Title: King and Dungeness Crab Meat
Categories: Seafood, Canning
Yield: 1 text
It is recommended that blue crab meat be frozen for best quality.
Procedure: Keep live crabs on ice until ready to can. Wash crabs
thoroughly, using several changes of cold water. Simmer crabs 20 minutes
in water containing 1/4 cup of lemon juice and 2 tablespoons of salt (or
up to 1 cup of salt, if desired) per gallon. Cool in cold water, drain,
remove back shell, then remove meat from body and claws. Soak meat 2
minutes in cold water containing 2 cups of lemon juice or 4 cups of
white vinegar, and 2 tablespoons of salt (or up to 1 cup of salt, if
desired) per gallon. Drain and squeeze meat to remove excess moisture.
Fill half-pint jars with 6 ounces of meat and pint jars with 12 ounces,
leaving 1-inch headspace. Add 1/2 teaspoon of citric acid or 2
tablespoons of lemon juice to each half-pint jar, or 1 teaspoon of
citric acid or 4 tablespoons of lemon juice per pint jar. Add hot water,
leaving 1-inch headspace.
Adjust lids and process following the recommendations in Table 1 or
Table 2 according to the canning method used.
Table 1. Recommended process time for King and Dungeness Crab Meat in a
dial-gauge pressure canner.
Jar Size: Half-pints, Pints.
Process Time: 70 minutes for Half-pints, 80 minutes for Pints.
Canner Pressure (PSI) at Altitudes of 0 - 2,000 ft: 11 lb.
2,001 - 4,000 ft: 12 lb.
4,001 - 6,000 ft: 13 lb.
6,001 - 8,000 ft: 14 lb.
Table 2. Recommended process time for King and Dungeness Crab Meat in a
weighted-gauge pressure canner.
Jar Size: Half-pints, Pints.
Process Time: 70 minutes for Half-pints, 80 minutes for Pints.
Canner Pressure (PSI) at Altitudes of 0 - 1,000 ft: 10 lb.
Above 1,000 ft: 15 lb.
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* USDA Agriculture Information Bulletin No. 539 (rev. 1994)
* Meal-Master format courtesy of Karen Mintzias
