Freezing Crabs

[bullfrog]

In your experience, is it best to freeze crabs when they are green or after they've been cooked?

Also, if you are freezing cooked crabs is it best to clean them first?

Thanks in advance,

Martin

[stan]

In your experience, is it best to freeze crabs when they are green or after they've been cooked?

Also, if you are freezing cooked crabs is it best to clean them first?

Thanks in advance,

Martin

Green crabs are best cooked as soon as possible, not frozen, or the meat goes mushy after being cooked.

Crabs deteriorate quite quickly. If I ever catch a few blue swimmers, I cook them, clean them, the freeze the meat (only if I can't eat all thats been caught, rarely).

Stan.

[JonnyD]

For mudcrabs, I tend to freeze them as soon as I catch them to put them to sleep (most humane way, I reckon) Then after 30 mins in the freezer I take them out and plunge them into salty boiling water and then clean the meat out and store it. Having said that I have put crabs in the freezer straight from the crab pot and left them there for days and pulled them out and boiled them and they were fine.

[Guest DV8]

For mudcrabs, I tend to freeze them as soon as I catch them to put them to sleep (most humane way, I reckon) Then after 30 mins in the freezer I take them out and plunge them into salty boiling water and then clean the meat out and store it. Having said that I have put crabs in the freezer straight from the crab pot and left them there for days and pulled them out and boiled them and they were fine.

Once cooked drain as much water out as youcan and freeze them upside .down

[Guest IFishSick.]

Always put them in the fridge or freezer for ten minutes before cooking them. Besides the fact they throw their claws in the pot, it's cruel and now against the law.

[bullfrog]

Thanks for the replies everyone, you've been a great help.

Is it illegal to keep female muddies?, I know we can't keep female blue swimmers in NSW

(despite the fact that there are plenty for sale in local fish shops!).

Cheers,

Martin

[JonnyD]

definately illegal to keep jennys, excepty Northern Terriory, you can keep all there.

[Diane]

Thanks for the replies everyone, you've been a great help.

Is it illegal to keep female muddies?, I know we can't keep female blue swimmers in NSW

(despite the fact that there are plenty for sale in local fish shops!).

Cheers,

Martin

Hi Guys,

As far as I know and according to NSW Fisheries site you can keep female crabs as long as they are not carrying eggs. This applies to Crays as well. It is good practice to return the females of course but not law.

Diane