How to Can Crab Meat at Home – A Complete Step-by-Step Guide

Canned crab meat is a handy pantry staple that lets you enjoy the sweet flavor of crab anytime. While fresh crab is great, canned crab meat offers convenience and long shelf life. With some basic supplies, you can easily can crab meat at home.

This comprehensive guide will walk through the entire process of canning crab meat safely and efficiently We’ll cover preparing the crab, sterilizing jars, processing times and more With a little time and effort, you’ll end up with a tasty product free of preservatives found in store-bought canned crab.

Here’s everything you need to know about canning your own crab meat at home.

Benefits of Canning Crab at Home

Before jumping in, let’s look at some of the benefits of home canning crab meat:

• Cost Savings Canning your own crab is cheaper than buying pre-made canned crab meat,

• Control Ingredients: You can use pure and natural ingredients without unwanted additives.

• Customize Flavor Adjust salt, seasoning and brines to suit your tastes

• Long Shelf Life: Home-canned crab keeps 1 year or longer when properly processed and stored.

• Gift Giving: Homemade canned seafood makes a unique edible gift from your kitchen.

• Enjoy Off-Season: Have delicious crab meat anytime, not just during peak seasons.

Canning crab yourself lets you control the ingredients and quality while saving money – a win-win!

Supplies Needed for Canning Crab

Canning crab meat requires some specific canning equipment and supplies. Here’s what you’ll need:

• Crab meat (cooked, cleaned and cooled)
• Canning jars (pint or half-pint, widemouth recommended)
• Lids and bands for jars
• Canning salt or pickling salt
• White vinegar or lemon juice
• Water bath canner or pressure canner
• Jar lifter tongs
• Bubble removal tool
• Clean towels or cheesecloth

I recommend using a pressure canner over a water bath canner for optimal safety when canning low-acid foods like seafood.

Make sure all your equipment is in good condition before getting started. Now let’s go over the canning process step-by-step.

Step 1 – Prep the Crab Meat

The first step is cooking, cleaning and prepping your fresh crab:

• Cook the crab by boiling, steaming or blanching until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.

• Cool the cooked crab down completely, ideally overnight in the fridge.

• Clean by removing all shell and cartilage pieces from the crab body and claws.

• Rinse the crab meat in cool water with 1 cup lemon juice or vinegar per gallon of water. This prevents darkening.

• Drain excess moisture from crab meat before canning so it doesn’t turn mushy.

Proper cleaning and prep maximizes the quality and shelf life once canned.

Step 2 – Sterilize Your Canning Jars

Before filling, take steps to sterilize your jars and lids:

• Wash jars and lids in hot soapy water and rinse clean.

• Submerge the jars in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes to sanitize.

• Keep jars warm until ready to fill by leaving in the canner.

• Heat new lids in simmering (not boiling) water for 5 minutes.

Proper sterilization destroys potential spoilage causing microbes.

Step 3 – Pack & Fill the Jars

Now you’re ready to fill the hot sterile jars with crab meat:

• Fill jars with drained crab meat within 1 inch of top.

• Gently press or shake jar to remove air pockets and settle contents.

• Add lemon juice/vinegar: 2 tbsp per pint jar or 1 tbsp per half-pint.

• Top off with boiling water, broth or pickle juice leaving 1-inch headspace.

• Wipe rims with a clean damp cloth before putting on lids.

Headspace and removing bubbles are vital to ensure a proper seal.

Step 4 – Process the Filled Jars

With jars packed, you’re ready to process them for canning:

• For a pressure canner:

  • Process pint jars for 80 minutes and half-pints for 70 minutes at 11 PSI.

• For a water bath:

  • Process pint or half-pint jars for 115 minutes fully submerged.

Make altitude adjustments by adding more processing time if needed.

After processing, turn off heat and allow canner to depressurize and cool before removing jars.

Proper processing times destroys bacteria and creates a vacuum seal.

Step 5 – Test & Store Sealed Jars

Once cooled, test jar seals and remove bands:

• Check lid seal by pressing center of lid to ensure it doesn’t pop up or down.

• Tap the lid and listen for a clear ringing sound ensuring a good vacuum seal.

• Remove screw bands once completely cooled and sealed.

• Wash sealed jars and lids before storage. Label jars with contents and canning date.

• Store in a cool, dark place between 50°F to 70°F for up to a year.

For any jars that didn’t seal properly, refrigerate and consume within a few days.

And that’s it – you now have delicious home-canned crab meat ready for soups, dips, salads, crab cakes and more! While the process takes some work, the results are well worth it.

