Question for the Crabbers

[Stan Putz]

If I were to catch a bushel or so in one day (way too much for us to eat in a few days), what would be the BEST way to freeze those we aren't eating immediately for future meals? What I seem to see is either 1) quick kill, clean them, and freeze them raw or 2).quick boil, shock in ice water, clean & freeze. I'm trying to figure out what would be the better of these 2 options for either eating steamed or cooking in spaghetti sauce later. I can't see them being in the freezer for more than a month or so after I freeze them.

I know the option is there to invite the whole neighborhood over and just eat them all at once or to cook all of them, pick the meat, and freeze the picked meat (works well for crabcakes), but I'm looking to try something else.

Thanks

[rgw]

I just boil and freeze. They sell frozen cooked crab in the store so that's how I do it

[Lunatic]

Most crabs coming from west coast come cooked and then frozen. It works well in my opinion. Therefore, if I had your problem, I would clean them first, cook them and then freeze it.

Edited July 8, 2019 by Lunatic

[Slayer1962]

I am sure there are others more knowledgeable than i but we rip them apart, clean and freeze. 

I have opposite problem we usually catch 10-12 then save them until we have 20! 

 

[Stan Putz]

Just now, Lunatic said:

Most crabs coming from west coast come cooked and then frozen. It works well in my opinion. Therefore, is I had your problem, I would clean them first, cook them and then freeze it.

Yes, I've had frozen Dungeness crabs before, and they've been very good. The shells seem to be a lot more brittle than blue crabs, and are easy to pick (unlike blue crabs). I've seen both methods that I described above for blue crabs, I'm just curious if one method is better than the other (or if there is another way that I haven't seen/thought of).

[rocky]

I clean, cook, eat, pick and freeze. I give crabs to my neighbor and he cleans and freezes and they are fine.

[Bowhunter444]

I steam them then pick all the meat from them and vacuum pack and freeze

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[hunterbob1]

46 minutes ago, rocky said:

I clean, cook, eat, pick and freeze. I give crabs to my neighbor and he cleans and freezes and they are fine.

Yup,fill up the sink with hot water,dump em in live,that'll make able to handle,rip off there backs,pull out guts and freeze in zip locks or for longer storage vacuum pack em.

[Batsto]

TCF...tear apart, clean and freeze. 

[Hitemnasty]

I would never want to cook them after cleaned, That’s where the flavor comes from! 

[buckhound]

best way is clean first and freeze.. put them in the freezer or in ice water to slow them down so you can handle if you prefer or just rip the back off. if you don't want to wait an ice pick or butter knife to the point of the flap and you can do what ever you want with them this is a good method if cooking with the shell on lay them on the back and coat the bellies with seasoning this allows the flavors to go through the meat ..

[Zipper]

I never had this problem. I just keep eating them until all gone! 

[MZ7Extreme]

Steam Them it will hold the flavor way better then freeze.