How To Clean Blue Crab Before Freezing

Place the crab belly up in the sink and use the water to rinse out the yellow green entrails. Crab meat should be cooked before freezing because freezing it uncooked can encourage discoloration of the meat. With this said a layer of ice should be placed on the bottom of the ice chest followed by wet burlap and then the crabs.
how to clean blue crab before freezing

Shake or roll the claws in the flour.

How to clean blue crab before freezing. Fill a large container with ice and add enough water to top it off. Cook for 25 to 30 minutes. There are just two easy steps to cleaning blue crabs this way. Holding the crab claws by the claw shell dip the meaty part into the egg wash and then dredge them in the flour again.

Bring the water to a rolling boil and add the live crabs to the boiling water. Then use your fingers to pull out the gills and scoop out the innards. Bring about 2 quarts of water to a boil in a large stockpot for each hard shell crab. Step 2 transfer the crabs from the newspaper or holding container to the boiling water.

Whisk one egg and 12 cup milk together in a small bowl. To clean a blue crab stick your thumb in the small opening at the backside of the crab and pull off the top of its shell. Using your fingers pluck off the crabs mouthparts. Fill a large pot with water and a pinch of salt.

Next lay the crab on its back and remove the abdomen by wedging a knife underneath it. They go on to say if facilities for slushing do not exist the blue crabs may be kept alive with ice as long as they are protected from direct contact with the ice. Crack off the top of the shell clean out the guts and gills the easiest way to do this is to blast it all out with a hose. In another bowl combine 1 cup flour cup cornstarch 1 teaspoon salt teaspoon black pepper and teaspoon cayenne.

Using your thumb remove the apron with a prying motion like youre opening a can of soda. Using the same motion peel off the two pieces of shell on either side of the apron.