Can You Store Lobster By Freezing?
Lobsters serve as a great indulgence occasionally. You must also be enjoying lobster in your meals once in a while, right? You can make several dishes using the meat, like soups, stews, and more. Lobsters are one of the most popular seafood.
But lobster needs to be handled carefully, otherwise, it will spoil. You also cannot keep them for longer at normal room temperature. So, you must have thought if you could preserve lobsters for later or not, isn’t it? Can you store the meat?
Yes, you can store lobster meat for later use by freezing it. You can freeze lobster as it is a great way of preserving them, but you have to strictly follow guidelines while freezing the lobster meat. But how to freeze them? Read on to find out!
How To Freeze Lobster?
For freezing the lobster you need to take special precautions and do the job as soon as possible, because the longer you keep the lobsters at room temperature, the sooner it will cause toxins and microbes, thus making it unhealthy for consumption.
Freezing cooked lobsters is always easier than freezing uncooked ones because they are hassle-free, less complicated, and keep better in the freezer. Lobster is seafood, and freezing them improperly might lead to food poisoning.
It is always better to freeze the lobster in smaller portions. This will not be easier to store, but will also be beneficial when you thaw and use the lobster later. Check out the steps for freezing lobster here.
- When you are storing cooked lobster, it is important to let it cool completely before proceeding further with freezing. Freezing warm lobster meat will spoil, so let your cooked meat cool down first.
- You can either remove the shell from the lobster before or after cooking them. If you have not done it yet, then remove the shells from the cooked lobster meat. Removing the shells is necessary to avoid any mess upon freezing.
- Transfer the lobster into small freezer bags and pour some milk over it. The milk will improve freezing and enhance the taste. You can portion out the lobster and use several zip-lock bags to store them.
- Seal the bags adequately and squeeze out as much air as possible. Do it carefully because the bag contains milk as well. Next, label and date the bags and stack them in the freezer. Your lobster is ready to freeze.
Does Lobster Freeze Well?
Yes, lobster freezes extremely well, especially cooked lobster, when proper storage conditions are followed. However, as mentioned earlier, lobsters will stay good in the freezer, only if you freeze live lobsters.
It is strictly advised against freezing dead lobsters, as you do not know how long the lobster has been dead. Lobster is a seafood and therefore, it is always better to freeze them live, otherwise, they will not freeze well.
Tips To Freeze Lobster
Now that you know how to freeze lobsters, and whether they freeze well or not, check out the below-mentioned tips for the best results of freezing the lobsters.
- Never freeze a lobster that has been dead for more than two hours. This is because the longer you keep a dead lobster, it develops toxins and microbes that can cause a risk to your health. Also, dead lobster is not suitable for freezing.
- Live lobsters are suitable for freezing, but you need to ensure adequate steps are being followed. It’s important to never freeze a live lobster without taking proper steps. Otherwise, they will lose texture and flavor.
- Lobster is a seafood and therefore contains a shell. But you cannot freeze the lobster with its shell on, you will have to remove it before freezing. The lobster will also not freeze sufficiently with the shell and it might become messy. Therefore removing the shell is necessary.
- It is always better to add milk while freezing the lobster because the milk will help to keep the meat moist and flavorful, and also save it from freezer burns. Additionally, it gives the lobster a creamy mouthfeel that makes it perfect for use in broths, stews, and soups.
- Do not attempt to refreeze lobsters. Refreezing will only ruin the texture and flavor of the seafood. This will also lead to food wastage. To avoid refreezing lobsters, you can freeze them in smaller portions and use them accordingly.
- You can freeze both uncooked and cooked lobster, but it is always better to freeze cooked lobster. This will not only save you time while defrosting them but will also make your task easier to use the lobsters in other recipes.
Steps For Thawing Lobster
Just like you are to take special precautions while freezing lobster, thawing lobster also demands certain specifications, or else it will spoil. No, that does not mean it will be difficult, you only need to ensure a step-by-step approach for defrosting lobster.
Check out the following steps to thaw the lobsters safely.
- Carefully remove the frozen lobsters from the freezer and place them in the refrigerator for thawing. Do not remove them from the freezer bags.
- You need to keep the lobster in the refrigerator overnight or for at least 6-8 hours before they have completely defrosted.
- Once the lobster has defrosted, remove them from the refrigerator and use them in your favorite recipe.
While thawing the lobster, never thaw them directly at room temperature as seafood kept at room temperature for long periods tends to spoil. Also, do not use the microwave for defrosting frozen lobster as it will ruin the flavor and texture. Defrosting the lobsters in the fridge is the safest way.
How Long Can You Freeze The Lobster?
Out-of-the-shell lobster meat will last in the freezer for up to three months. It is technically possible to store lobster for more than three months, but not recommended to do so. This is because lobster being seafood needs certain freezing care, and keeping it longer than three months will only ruin the seafood.
You might also notice texture and flavor alterations after three months, even if you store them appropriately. Lobsters cannot be stored for long in the refrigerator, therefore freezing is always a good idea to increase their shelf life. It also ensures a three-month supply of seafood in your freezer.
Summing it up, that was all about storing lobsters for later use. Now you know that lobsters can be frozen for up to three months without any texture and flavor alterations. Remember not to freeze uncooked lobster and lobster with shells, as then the meat will shrink inside.