Freeze then cook, or cook then freeze?

What do you do with your crab?

I've heard arguments for both, but what works for you?

Thanks,
Peter

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neither....gotta eat it the same day you catch 'em

I'm no expert on the matter but I hear it's better to cook and freeze. OR you can simply cook and pick off all the meat and then freeze....then maybe make some crab cakes later on.

Good call Mooch! Yeah, you're right about that. And about the freezing cooked meat.

But it would be nice to pull a whole one from the freezer for the holidays if the swell is pumping.


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Cook, pick out meat, vacuum seal, then freeze.  If I freeze the meat, here is how I do it.  I think I got this info off NCKA, so dont give me credit.  This is the link I think someone posted up a while back.  http://www.dryicesource.com/dryice/freezingfish.php

But it would be nice to pull a whole one from the freezer for the holidays if the swell is pumping.

I hear ya brother. Plan B, take a 15 minute drive to HMB and hit up the commercial guys.

You never want freeze then cook, always cook then freeze. You can put them in the freezer to slow them down for a few minutes but don't leave them in there to long. I always steam my crab so they don't get soggy, you can then freeze them if you have to and the steam them again when you are ready to eat. Also if you plan on cooking then freezing make sure to clean before freezing.

If I have extra I give them to friends, this opener I gave one limit away and kept the wifes limit to make different crab dishes. There are so many things you can do with crab. We made curry crab, plain crab, crab cakes, thai crab cakes, crab chowder and even crab quesadillas.

 We made curry crab, plain crab, crab cakes, thai crab cakes, crab chowder and even crab quesadillas.

sound like the guy from Forrest Gump talking about shrimp!

 We made curry crab, plain crab, crab cakes, thai crab cakes, crab chowder and even crab quesadillas.

sound like the guy from Forrest Gump talking about shrimp!

Thats what my wife said when I was listing all the things we had made and could make.

Did you mean Buba Wool ?

I keep enough for my wife and I for 3 days and give the rest away. If you want to freeze I would cook then freeze. Personally I would pick the meat like Jeff said then vacuum pack and freeze. If you want to freeze in the shell, I would pull the shell and clean. Then you have to trim the end of the legs and any other sharp edges with scissors so they don't puncture the bag. Then split the body in half with legs attached and vacuum pack and freeze. They are ok but fresh are much better.

One thing I forgot to mention is that crabs enter a starvation state when they are removed from the ocean. The longer they are I'm this state, the more the meat degrades which is why the live crabs from the 99 ranch tank don't taste as good as the ones you catch. So if you need to buy a live crab, I would buy it from the commercial guys at HMB and support the local industry.

I cooked them and put them on ice for consumption in the next 2 -3 days.  Stay fresh even on the third day! 

+1 to what GB2 said    This weekend i'll be taking my frozen half crabs to re-head over a fire.  Tastes great! 

I cook um on the beach and crack legs on the way home!! Fresh as it gets