STORING, FREEZING,AND PROCESSING GREEN CRAB

 
 

To note, this guide is intended for chefs, home cooks, and fish markets. To learn more about safely harvesting and transporting green crab, check out this guide.

PREPARATION METHODS

Caviar/Masinette: Seasonally available (often in the Fall), shucked from only female crabs 

Soft-Shell Crab/Moeche: Seasonally available (often in the Spring/Summer)

Stock & Broth: Can be prepared year-round

Meat/Hard-Shell Recipes:  Can be prepared year-round 


TIPS FOR PROCESSING GREEN CRABS

  • Freezing: Some of recipes call for picking apart and preparing live crabs. To make the process easier, try freezing the crabs for at least 2 hours or until the crabs are completely still. 

  • Sorting: We recommend wearing gloves when sorting green crabs. You’ll avoid getting pinched and have an easier time picking up crabs. No gloves? Hold the crab with two fingers firmly on the outer points of the carapace to prevent a pinch. 

  • Rinse/ Clean: Always thoroughly rinse hard-shell crabs prior to cooking. To note, once the crab comes in contact with fresh water, it should be cooked immediately. Submerging green crabs in freshwater will kill them.

  • To learn how to freeze and trim soft-shell green crabs, see this guide. For soft-shell green crabs, trimming is an optional step.

TIPS FOR STORING GREEN CRAB

  • Container: Green crabs can survive for weeks out of the water. Proper storage and containment is crucial. To prevent escape & possible reintroduction, ensure green crabs are stored in a sturdy container with air holes. A crab basket, burlap sack, oyster mesh bag, or plastic storage container with holes will work well. 

  • Storage Time: Keep crabs in the fridge or comparably cool space and use them within 1 week.

  • Smell: Frequently check the crabs for smell and remove any crabs that perish (a dead crab can spoil the whole bushel). Green crabs used for food should smell fresh and briny, not funky.

  • Quality Check: When purchasing green crabs in bulk, make sure your green crabs aren’t stored with other species or fish racks. Often, green crabs sold for bait are packaged with fish wracks and bycatch species such as sand crabs that can quickly perish. Make sure your crabs are lively and smell fresh. Ask your harvester or purveyor if your crabs were stored in a cool environment with good ventilation (stored at 41°F or 5°C). To learn more about how to safely harvest and process green crabs for culinary use, check out this guide intended for harvesters and wholesalers.

TIPS FOR FREEZING GREEN CRABS AT HOME

  • Whole Hard-Shell Green Crabs: Wash crabs well before freezing and dry. Remove as much air as possible or vacuum seal in a plastic bag. Freeze for up to 3 months.

  • Roe: After steaming and shucking the roe, freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months. We recommend making a ball out of the roe and twisting plastic wrap around the ball to minimize air pockets.

  • Stock: Store in an airtight container for up to 3 months. We recommend freeing the stock in deli containers or aliquoting portions into an ice mold to use in smaller portions.

  • Soft-Shell Green Crabs: See this guide.