We went out crabbing yesterday from the 510 we did so so. Someone one told use too freeze them till we had more. He said he ether's cooks them them first or freezes them alive then cooks them. I have never heard of freezing them in the shell cooked or uncooked. Has anyone done or heard of this ??? I found the below on the Internet. If someone else has done this I may try it. Oh by the way the crabs did not make it to the freezer they looked too good so we picked about 9 of them.
Frankk I will try the US 1 bridge this week we had a friend along so we went to 510 Mikki said it was more user friendly with the rest room for the girls go figure
Thanks Ken
Question
Dear Chef Bradley,
Some other questions please. After catching live crabs do I need to purge them in a salt water bath before I freeze them?
Also, if I freeze the crabs after catching them and then take the frozen crabs and boil them frozen, can I freeze them again until I need them in the future? In other words, can you freeze something twice?
How long will they last in the boiled frozen state?
To eat these frozen crabs, what is the best way to thaw and heat for serving?
I am looking for the safest way to prepare, store and serve frozen crabs. Thanks
Dear Juan,
Blue Crabs
Dockside Handling
Blue crabs should be placed in a bucket, pail, or tub after landing. Do not add water or ice because the crabs will soon suffocate. The blue crab carries enough water internally to keep its gills moistened and can survive out of water for a number of hours. Partially cover the holding container with a piece of wood or cardboard and place in the shade. Do not feed captive blue crabs because this fouls the environment in the bucket or pail and may cause the crabs to die.
Extended periods out of the water will cause many of these normally active creatures to slow their movements and some to die. Gently tap on the top shell with a stick or utensil to check for life in motionless crabs. Live crabs will respond by quickly raising their claws upward. Dead crabs should be immediately discarded.
Home Handling And Storage
Wash crabs thoroughly with plenty of cool tap water. This is best done with a kitchen sink sprayer or garden hose. Continue spraying the crabs until water which drains from the holding container is clear and free of any visible trash or murkiness.
Crabs to be frozen keep better if they are cooked first. Bring seasoned water to a boil in a large pot or kettle. Add washed live crabs and cover tightly. After water resumes boiling, cook the crabs at a full, rolling boil for at least 15 minutes. Remove from heat, drain, and allow to cool.
Wash and sanitize your hands, all work areas, and storage containers. Remove crab claws and either set them aside for storage or crack them open and remove the meat.
Remove the spongy, yellowish-orange structures (digestive and reproductive organs) from the body cavity and discard. Also, remove and discard the greyish-white, feathery structures (gills) found on either side of the body cavity. What remains is the cartilaginous body pod which contains the edible white meat.
If you plan to eat the crab meat fresh, pick it from the claws and body pod and place in a cleaned and sanitized plastic storage container. Or, the claws and body pods themselves may be placed in plastic storage bags. The packaged pods or picked meat may be stored on ice in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days.
If the crab meat is to be frozen, it is better to leave it in the claws and body pods. Picked crab meat is more easily damaged by ice crystal formation and freezer burn. Place body pods and claws in half-gallon waxed milk cartons which have been cleaned and sanitized. Add cool tap water to within one inch of top. Fold top over, tape closed, and freeze.
Blue crab does not hold up very well in the freezer. Crabs frozen by this method will keep for only about 1 month. Do not thaw and refreeze. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator only. Thawing under running tap water washes away the flavor.
Hope this helps!
Chef Bradley
Frankk I will try the US 1 bridge this week we had a friend along so we went to 510 Mikki said it was more user friendly with the rest room for the girls go figure
Thanks Ken
Question
Dear Chef Bradley,
Some other questions please. After catching live crabs do I need to purge them in a salt water bath before I freeze them?
Also, if I freeze the crabs after catching them and then take the frozen crabs and boil them frozen, can I freeze them again until I need them in the future? In other words, can you freeze something twice?
How long will they last in the boiled frozen state?
To eat these frozen crabs, what is the best way to thaw and heat for serving?
I am looking for the safest way to prepare, store and serve frozen crabs. Thanks
Dear Juan,
Blue Crabs
Dockside Handling
Blue crabs should be placed in a bucket, pail, or tub after landing. Do not add water or ice because the crabs will soon suffocate. The blue crab carries enough water internally to keep its gills moistened and can survive out of water for a number of hours. Partially cover the holding container with a piece of wood or cardboard and place in the shade. Do not feed captive blue crabs because this fouls the environment in the bucket or pail and may cause the crabs to die.
Extended periods out of the water will cause many of these normally active creatures to slow their movements and some to die. Gently tap on the top shell with a stick or utensil to check for life in motionless crabs. Live crabs will respond by quickly raising their claws upward. Dead crabs should be immediately discarded.
Home Handling And Storage
Wash crabs thoroughly with plenty of cool tap water. This is best done with a kitchen sink sprayer or garden hose. Continue spraying the crabs until water which drains from the holding container is clear and free of any visible trash or murkiness.
Crabs to be frozen keep better if they are cooked first. Bring seasoned water to a boil in a large pot or kettle. Add washed live crabs and cover tightly. After water resumes boiling, cook the crabs at a full, rolling boil for at least 15 minutes. Remove from heat, drain, and allow to cool.
Wash and sanitize your hands, all work areas, and storage containers. Remove crab claws and either set them aside for storage or crack them open and remove the meat.
Remove the spongy, yellowish-orange structures (digestive and reproductive organs) from the body cavity and discard. Also, remove and discard the greyish-white, feathery structures (gills) found on either side of the body cavity. What remains is the cartilaginous body pod which contains the edible white meat.
If you plan to eat the crab meat fresh, pick it from the claws and body pod and place in a cleaned and sanitized plastic storage container. Or, the claws and body pods themselves may be placed in plastic storage bags. The packaged pods or picked meat may be stored on ice in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days.
If the crab meat is to be frozen, it is better to leave it in the claws and body pods. Picked crab meat is more easily damaged by ice crystal formation and freezer burn. Place body pods and claws in half-gallon waxed milk cartons which have been cleaned and sanitized. Add cool tap water to within one inch of top. Fold top over, tape closed, and freeze.
Blue crab does not hold up very well in the freezer. Crabs frozen by this method will keep for only about 1 month. Do not thaw and refreeze. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator only. Thawing under running tap water washes away the flavor.
Hope this helps!
Chef Bradley
