Can You Freeze Lobster Tails? How To Freeze Lobster Tails?

To preserve lobster tails for later processing, what will you do? Wondering "Can you freeze lobster tails"? Or maybe how long can frozen lobster stay fresh? This is a question from many lobster tails lovers. Therefore, we try to summary in the most detailed way below to make sure that you make it right.

 

1. Is frozen lobster meat good?

One expert panel assessed the quality of frozen hard-shell lobster and frozen soft-shell lobster claw and tail meat when they were first frozen, as well as after three, six, and nine months of storage. Testers awarded each frozen product good scores after nine months of storage, and observed that soft-shell lobsters' retention rates allow them to be blanched for only 60 to 90 seconds, then frozen whole or as tails or medallions with little or no loss of quality.

Whole lobster completely cooked and frozen or entire lobster blanched and frozen; blanched and frozen whole tails; fully cooked, frozen claws; and fully cooked, picked the flesh from claws, knuckles, and tail are all available as frozen lobster goods from Maine. Pasteurized and vacuum-packed fresh lobster flesh are also available periodically, with a four-month shelf life when refrigerated.

 

2. How to freeze lobster tails in the shell?

When freezing lobster tails, you can't just pop them as is into the freezer and call it a day. You want to do everything you can to keep them in the best condition possible. Just follow each step below. The instructions will show you the clearest way.

1. In a brine mixture, blanch the lobster tails. To prepare the combination, whisk together half a cup of non-iodized salt and 2 quarts of water until smooth. To ensure that the salt has dissolved in the water, bring the mixture to a boil.
2. For a minute, submerge the lobster tails in the water. Take them out and place them in a dish of ice-cold water. Allow the lobsters to soak for 15 to 20 minutes. This will prevent them from overcooking.
3. Remove the lobster tails and pat them dry.
4. Fill freezer-safe bags with the tails. Squeeze any extra air out of the bags before sealing them.
5. Place each bag in a second freezer bag and seal it, labeling it with the current date - the second bag acts as an extra layer of protection.

3. How to freeze lobster meat out of the shell?

There is a way to freeze lobster meat out of the shell. Follow this instruction below to get more informations.

First, you need to cook lobster by steaming

1. Use a 8-quart stockpot with a steamer basket on the bottom, fill it with 1 to 2 inches of water, bring it to a boil.
2. Add the lobsters on top of the basket and lower the heat just to maintain a vigorous simmer.
3. Put the lid on and wait about 15 minutes.
4. Depending on how many pounds of lobster you have in the pot, you'll need to steam them for more 5 to 10 minutes until they're properly cooked.

And then freezing lobster meat that has been de-shelled

1. When steamed lobsters are done, lift them with tongs and let them rest, then pick and cool the meat (We have detailed instruction on how to de-shell lobster if you need it!).
2. Put the picked, cooled lobster meat in an airtight container or freezer zip lock bag. If you have vacuum-sealed bags, they're the greatest choice.
3. Don't overfill a bag with the meat. If you need more than one bag, do so. In the freezer, the meat should be able to lay flat.
4. Put the date on the bags and put them in the freezer so that air can flow around them (don't put them in the same freezer as other frozen foods). 
5. Frozen lobster meat will last for up to 3-6 months if stored at temperatures of 0° F (-18° C) or lower.

4. How long can you freeze lobster tails?

How long does a frozen lobster last? This time depends heavily on stable storage conditions that can keep lobster tails frozen.

• By freezing lobster tails in the shell, they will maintain their best quality for about 9 - 12 months in the freezer, although they are usually still safe to eat afterwards.
• With the way of freezing lobster meat out of the shell, they will last in the freezer for up to 3 to 6 months.

How long can you safely leave frozen lobster tails at room temperature?

Room temperature can fall between 40°F and 140°F, bacteria usually grow very quickly at this temperature. So only use frozen lobster tails within 2 hours, if not, they should be discarded.

That's why we don't recommend defrosting frozen lobster tails at room temperature, but you can thaw them in 3 simpler and safer ways by reading How to thaw lobster tails.

5. Other methods for freezing lobster tails

Other lobster enthusiasts have wonderful tips for how to freeze lobster tails in addition to the instructions above. If you still got the question, here are a few more options for freezing:

1. Follow the same steps as before, except wrap the lobster tails in paper towels to keep the bags from puncturing.

2. Make an ice cube using a lobster tail! The lobster tails are kept from drying out by being kept in ice.

3. Clean, trim, and devein the lobster tails before serving. Place them in plastic containers. Fill the container with water until the lobsters are completely submerged.

4. Place the lid on the container and place it in the freezer. The lobsters will be as fresh as the day they were purchased using this procedure.

5. A vacuum seal machine, if you have one, is ideal for preserving lobster tails. Put the lobsters in a Ziploc bag with paper towels inside (they serve as a protective layer). Then wrap it up and put it away to freeze.

After following the instruction, we’re pretty sure that you clearly know how to freeze lobster tails in your kitchen. The question, can you freeze lobster tails is no more an issue with you guys anymore, right. However, we’re delighted to give you a lot of useful information about lobster. You can take a look at Fishermen's Net to get the best premium lobster products.

• Website: www.mualobster.com
• Address: 849 Forest Ave, Portland, ME 04103
• Tel: +1 (207) 999 2424