The Pasteurization Process of Chesapeake Bay Blue Crab Meat
Chesapeake Bay Blue Crab Meat is a delicacy cherished for its sweet, succulent flavor and delicate texture. But to deliver this quality to homes across the country without compromising freshness, an essential step takes place after harvest: pasteurization.
At Graham & Rollins, a company with over 80 years of seafood expertise, we follow a meticulous pasteurization process designed to preserve the natural taste and safety of our prized crab meat. When the crab harvest ends pasteurization allows us to offer our crab meat when fresh is not an option.
What Is Pasteurization?
Pasteurization is a heat-treatment process that eliminates harmful bacteria while maintaining the integrity of the crab meat. It allows fresh crab to be stored safely under refrigeration for up to 18 months unopened—making it ideal for chefs, retailers, and seafood lovers alike. When the crab harvesting end in late November in the Chesapeake Bay area, pasteurization allows us to continue offering crab meat as a product until the season resumes in March the next year,
Step-by-Step: How It’s Done
- Harvesting the Blue Crabs: It begins in the waters of the Chesapeake Bay, where our watermen trap and collect Blue Crabs at peak season.
- Cooking & Picking: Once landed, the crabs are steamed, then hand-picked by skilled processors to extract each grade of meat—Jumbo Lump, Lump, Backfin, and Claw.
- Packing into Cans: The fresh-picked meat is packed into sealed containers, carefully portioned to prevent damage to delicate lumps.
- Gentle Heat Treatment: These cans are placed into large pressure cookers (retorts) and heated to precise temperatures under controlled pressure. This kills any bacteria, while preserving the meat’s flavor, texture, and color.
- Cooling and Refrigeration: After pasteurization, the cans are rapidly cooled and stored in refrigerated facilities. Unlike shelf-stable products, pasteurized crab meat must remain refrigerated, ensuring a fresher product when opened.
Benefits of Pasteurized Crab Meat
- Extended shelf life without additives or preservatives
- Safe to ship nationwide with refrigerated logistics
- Preserves the natural sweetness of Blue Crab meat
- Convenient for chefs, markets, and home kitchens
Taste the Difference with Graham & Rollins
We pasteurize our Chesapeake Bay Blue Crab Meat with one goal: to deliver peak flavor and trusted safety. Whether you're preparing crab cakes, dips, or fine seafood entrees, you can count on the quality of every can we produce.
Ready to try it for yourself? Explore our full selection of pasteurized Chesapeake Bay Crab Meat.