freezing mud crabs

[supertinny]

Is it worth while freezing mud crabs? Should you freeze them green or cooked?

[Tony_N]

This topic came up some time ago - probably under "Saltwater". It would be worth doing a search. From memory the person who was most convincing on that thread reckoned that you should boil them for only 10 minutes instead of 15 and then freeze them. Thaw them and boil them for an added 5 minutes before you want to eat them. I've forgotten the rationale, but I decided at the time that was what I would do if I caught so many that I couldn't get them eaten in a few days. This would only happen if I went crabbing (successfully) every day :)

[onerabbit]

Hi supertinny,

I have frozen heaps of crabs, clean the crab BEFORE cooking (remove top shell & guts out). Cook for 7 minutes wheather you are eating now or freezing.
Wrap each crab in it's own bag.
When defrosted, eat as is, or, my favourite is break them up, lots of garlic & cream, chuck the bits in & warm slowly, very messy , but really good.

Muzz

[JewseeTHAT]

I recall reading an article several years ago that mentioned this subject, might have been by John Mondora but I'm not sure. He talked about a tip he was given to cook the crabs whilst they were either upright or upside down (not sure which now and too lazy to find it) and then inverting the crab for freezing. He claimed it to be the only way freezing muddies was really successful.

[timddo]

Mude crabs need to be cooked b4 freezing. IF left uncooked. there meat will taste like shit. Make sure you wrap anything in the fridge with newspaper outside of a plastic bag. This will prevent the crab from drying in the fridge.

[supertinny]

cool i will give that a go .
cheers everyone

[Noelm]

most anything can be frozen the main thing to remember is, it must be good and fresh before you freeze, not left in the fridge and then freeze what is left over because you can't eat anymore or whatever, I know it sounds obvious, but you would be surprised how much this happens, someone gets a "load of prawns" or whatever, gets 'sick" of them after a few "feeds" then stick them in the freezer after they are already a week old and expect them to be "fresh" when defrosted.

[fishfrenzy]

I would definitely say cook them before frezzing tastes much better! :P