Here are some helpful tips for success when canning crab meat at home:

• Choose fresh, live crab when possible for best flavor and texture once canned.

• Make sure the crab reaches an internal temperature of 165°F during cooking to kill bacteria.

• Allow proper headspace in jars and always wipe rims clean before putting on lids.

• Follow processing times precisely based on jar size, canning method and your altitude.

• Let jars fully seal and cool before removing bands and storing for long term use.

• Check seals carefully before storage – refrigerate and use any jars that didn’t properly seal.

Follow the instructions carefully, and you’ll end up with delicious home-canned crab meat ready to enjoy anytime. Crab cakes, seafood bisques, and crab-stuffed fish are just a few of the amazing dishes you can create with your homemade product.

Key Principles of Home Canning

When you can crab meat at home, make sure you follow these steps and basic canning rules to keep it safe and of good quality:

• Cleanliness: Before you start canning, wash and sanitize all of your hands, surfaces, and equipment very well.

• Sealing correctly: Make sure the jars don’t have any chips or cracks, and use brand-new lids to make sure the vacuum seal works.

• Acidity: Add the right amount of lemon juice to make it more acidic, which stops harmful bacteria from growing.

• Processing time and pressure: To get the right temperature and kill bacteria that are bad for you, you must use a pressure canner. Based on the size and height of the jars, follow the USDA guidelines and the manufacturer’s instructions for processing times and canner pressure levels.

• Cooling: Leave the processed jars to cool for 12 to 24 hours without opening them. Then check the seal, label them, and put them away in a cool, dark place.

Following these fundamentals will ensure that your canned crab is safe and enjoyable for consumption.

The Fundamentals of Crab Canning

To can crab at home, you have to cook the crabs, take out the meat, put it in canning jars, and process the jars in a canner to keep the meat fresh. This method ensures the freshness and quality of the seafood over an extended period. It’s essential to follow the USDA-approved canning guidelines, found in the Agriculture Information Bulletin No. 539, to ensure safety and prevent spoilage.

To can crab meat at home, you will need the following equipment:

• Live crabs
• Large pot for cooking crabs
• Pressure canner
• Canning jars with lids and bands
• Canning utensils (jar lifter, funnel, lid wand, bubble remover)
• Kitchen towels and gloves

Note: If you want to can crab meat, you must use a canner instead of a boiling water bath because the higher temperature in a canner is what kills any bacteria that might be harmful.

Best Crab for your Crab Recipe

When canning crab meat at home, it’s best to use fresh live crab for optimal flavor and texture. Some popular varieties of crab that work well include:

• Dungeness Crab: Sweet, succulent meat with a reddish hue. Caught off the Pacific coast.

• Blue Crab: Prized for its beautiful white meat. Caught in the Atlantic and Gulf coasts.

• King Crab: Large crab with snowy white meat and sweet flavor. Caught in Alaska.

• Stone Crab: Premium crab meat with a delicate texture. Harvested off the Florida coast.

No matter what type of fresh crab you use, make sure it’s alive right before cooking and canning to lock in the freshness. Frozen crab or previously cooked crab meat won’t have the same amazing flavor.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can crab meat be canned?

Yes, crab meat can absolutely be canned at home for long term storage using a pressure canner and proper sanitary procedures. Follow USDA guidelines for safely canning seafood.

How to bottle crab meat in a jar?

Pack 6 oz crab meat and 2 tbsp bottled lemon juice into each 250 ml jar; 12 oz crab and 4 tbsp lemon juice in each 500ml jar, leaving 1 inch headspace. Remove air bubbles. Wipe jar rims clean. Process in a pressure canner based on altitude and jar size.

Can you preserve crab meat?

Yes, the best ways to preserve crab meat are canning and freezing. Canned crab meat keeps for up to a year. Frozen crab meat is best within 3 months (Dungeness) to 6 months (King crab).

Can you eat canned crab meat?

Yes, commercially canned crab meat is safe to eat. Drain liquid from the can which is very salty. Canned white crab meat is delicate so drain carefully. Discard any crab meat with an off odor or appearance.

Is it safe to eat crab meat during pregnancy?

It is generally safe to eat commercially canned crab meat during pregnancy as long as it is from a reputable source. Avoid raw or undercooked crab meat which could contain harmful bacteria.

Does canned crab meat come pre cooked?

Yes, commercially canned crab meat is fully cooked during the canning process. Crabs are steamed whole to cook the meat before shelling, picking and canning.

Is crab meat cooked or raw?

Crab meat you buy canned or packaged from the store is fully cooked. Raw crab meat has a jelly-like translucent appearance and smaller size. It must be cooked thoroughly to 145°F internal temperature before eating.