# what to do with this iffy canned crabmeat? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 28, 2020, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-this-iffy-canned-crabmeat/850536 "2020-03-28T20:57:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2020, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-this-iffy-canned-crabmeat/850536/1 "2020-03-28T20:57:51Z")
I have been gifted with several cans of Ocean Prince canned ‘pink’ crab. I opened a can, it’s half water, not lump crab at all, the texture of coarse sawdust. It tastes ok, I guess. but what should I make with it? It isn’t really suitable for a sandwich, as you would make with tuna. Crab Bisque? Crab Cakes? Some kind of dip? Mix it in with something? as I said, it tastes ok but is very fine, and watery unless I press it hard. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2020, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-this-iffy-canned-crabmeat/850536/2 "2020-03-28T21:00:37Z")
Soup? Open a couple of cans of clam chowder and mix it in. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2020, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-this-iffy-canned-crabmeat/850536/3 "2020-03-28T21:31:07Z")
The soup is a good idea but I’d vote for crab cakes. ---
**Author:** ![CelticKnot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/celticknot/32/3392_2.png) [@CelticKnot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CelticKnot)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2020, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-this-iffy-canned-crabmeat/850536/4 "2020-03-28T22:07:42Z")
> [@Ike\_Witt](#): > > The soup is a good idea but I’d vote for crab cakes. Blasphemy! ---
**Author:** ![Tarataratara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Tarataratara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tarataratara)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2020, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-this-iffy-canned-crabmeat/850536/5 "2020-03-28T22:22:19Z")
Crab rangoon ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2020, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-this-iffy-canned-crabmeat/850536/6 "2020-03-28T22:58:43Z")
I typically throw iffy food away. Why risk it? ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2020, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-this-iffy-canned-crabmeat/850536/7 "2020-03-28T23:16:26Z")
Crab loaf. If you look up Food Wishes on Youtube, Chef John has a recent recipe for salmon loaf, using canned salmon, which he mashes to a pulp. Sounds like your crab is already in that condition, so maybe substitute your crab for the canned salmon and see what you get. And then when you get hooked on Chef John videos, it will give you something to do until the all clear sounds. ---
**Author:** ![jayarrell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de0a6/32.png) [@jayarrell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayarrell)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2020, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-this-iffy-canned-crabmeat/850536/8 "2020-03-28T23:30:31Z")
If that’s the brand I’m thinking of it’s good for making crab rangoon or california rolls. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2020, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-this-iffy-canned-crabmeat/850536/9 "2020-03-29T04:50:32Z")
> [@Odesio](#): > > I typically throw iffy food away. Why risk it? There’s nothing wrong with it, it’s just very fine in texture, thats the iffy part. I still want to use it but not sure how. Well, I’ll see what I can do . I think I could make a nice newburg-type cream based soup, a bisque. And maybe add some shrimp, oh yes, that sounds do-able. thanks for the suggestions. I pressed some dry-ish and mixed it with cream cheese and seasonings, it made an ok dip with crackers. ---
**Author:** ![Jeff\_Lichtman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeff_lichtman/32/1531_2.png) [@Jeff\_Lichtman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeff_Lichtman)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2020, 6:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-this-iffy-canned-crabmeat/850536/10 "2020-03-29T06:35:57Z")
An omelet or frittata should be easy to make, and the texture of the crab won’t make as much difference as it would in some other dishes. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2020, 7:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-this-iffy-canned-crabmeat/850536/11 "2020-03-29T07:24:40Z")
Cats? ---
**Author:** ![jerez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c68b51/32.png) [@jerez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jerez)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2020, 8:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-this-iffy-canned-crabmeat/850536/12 "2020-03-29T08:06:11Z")
If it’s in water and not oil, you could use the liquid to make a white sauce for pasta. I’m going to do that today with mussels canned in water. Sauté leek (or onion), add canning liquid with a thickener (like corn starch) and a little milk and chuck the mussels back into the sauce in the last few minutes. Eat it on spinach noodles (or spaghetti). ---
**Author:** ![flaming\_yawn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/cab0a1/32.png) [@flaming\_yawn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flaming_yawn)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2020, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-this-iffy-canned-crabmeat/850536/13 "2020-03-29T16:01:54Z")
mix with mayo and cheese and put on a toasted english muffin and then broil a little bit… I cannot remember if this has a name, I know my mother in law used “old english cheese spread” ---
**Author:** ![campp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@campp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/campp)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2020, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-this-iffy-canned-crabmeat/850536/14 "2020-03-29T16:04:00Z")
Yeah, I second: Cats? ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2020, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-this-iffy-canned-crabmeat/850536/15 "2020-03-29T16:19:54Z")
That stuff is ok for crab dip or additional filler in a crab dish, not much else. My wife picked up a couple of cans of the Bumblebee equivalent, they were labeled ‘White Crab Meat’ and she thought it was the ‘White Lump Crab Meat’ at a fantastic price. The OP got the stuff for free, that’s a reasonable price. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2020, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-this-iffy-canned-crabmeat/850536/16 "2020-03-29T16:31:59Z")
> [@flaming\_yawn](#): > > mix with mayo and cheese and put on a toasted english muffin and then broil a little bit… I cannot remember if this has a name, I know my mother in law used “old english cheese spread” Oh, yes, this is delicious, I had it in a cafe, it had minced scallion mixed in. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2020, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-this-iffy-canned-crabmeat/850536/17 "2020-03-29T16:38:54Z")
> [@Odesio](#): > > I typically throw iffy food away. Why risk it? I don’t think it’s “iffy” in the sense of being off, but rather of poor quality. I don’t know if I had the same brand as the OP, but I bought some clearance crab meat years ago with the same results: it was just ultra fine crab meat, like it you took crab and put it in a blender with water. I ended up just tossing it in the trash, as I couldn’t be arsed to figure out a good use for it. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2020, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-this-iffy-canned-crabmeat/850536/18 "2020-03-29T16:41:06Z")
The OP’s description fits canned crabmeat in general that isn’t labeled “lump” or something similar. I drain the water (there shouldn’t be that much) and either add it to soup or make a mildly mushy sandwich with it. The English muffin thing sounds good too. ---
**Author:** ![flaming\_yawn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/cab0a1/32.png) [@flaming\_yawn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flaming_yawn)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2020, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-this-iffy-canned-crabmeat/850536/19 "2020-03-29T19:55:20Z")
after reading the post and answering about the english muffing thing I went and made them. toast them first thats a must. i have also used this crab to make stuffed mushrooms. ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2020, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-this-iffy-canned-crabmeat/850536/20 "2020-03-30T15:47:38Z")
I’ve used that kind of crab when making baked tuna croquettes. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-this-iffy-canned-crabmeat/850536.md?page=2)