How To Freeze Lobster Tail
To need to thaw lobster tail first if it’s already frozen upon purchase. Next, bring a pot of salted water to a boil and add the lobster tail. Cook the tail for about 3-4 minutes, or until it turns bright red. Remove the lobster tail from the water and let it cool. Once the tail is cool enough to handle, use a sharp knife to cut it open lengthwise and remove the meat. Cut the meat into small pieces and place them in an airtight container or freezer bag. Squeeze out any excess air from the container or bag and seal it tightly before placing it in the freezer.
After a period of 6-8 months in the freezer, frozen lobster tails will maintain peak quality, though it is generally safer to eat them once this period of time has passed. How long lobster tails last in the freezer depends on how well lobster tails are packaged and how cold your freezer is, but generally, they last for two to three months. Another method that will take less time is to put the frozen lobster tails into a bowl of cold water for about 30 minutes. You can pour cold water on the leftover lobster meat (take the paper out first) for 30 minutes.
Allow lobster meat to cool fully, and then put in a refrigerator-safe, air-tight cooler bag or container. Spread out the lobster meat onto a sheet pan and put in the freezer for about 30 minutes, or until frozen. The meats are freeze-able, but you will have to prepare them beforehand in order to preserve them in the freezer long term.
When lobsters begin freezing, the meat will start expanding and become tightly packed inside of the shell. When a raw lobster is frozen, the meat is literally expanding and is tightly compressed in the shell walls.
When you freeze and thaw uncooked lobster, the meat sticks to the interior of the shell, and is nearly impossible to remove. Never freeze uncooked lobster, or you will waste all of your time trying to pull the meat from the shell as it thaws. When lobster begins to thaw, because the meat is already contracted and detached from the shell, it does not cling.
Add the lobster to the pot and allow it to simmer for 5 to 8 minutes, or until the meat is solid and white. Once your lobster is cooked through, you will want to pull off the meat (we have an in-depth tutorial on peeling lobster, in case you need it!). Chill lobsters in a bathtub of water with an ice-bath for at least 15 minutes, and then pat dry and remove any excess water. To defrost whole lobsters, let them sit in a cooler for 24 hours, and place in a saltwater pot, boiling water for about 15 minutes, to thoroughly finish cooking.
Put your lobster meat, cooled, into a freezer-safe zipper-lock bag, add a little milk to it (about 1/4 of a cup of milk per lobster), when you are ready to use the meat, dethaw for 24 hours in the fridge. Freeze lobster, placing in freezer 30-60 minutes, then put head-first in pot with boiling water.
| Lobster | Time |
| For how long the lobster can be freeze | For 3-6 months |
| Need to Thaw | 24-48 hours |
Frozen lobsters need to thaw in 24-48 hours, depending on the size of your FROZEN seafood, and the size of your uncooked seafood at the time it was frozen. Next, you will want to put your frozen lobster into either a freezer box or in a freezer-safe container that has plenty of room for frozen seafood to fit without freezing it too much. It is important that you do not put frozen lobster into hot or lukewarm water, as it will result in freezing the lobster losing much of its freezing properties. If you are freezing live lobster, the best practice is first to ethically send your lobster out, and then to freeze.
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Just keep in mind that the longer you freeze the frozen lobster tail, the more ice crystals form, which can harm the frozen lobster meat within. To defrost the frozen lobster, remove from freezer unit and put into container filled with cool tap water. To get the perfect icy lobster, avoid any direct contact between your freezer and lobster. You should also thaw your frozen lobster using the refrigerator; ideally, in a sealed container, with an elevated surface to allow water or juices to escape from the thawed meat.
Cooked lobsters can also be frozen for up to one year, as long as you keep them sealed in vacuum sealed bags, but for this purpose, you must use frozen-dry products. Cooked lobster can be frozen for around 6 months if you use clean freezer bags and keep them frozen, not in trays that may get exposed to moisture. Their shells serve as a barrier against freezer burn, which helps to keep in moisture and avoid damage while cooking the lobster.
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You can place the frozen lobster in the fridge about 30 minutes before you are ready to cook, to allow it to get up to room temperature to allow it to cook evenly. If a lobster has been sitting in a freezer for an extended period of time, it tastes stale, and will be somewhat rubbery when you eat it. In case you accidentally eat the lobster meat from the spoilage, chances are that you will notice a tart flavor quite soon.
If you notice discoloration, such as black spots, on lobster meat, do not buy it, because it is likely that it was improperly handled. While you are unlikely to have any leftovers, since lobster is so tasty, you may have to store the meat, either uncooked or cooked, for a little bit. My husband wants to get in next time there are fresh lobster tails on sale and purchase a big bag of them for freezing, so that we will always have some handy when we need it.
What is the best way to freeze lobster?
Once your lobsters get dry as possible, wrap them snugly in a perticular freezer bag and freeze them for 9 to 12 months at 0 degrees Fahrenheit or lower. Simply defrost them in the refrigerator overnight before boiling them in salted water for 12 minutes to finish cooking them when you’re ready to use them.
Is it better to freeze lobster raw or cooked?
Lobster has to be frozen raw for the highest quality. Freeze the lobster whole or simply the shell pieces containing the edible flesh if it has been cleaned. (Some lobsters have huge front claws that are filled with eatable flesh; other lobsters have eatable meat mostly in the tail.)
How long can lobster tails stay in fridge?
The flavour and glitz of lobster without all the trouble may be enjoyed by eating lobster tails. However, lobster tails should only be stored in the refrigerator for one to two days or in the freezer for up to six months. Eat the lobster as soon as you can because it is not a good idea to keep it on a surface.