Canning Crab
Pressure canning crab meat is a fantastic way to preserve this delicious seafood, allowing you to enjoy the sweet, succulent taste of crab year-round. Whether you’re using it for crab cakes, crab bisque, or simply as a snack, home-canned crab is a convenient and delicious addition to your pantry.
Servings: 8 half pints (or 4 pints)
Ingredients
- Live crabs about 4 medium to large crabs for 4 pints or 8 half-pints
For Cooking the Crabs:
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- 2 Tbsp salt or up to 1 cup, depending on your preference
- 1 gallon Water
For Soaking the Crab Meat:
- 2 cups lemon juice or 4 cups white vinegar
- 2 Tbsp salt or up to 1 cup, depending on your preference
- 1 gallon Cold water
For Canning the Crab:
- 1 cup Lemon Juice 1/2 tsp citric acid or 2 Tbsp of lemon juice per half-pint jar, or 1 tsp of citric acid or 4 Tbsp of lemon juice per pint jar
- Hot water enough to fill the jars while leaving 1 inch of headspace
Instructions
Prepare the Crab:
- Keep live crabs on ice until you're ready to process them. Wash them thoroughly with several changes of cold water.
- You can cook the crabs whole or in sections. If you choose to cook them in sections, bleeding the crabs first may help prevent darkening of the meat.
Cook the Crabs:
- In a large pot, simmer the crabs for 20 minutes in water containing ¼ cup lemon juice and 2 tablespoons salt per gallon of water (feel free to use up to 1 cup of salt if you prefer).
- After cooking, cool the crabs quickly in cold water, then drain.
Prepare the Meat:
- Remove the back shell of the crabs, and carefully take out the meat from the body and claws.
- Soak the crab meat for 2 minutes in a solution of cold water, 2 cups of lemon juice (or 4 cups of white vinegar), and 2 tablespoons of salt per gallon (up to 1 cup of salt if desired).
- Drain the meat and gently squeeze out any excess moisture.
Prepare the Canner:
- Prepare your pressure canner according to the manufacturer's instructions. Typically, you'll need to add a few inches of water to the bottom and bring it to a gentle simmer.
Fill the Jars:
- Fill half-pint jars with about 6 ounces of meat and pint jars with 12 ounces, making sure to leave 1 inch of headspace.
- Add citric acid or lemon juice to each jar. Use ½ teaspoon of citric acid or 2 tablespoons of lemon juice for half-pint jars. Or 1 teaspoon of citric acid or 4 tablespoons of lemon juice for pint jars.
- Fill the jars with hot water, again leaving 1 inch of headspace.
- Remove any air bubbles.
- Wipe the rims of the jars with a paper towel dampened with vinegar to ensure a clean seal, then adjust the lids.
Process the Jars:
- Process the jars in the pressure canner for 70 minutes for half-pints or 80 minutes for pints.
Notes
Canned crab may have a slightly acidic flavor. If you’re sensitive to this, freezing might be a better option. The lemon juice is added primarily for quality, not safety, and helps preserve the color of the meat. Without it, the crab can turn a dark brown or even black, which can be unappealing.
I personally enjoy the subtle lemon flavor in the crab, which works wonderfully in dishes like crab cakes, fresh salads, or pasta with cream sauce. If you don’t want the added acidity, you can try canning without the lemon juice, but the color may darken considerably.
Altitude Adjustments:
- For dial gauge pressure canners, adjust the pressure as follows:
- 0-2,000 feet: 11 lbs pressure
- 2,001-4,000 feet: 12 lbs pressure
- 4,001-6,000 feet: 13 lbs pressure
- 6,001-8,000 feet: 14 lbs pressure
- For weighted gauge pressure canners, adjust the pressure:
- 0-1,000 feet: 10 lbs pressure
- Above 1,000 feet: 15 lbs pressure
Nutrition
Serving: 1cup | Calories: 210kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 41g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 0.3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 140mg | Sodium: 698mg | Potassium: 869mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 215IU | Vitamin C: 20mg | Calcium: 111mg | Iron: 1mg