Save your crab for later!

Thought I would share a couple of ways I've found to save (freeze) your surplus cooked crab. I've been experimenting quite a bit over the last three seasons, and after packing some extra crab from last weekend with some new supplies, I'm convinced I've got it dialed in. I vacuum sealed over a dozen crab without puncturing a single bag. Here are two ways:

The best way I've found to vacuum pack and freeze:

Supplies needed:
vacuum sealer
butcher paper - https://www.amazon.com/Pink-Kraft-Butcher-Paper-Roll/dp/B0776JH663?th=1
11 x 16 vacuum bags - https://www.amazon.com/Gamesaver-Weston-Commercial-Puncture-Prevention/dp/B07TV4KRCL

I already had the butcher paper from smoking various meats, and the larger gamesaver bags I bought in advance to give this a go.

TL;DR - The process is probably self-explanatory from the supplies list, but the idea is to wrap and then seal.

1. Cut a 24-36" sheet of butcher paper and place whole crab, or crab halves, about 8-10" from the corner of the sheet at a 45 degree angle.
2. Fold the closest corner over, followed by the adjacent corner. (If you've ever worked at a deli, this is the same way that a sandwich-maker would wrap a sandwich).
3. Now take the crab, and fold it forward.
4. Proceed by folding the left side in, creating a straight edge on the left that is perpendicular to the crab itself, and then fold the crab forward again (am I over-explaining this?  ). Repeat this rhythm until the sheet is completely folded around the crab. This layering by successive folds is what keeps all of the pokeys on the crab from puncturing the vacuum bag.
5. Slip your crab sandwich into a vac bag, and seal. No need to run on "gentle" mode with this method--at least with my cheap sealer.

I should also note it's important to set the crab up in its most "defensive" position. All of the legs should be tucked in with the pointy bits on the tips of the legs aligned inward. Pics below for reference.

Experiment for freezing lump meat:

This one I had never done until last weekend, but feel pretty good about it. I have been interested in freezing lump meat, but only ever see it at the store in some kind of liquid. After some reading online, every source on the internet says to use milk?? No. I refuse. Even though it seems like people have resoundingly positive results.

I decided to make a light brine, and used 1/8c kosher salt in 1 qt of water. This was enough to prepare the 2.5 lbs of lump meat we picked to save for later.

I filled up a 1 qt beaker with about 3 cups (3/4 qt) of water and added 1/8c kosher sold. Stir to dissolve. Once dissolved, added enough Ice to make the beaker read 1 qt. I wanted to make sure the brine was ice-cold when pouring over the lump meat to not spoil the meat, and also make it freeze quicker. Pour enough brine to just cover the crab meat.

I used some 3-cup plastic containers and froze in 1 lb incriments, and lined the top with plastic wrap to prevent freezer burn on the small amount of exposed meat.

Date and freeze. I will post results when we decide to use it. Until then, take this one with a bit of caution, as I'm not sure how it will turn out.

How do you save your lump meat for later?

This is a big deal to master.  I hope your way is excellent.  The reason for the milk in my study is a fat caseing to preserve texture.  I've done the milk thing and was hesitantly pleased.  When you pour the milk in, you must cheer yourself on and say..."here goes", it kinda hurts but what is done is done.  To thaw I empty in a colander, give one dunk and potentially lightly ring out.  Texture was 85% yet flavor seemed 50%?  My milk was whole plus half and half.  This year I'm going to take some crab butter and reduce some shells for a stock and taste.  I will then add dairy until I can imagine the thawed result.  Almost like a chowder broth.  I've even toyed with the idea of adding clam juice but I think the reduced shell broth, seasoned, will suffice.  Gotta get some more crab first...stay tuned and thanks for your tutorial.

So when do we get to come over and do the taste test? 

We have some picked (rock crab) meat from last spring that is simply vac sealed and frozen that we are going to defrost tomorrow and see how it turns out. Normally we don’t have enough to save for a later day, but I would like to save for a rainy day when possible!

Thanks for the ideas!

thanks, I need to give that a try - get some extra longevity from the freeze.
last year I vacuum sealed/froze some, but the pokeys popped the seal, ate them within 4 months from our chest freezer - still like new.

You lost me at "surplus crab."

Joking aside... we do save some so we can make crab and corn chowder when corn comes into season.  We've been saving our lump meat in plastic delistores using a weak brine just as you have.  It works a charm.  We defrost it in the fridge for a few days and then drain it before using.  Of course, it doesn't hold the same texture as if it were cooked and eaten that day, but it is still better than storebought.

Thought I would share a couple of ways I've found to save (freeze) your surplus cooked crab. I've been experimenting quite a bit over the last three seasons, and after packing some extra crab from last weekend with some new supplies, I'm convinced I've got it dialed in. I vacuum sealed over a dozen crab without puncturing a single bag. Here are two ways:

The best way I've found to vacuum pack and freeze:

Supplies needed:
vacuum sealer
butcher paper - https://www.amazon.com/Pink-Kraft-Butcher-Paper-Roll/dp/B0776JH663?th=1
11 x 16 vacuum bags - https://www.amazon.com/Gamesaver-Weston-Commercial-Puncture-Prevention/dp/B07TV4KRCL

I already had the butcher paper from smoking various meats, and the larger gamesaver bags I bought in advance to give this a go.

TL;DR - The process is probably self-explanatory from the supplies list, but the idea is to wrap and then seal.

