I have pretty productive crab pots on a private dock. I am ending up with more crab than I can possibly eat …use for bait etc.
What is the best way to freeze them? I’m afraid I have to cook and pick them and freeze the cooked meat (which is a lot of work for one man). Anything easier?
I sent several hours picking them yesterday and made a patch of crab cakes (not cooked yet). Do you see any problems placing the uncooked crabcake patties in the freezer? How long should they keep?
We have the same “problem” you do with an over abundance of blue crabs from our pots. We try to only take what we know we’ll eat and then give the rest away. Also, we only take and eat legal males and release all females and any male that may be even close to being short.
This time of year, we’ll probably have steamed crabs twice a week. I’ll pick the steamed ones left to make crab cakes, deviled crab and bisque - never froze any of it, though, and don’t think I would. Never been a fan of even freezing lump meat in milk. We’ve had pretty good success with freezing raw cleaned bodies (cleaned of gills, innards, claws and swimmers)in water and in completely air tight containters. Although they’re not the same thing as what we’re enjoying now, they’re pretty tasty in January and February when working and pulling crab pots off a private dock isn’t that fun!
Hope this may be of help. If you find you have luck freezing the crab cakes, please let us know.
31 Contender
Carolina Skiff J16
Vacuum sealed a dozen crab cakes yesterday. I’ll keep you updated on the taste when cooked. The fresh ones are amazing.
I always keep only the legal males and toss the females back to make more babies!
conservation crabbing gets two thumbs up!
Get yourself a crabmaster. Back and clean crabs, chill, roll with crabmaster, freeze meat in vacuam bags will keep a year. Crabmaster is not cheap. I got mine when they were 39.95 I think they are 69.95 now but worth every penny when you start rolling out the meat. I have cleaned 50 crabs in a 1/2 hr once they are backed and chilled. The fresh meat is much better than cooked and picked.
i’m told chilled is crucial for optimal crabmaster function. overnight, says my buddy’s dad, who inherited one from his dad.
i take my time to pick cooked meat, gonna try squeezing them soon.
lookin forward to hearing how the frozen cakes turn out, steel man.
First bag of frozen crab cakes were on the menu tonight. One week in the frezer. Thawed in the fridge for 24 hrs then egg wash and panko breaded. Tasted as good as fresh! I have two more bags left in the freezer and I’ll keep the updates coming. I’m not planning on keeping them frozen for long.
if u don’t have a crabmaster…a rolling pin works just as well
Hey JMH Tell me more about the rolling-pin method sounds interesting I checked on A crabmaster and the price was 59.00 not to bad but I have a rolling-pin. THANKS
quote:
Originally posted by creek critterHey JMH Tell me more about the rolling-pin method sounds interesting I checked on A crabmaster and the price was 59.00 not to bad but I have a rolling-pin. THANKS
get crabs really cold for a couple hours. break in half, pull off claw and all swimmers…roll pin from end where swimmers were forward and waalah.
Last bag of frozen crab cakes cooked for apps tonight. They were great! Total time in the freezer…two weeks…time to set the crab trap again.
Very intrigued by the crabmaster / rolling pin method. Always feel like the steamed crabmeat is really wet and gets funcky if I don’t use it immediately.
Thanks so much for posting!
After years and years of using what I’ve referred to as “the best crabcake recipe in the world,” I’ve discovered Zattarain’s Crab Cake mix!
I always pick the leftover steamed crabs we have (anywhere from a dozen up…) and use the meat for bisque or crab cakes. The recipe I’ve used over the years for crab cakes is a Maryland recipe, and it IS good, don’t get me wrong. But, it’s time consuming… I’ve found using half of the box of the Zattarain’s crab cake mix is every bit as good (maybe even better!)than the Maryland recipe - half the mix, one egg, couple of healthy spoonfuls of Duke’s mayo (no water!) Form in to cakes and fry in a mixture of equal parts of butter and olive oil! I cleaned probably 14 steamed crabs on Sunday evening as well as two stone crab claws - we had the BEST crab cakes for dinner last night!
31 Contender
Carolina Skiff J16
Never seen Zatarans crab cake mix. I’ll keep looking for it.
I have had JO Spice crab cake mix and that is good!
Wilton, CT: New Smyrna Beach, FL
Piggly Wiggly is the only place I’ve been able to find the Zattarains Crab Cake Mix -there’s an entire Zattarains section at the PW at Main and Maybank.
31 Contender
Carolina Skiff J16
Crab Master is definately the way to go…make sure the body’s of the crab sit on ice for a few hours or it will not work…definately worth the money
also…make sure to freeze crab meat in milk
Why do you freeze crab meat in milk?
Dont get in the habbit of squshing your Crab meat it turns to mush. Not good if your making cakes. The squshed meet is then only good for soup or pate’ If you steam or boil them then pick them. They will stay for a year with no ill effects as long as you get the air out of the bag. Milk is not nessary
16’ McKee-Craft 90-hp Johnson. Fast dry and un-sinkable
Something my parents have always done is freeze it in milk…heard it keeps better and lasts longer than if you freeze it in water…I’ve thawed crab from a couple years in milk and its come out great…