Crab question

[happybrew]

How long to fresh crab keep in the refrigerator? Can you freeze fresh, uncooked crab? I'd like to treat some friends to some fresh crab, but the days I can go crabbing do not coincide with the days they can come over for dinner. Usually we cook them all the day we catch them.

happybrew

[OceanBlue]

Eeewwww! [img]graemlins/eek13.gif[/img]

Cook 'em when you catch 'em - like normal with the backs on. John and I keep 'em about a week in the fridge. Or you can crack them and freeze the meat. It keeps okay for a short while (<2 mo)and is good to use in quiche and crab-puffs & such.

[Sensei-san]

The fresher the better. I have become a fan of cooking just the meat. I crack the crabs and clean them before I cook them.

An old crabber taught me the trick. You whack them good on the belly side near the eyeballs and they croak. Then you just pull the backs off and split them to clean them.

Like Jen said. Week absolute max on refrigerated crabs. If you are going to freeze the meat, pick it right away and pack in airtight bags. Don't freeze the meat in the claws. It will be dried out and unedible when you thaw it out.

[Sore Back]

If you don't have a vacuum sealer as us, we have been sucessful removing the top 1/3rd of a plastic milk jug and cleaning the lower inside well. When the crab has been cooked and shelled, place the meat within the jug, cover with water to near the top (not to the top) of the jug. All that is left to do is carefully place into the freezer.

This isn't the best way but it has always worked for my family.

Good luck and good crabbing

[corrirod]

Happybrew, you might do a search in last years archives. There were several really informative topics on this very thing.

[periwinkle]

One of those archive tips was: Put crab meat in vacuum bag, cover w/ milk, freeze overnight, then vacuume air out and seal.....worked for me.