints mean less waste in my house hold. You steralize the jars in boiling water and then turn them upside down on paper towels to drain any remaining water in the jars. Dont wipe them out with kitchen towels or anything like that, you take a chance at cross contamination. Put 2 quarts of hot tap water into canner and put prepared jars in. Turn heat on medium to bring water temp and jar temp up gradually (so you dont crack the jars). Put lids and rings in a pot of boiling water and then reduce heat to low. Wash prepared crab in a solution of 2 quarts of water and 1/2 cup of sea salt. Then drain and dip in another solution of 2 quarts of water and 1/2 cup of white vinegar. Drain real well and check to make sure the jars are getting hot. Once the jars are hot and the canner water is starting to steam, fill the jars with crab up to one inch from the top of the jar. Add 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt to each jar and then pour boiling water in each jar to cover the crab. Put seals and rings on each jar, finger tighten and put the lid on the canner. Turn heat up and and can at 15 lbs pressure for 25 minutes. I use my crab boiler stove to can with on my back deck so I dont stink up the house, it works great. Make sure that the rims of the jars are perfectly clean before applying the seal, it's absolutely imperative for a sure seal. Because the crab is in liquid it obviously stays moist and juicy. Freezing really changes the texture and moisture content from my experience. If you've got a canner, give it a shot, I think you'll be happy with the results.

p.s. When cooking the whole crab, I cut down the time about 5 minutes.

[ 10-22-2002, 08:07 AM: Message edited by: TundraIII ]

[fishbait]

Boy canning sounds like the way to go. I have vac packed and froze with acceptable results, but I usually use the frozen to stuff halibut. I put a paper towell in the vac bag right before vac packing to stop the juices from affecting the seal.

[Miss B Haven]

Hey- Fishbait, I tried the paper towel trick inside the vac. bag. It still juiced the inside of my packer. I think they sealed but I'll check em tomorrow to make sure. Back to the freeze em first method? :whazzup: THis canning thing sounds interesting. It seems like they would be way overcooked, but maybe being in the juice offsets that. Dunno - have to try it! :grin:

[big guy]

I have another method. use the disposeable plastic containers,{gladware,ziploc}. buy the size you need ,and fill with shelled crab.then cutholes in the top , vaccum pack,and freeze. works great.

[SKP]

Ifishermen and women,

OK, there is a good post on vaccuum packers. I am going to get one.

Now, when I catch crab and I want to store it for a while, do I freeze it or do I vaccuum pack and freeze it?

Do you freeze the crab cooked or raw, shelled or not shelled?

How do you prepare it after thawing?

How long does it last?

I've never freezed crab, but end up throwing some away, because we can't eat it all.

All and any suggestions are most appreciated!

:cheers:

SKP

[Miss B Haven]

Crack it out, let it freeze over night in the vac bag and then vacuum seal it (too much juice to seal if you don't freeze it first). We use it for crab cakes and casseroles all winter. Lasts at least 6 mths. I haven't had enough to make it farther than that, but a year shouldn't be a problem if it's sealed good.
Whole crab are a pain. They turn into big iceballs and the pointy ends poke holes in the bags. I know folks who wrap them in paper towels first to prevent the holes, but we've found that cracking them out works very well (less freezer space too!) See the thread called "Crab Recipes Anyone" for some recipes for that ready to go meat this winter. :grin:

[ChinookSlayer]

I tried this for the first time last year, with such good results, I up'ed the crab I kept this year :grin:

You need to pick the meat out of the shell, else the bags just get punctured. It can be a lot of work, but it is worth it. I just keep throwing the meat into a bowl, so any juice goes to bottom. I pack 1/2 lb in a bag, with about 4 to 6 inches extra above the crab. Juice sucking out while the bag is sealing hasn't been a problem.

The oldest we have had was about 9 months, and there wasen't any kind of a problem with the meat. We usually make crab cakes or quiches. Yum Yum!

[corrirod]

I put the cracked crab into ziploc sandwich bags for an overnight freeze, then simply take the frozen ball of crab out of the bag and vac pac it. Works awesome.

We realized along time ago that freezing whole cooked crab is a waste. The meat seems to get a fishy taste from the shells.

I will try the canning thing but I'm with Ms. B, I would've thought 15psi/25 minutes would really overcook the crab. Sounds yummy though!

[nivtup]

Good info here

Crab Canning (http://www.msue.msu.edu/msue/imp/mod01/01600852.html)

I would vouch for it, but alas, Crab allergy, what a very very cruel trick mother nature has played on me.
:mad:

[SKP]

big guy,

Can you explain the "cut holes in the top?" Why can't you just vaccuum pack the Ziploc's as is?

Thanks,
SKP