Depending on how many and how big the crabs are, it could take up to 24hrs to completely thaw. To thaw the crab, remove them from the freezer and place it into a bowl in the fridge. This will prevent the crabmeat from breaking apart. The best way to defrost blue crabs or any other crabs is to thaw them slowly. Label the bag with a date and place it into the freezer.Ĭrabmeat will remain fresh for up to 3 months.Squeeze out excess air from the bag and seal the bag tight.Fill the bag leaving about an inch of space at the top so you can seal it. In a freezer bag, place the crabs gently into it.Pour milk onto the crab meat covering every part of it.Place the crab meat into a bowl or a deep dish.After the crabs are cooled down, start by separating the meat from the shell.Make sure the blue crab is cooked first.
![cleaning blue crab cleaning blue crab](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/GDDB3Oyqd-k/maxresdefault.jpg)
The milk act as a barrier to protect the crabmeat from getting freezer burn. To help retain the texture of the crab, you can cover the meat with milk. Freezing just the crabmeat will result in the meat falling apart and becoming soft when it thaws. This option is for those who are planning on using crabmeat to cook or prepare a meal that requires blending. They will remain fresh for up to 3 months. This double insulation will prevent any air from getting to the crab.
![cleaning blue crab cleaning blue crab](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/DjpoG7TGG-s/maxresdefault.jpg)
Therefore, after freezing them, once the crab is thawed, never refreeze them again. Since the blue crabs have been cooked already, the crabmeat has already shrunk. The longer that it sits at room temperature, the higher the chance it will go bad. This means if you have any leftover crabs or you’re planning to freeze them for later use, freeze them right away. Extra moisture in the crab could cause them to get freezer burn.Īgain, it’s best to freeze cooked crabs as soon as possible. Also, drain out any liquid that might be in the crab. Without the shell, frozen crabmeat will lose its texture and become stringy.īefore freezing them, make sure they’re completely cooled down first. Also, it’s best to freeze them with their shell intact. The longer you wait, the higher the chances of having bacteria growing on them. Freezing leftover blue crabs should be frozen as soon as possible. When it comes to blue crabs that you have leftover, you can freeze them. When you’re ready to cook and eat it, you’ll have a very difficult time trying to remove the meat from the shell. Some of the meat will stick to the shell. As it thaws, the crabmeat will start to shrink and break apart. The problem starts when the blue crab is being thawed.
![cleaning blue crab cleaning blue crab](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/_ja5mYDukY8/maxresdefault.jpg)
As the crab starts to freeze, the meat will start to expand against the shell. The other reason is the crabmeat will be damaged when it’s frozen. By freezing them uncooked, when the crab dies, toxins will spread to other parts of the body. Like most other kinds of seafood, blue crabs are highly perishable and tend to go bad quickly. The first one is the danger of getting sick from food poisoning.
![cleaning blue crab cleaning blue crab](https://images.saymedia-content.com/.image/c_fill%2Ccs_srgb%2Cg_face%2Ch_80%2Cq_auto:good%2Cw_80/MTc0MjAwNzM0NzA5OTgzMTAw/blue-crab-how-to-catch-clean-and-cook.jpg)
It’s not recommended to store uncooked blue crabs in the freezer. Can You Store Uncooked Blue Crabs In The Freezer?