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. |
| | Canner Pressure (PSI) at Altitudes of |
| Jar Size | Process Time | 0 - 2,000 ft | 2,001 - 4,000 ft | 4,001 - 6,000 ft | 6,001 - 8,000 ft |
| Half-pints | 70 min | 11 lb | 12 lb | 13 lb | 14 lb |
| Pints | 80 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 |
| Table 2. Recommended process time for King and Dungeness Crab Meat in a weighted-gauge pressure canner. |
| | Canner Pressure (PSI) at Altitudes of |
| Jar Size | Process Time | 0 - 1,00 ft | Above 1,000 ft |
| Half-pints | 70 min | 10 lb | 15 lb |
| Pints | 80 | 10 | 15 |
