Tomato Saffron Bouillabaisse with Crab Claws, Pollock, and Calamari

Live crab (fresh meat) should not be stored in the fridge. They must be kept alive (typically in aerated water) until they are cleaned and cooked. Putting a crab in the fridge will kill them and you should never cook a dead crab. Cooked crab meat, if stored in an airtight container, can last three to five days refrigerated.

Freezing cooked crab meat is quite easy. Simply store it in an airtight container or heavy-duty freezer bag. You can also wrap the meat tightly with foil or freezer wrap. Frozen crab meat will maintain its best quality for up to three months.

Placing crab meat in the refrigerator is the safest and most effective way to thaw it. Because frozen crab is prone to dryness, be sure to substitute its loss of natural juices with a wet ingredient like mayonnaise.

The best way to store fish is over ice. Remove the fish from its original packaging, rinse under cold water, and dry with paper towels. Set fish on a cooling rack and place inside a container filled with crushed ice. The ice should reach just beneath the fish, but shouldn’t touch it. Cover the container, rack, and fish with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and place in the fridge. If the fish is stored longer than 24 hours, be sure to swap out the melted ice with a new batch. Ideally, any fresh fish should not be stored for more than two days.

Some fish can be frozen for up to year (with three months as the standard), but its freshness depends entirely on its exposure to air. To limit this from taking place, you should first clean the fish, wrap it in aluminum foil or freezer paper, and place it in a freezer bag. Press down on the bag before closing to eliminate any excess air.

Thawing frozen fish is quite an easy process. Simply leave it in the refrigerator overnight or place the wrapped fish in a bowl of cold water. Don’t microwave the fish, as some sections will cook while others are continuing to thaw.