Crab Meat, King and Dungeness — NCHFP
Tested NCHFP/USDA pressure-canning method for King and Dungeness crab meat with required acid treatment.
Ingredients
Crab meat
- live King or Dungeness crabs keep on ice until ready to can
- 1/4 cup lemon juice per gallon of initial simmering water
- 2 tbsp salt per gallon of initial simmering water; up to 1 cup may be used if desired
- 2 cups lemon juice per gallon of cold soaking water; OR use 4 cups white vinegar
- 2 tbsp salt per gallon of soaking water; up to 1 cup may be used if desired
- 1/2 tsp citric acid per half-pint jar; OR 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tsp citric acid per pint jar; OR 4 tablespoons lemon juice
- hot water for filling jars
Equipment
- 1 Pressure canner Dial- or weighted-gauge pressure canner appropriate for altitude.
- As needed Canning jars Half-pints or pints only.
- As needed Two-piece canning lids Use new flat lids and prepare according to manufacturer directions.
Directions
- Keep live crabs on ice until ready to can. Wash thoroughly in several changes of cold water.
- Simmer crabs 20 minutes in water containing 1/4 cup lemon juice and 2 tablespoons salt per gallon. Cool in cold water, drain, remove the back shell, and remove meat from the body and claws.
- Soak the meat for 2 minutes in cold water containing 2 cups lemon juice or 4 cups white vinegar plus 2 tablespoons salt per gallon. Drain and squeeze out excess moisture.
- Pack 6 ounces of crab meat in each half-pint jar or 12 ounces in each pint jar, leaving 1-inch headspace.
- Add 1/2 teaspoon citric acid or 2 tablespoons lemon juice to each half-pint; add 1 teaspoon citric acid or 4 tablespoons lemon juice to each pint. Add hot water, maintaining 1-inch headspace.
- Pressure process half-pints for 70 minutes and pints for 80 minutes.
- Dial gauge: 11/12/13/14 psi at 0–2,000/2,001–4,000/4,001–6,000/6,001–8,000 ft. Weighted gauge: 10 psi through 1,000 ft and 15 psi above 1,000 ft.
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Recipe Notes
Safety status: tested. Pressure canning is required. Use only the tested half-pint or pint sizes and follow all acid-treatment steps. NCHFP notes that blue crab meat is preferably frozen for quality and canned crab may have a distinctly acidic flavor. Source: National Center for Home Food Preservation; adapted from USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning, revised 2009.
Exact source: https://nchfp.uga.edu/how/can/preparing-and-canning-poultry-red-meats-and-seafoods/crab-meat-king-and-dungeness/