1. Cut a 24-36" sheet of butcher paper and place whole crab, or crab halves, about 8-10" from the corner of the sheet at a 45 degree angle.
2. Fold the closest corner over, followed by the adjacent corner. (If you've ever worked at a deli, this is the same way that a sandwich-maker would wrap a sandwich).
3. Now take the crab, and fold it forward.
4. Proceed by folding the left side in, creating a straight edge on the left that is perpendicular to the crab itself, and then fold the crab forward again (am I over-explaining this?  ). Repeat this rhythm until the sheet is completely folded around the crab. This layering by successive folds is what keeps all of the pokeys on the crab from puncturing the vacuum bag.
5. Slip your crab sandwich into a vac bag, and seal. No need to run on "gentle" mode with this method--at least with my cheap sealer.

I should also note it's important to set the crab up in its most "defensive" position. All of the legs should be tucked in with the pointy bits on the tips of the legs aligned inward. Pics below for reference.

Experiment for freezing lump meat:

This one I had never done until last weekend, but feel pretty good about it. I have been interested in freezing lump meat, but only ever see it at the store in some kind of liquid. After some reading online, every source on the internet says to use milk?? No. I refuse. Even though it seems like people have resoundingly positive results.

I decided to make a light brine, and used 1/8c kosher salt in 1 qt of water. This was enough to prepare the 2.5 lbs of lump meat we picked to save for later.

I filled up a 1 qt beaker with about 3 cups (3/4 qt) of water and added 1/8c kosher sold. Stir to dissolve. Once dissolved, added enough Ice to make the beaker read 1 qt. I wanted to make sure the brine was ice-cold when pouring over the lump meat to not spoil the meat, and also make it freeze quicker. Pour enough brine to just cover the crab meat.

I used some 3-cup plastic containers and froze in 1 lb incriments, and lined the top with plastic wrap to prevent freezer burn on the small amount of exposed meat.

Date and freeze. I will post results when we decide to use it. Until then, take this one with a bit of caution, as I'm not sure how it will turn out.

How do you save your lump meat for later?

Prior to sealing, do you steam all the way so its ready to eat upon thaw? Or steam partial and steam more prior to consumption?

last year I vacuum sealed/froze some, but the pokeys popped the seal, ate them within 4 months from our chest freezer - still like new.

I did the same thing with meat in the shells and poking through the plastic. I ate those ones within a month or two, and it was also fine. Though, the buffer around the shell is a great idea. I usually shell all the meat and vacuum seal it after. But I don't always have the time or energy to do that amount of work right away if I've got a lot of them.

I wish I had surplus crab problems! Love the use of butcher paper. Thanks for sharing!

Ok, this is how this went down…thanks for this thread and the confidence in the quality of the thawed product.  2 lb crab yields 1/2 lb of picked meat.  After I steamed and ice shocked crab halves…1/2 stomach with legs attached, I section all joints and toss pokie claw tips so I’m left with unshelled handfuls of crab parts.  9.6lbs. on this round.  I weighed out 3lbs. for my vacuum packing experiment.  I have butcher paper but decided to try without it due to less pokie tip but the knuckles after the claw, which I love those nuggets, and the claws, still have points.  I thought a looser product would seal more pliably and adjust to the process.  I was on a roll and it got tight and hope was building…rrrrrrrrrrrr…stop and seal will ya…rrrrrrrrrrrrrpshhhhhhhh….fail…oh, that’s why the butcher paper.   Well, I decided to double bag it so I cut a new one and fit the shorter bag in it then tried again and it sealed nicely.  Off to the freezer for a later date.  Next time I’ll use the paper….

Anyone try picking the crab meat, then vac sealing that?  I don't normally have any leftover crab to try, haha.  Maybe later in the season. 

I'm usually pretty wore out after waking up early, fishing/crabbing all morning, driving home, cooking and cleaning the crab, cleaning any other fish, cleaning all my kayak and fishing gear.... totally understand the desire to freeze in shells. 

Thanks for sharing the tip Jewli0n.

Anyone try picking the crab meat, then vac sealing that?  I don't normally have any leftover crab to try, haha.  Maybe later in the season. 

I'm usually pretty wore out after waking up early, fishing/crabbing all morning, driving home, cooking and cleaning the crab, cleaning any other fish, cleaning all my kayak and fishing gear.... totally understand the desire to freeze in shells.

I have stored the picked meat in a dairy combo of some sort and thawed it to some satisfaction.  I presently have a portion frozen in milk.  Stay tuned...

I separate the white meat from the brown red meat. Seal in a consumer grade vac sealer. Put in the freezer. I’ve made pasta with crab based sauce from it and it tasted great. Also made crab cakes in the panini maker (two sided electrical grill) and it was tasty.

Fisherman’s Life has a method of sealing crab by using two disposable paper plates. The plates protect the bag from puncturing. I never tried that.

This is what I do as well. My wife and I went out on a charter and came back with 20 big crabs, spent two days picking and packing, and now we have crab pasta whenever we want. Which is pretty often!

I separate the white meat from the brown red meat. Seal in a consumer grade vac sealer. Put in the freezer. I’ve made pasta with crab based sauce from it and it tasted great.

Those were big crabs, Tim. I shared with a few folks and made the rest into crab cakes and froze them in four packs

Why the separation of the meat? Texture, or “strength” or?