Lobster is seafood that can be enjoyed on its own or used in dishes and recipes. Lobsters are a great source of protein and amino acids. They also contain vitamins that could help boost one’s overall well-being. So, aside from being tasty and versatile they also have great nutritional content.
Lobsters can be very fickle, they have a shelf life of only 7 days. Since they are a great snack to have on hand, you need to be able to preserve them. The next time you have a dinner cancellation and have so much lobster leftover that you don’t know what to do with it you can freeze it.
Can you freeze Lobster? Yes, you can. Lobsters can be frozen for 9 to 12 months and still retain their flavor.
There are different ways by which you can go about freezing Lobsters and for the sake of completeness, we are going to talk about all of them.
There is no reason to waste lobsters if you can preserve them. This article would help to guide you on how to preserve them and keep them safe to eat.
How to Freeze Lobsters
Lobsters can be frozen in two different ways, you can decide to blanch them, or steam them before you freeze. These processes would help you keep them fresh and safe to eat in the freezer.
Food stored in the freezer is liable to be affected by freezer burn, so storing them properly is also important.
Freezing Steamed Lobsters
Steaming Lobsters is a method of cooking them before you freeze them. So, if you have cooked lobsters, this method would work well for you.
Step 1: Steaming the Lobsters
To steam your lobsters, you need a big pot that would be able to contain all of the lobsters you plan to freeze without stuffing them. Then, fill the pot with about two to three inches of salted water, then put a steaming rack inside the pot. Place the pot on a stove-top and heat it till it boils.
Once the water starts boiling use tongs to arrange the lobsters on the steaming rack. Be careful to not get your hands scalded by the heat. Cover the pot after placing all the lobsters and let it steam for at least 8 minutes. Depending on the size of the lobster, it takes about 8 to 10 minutes to steam.
Step 2: Remove the Meat
Once the lobsters are thoroughly cooked, you need to de-shell the meat. After removing the meat from the shells, get the meat to cool down completely before you do anything with it.
Step 3: Storage and Freezing
The best way to store your lobster is to store them in airtight freezer bags. This way, you don’t have to cram them into one tight space. When using freezer bags, use multiple bags. Don’t put excess meat in one bag, you could decide to portion the lobster into a serving-size portion and freeze each portion separately.
Place the lobsters in a single layer in the freezer bags, preferably Ziploc freezer bags. Press the bags flat to remove as much air as you can before you seal them.
Before you place the bag into the freezer to freeze, label them with the date of the freeze and its contents. The lobsters can stay in there for a while and you might lose sight of them. When next you do find them, you would know how long you have it stored.
Freezing Blanched Lobsters
The method is perfect for freshly bought lobsters. You don’t have to shell the lobsters until you are ready to use them.
Step 1: Blanching The Lobsters
Blanching your lobster is a great technique to prepare them for the freezer, but you would need to cook them after thawing. The process also helps to preserve the flavor and texture of the lobster.
Get a pot that would be able to contain all of your lobsters comfortably. Fill it with water and salt and bring it to a boil on the stovetop. While the water boils, prepare an ice bath.
Place your lobster in the boiling salt brine mixture for 1 minute, then immediately transfer the lobster into the ice bath to stop the cooking process. An ice bath is a bowl of water filled with ice.
Leave the lobster in the ice bath for about 15 minutes. Drain the water and then leave it to air dry.
Step 2: Prep the Lobster for Freezing
Cut off the tail and claws from the lobster, don’t bother to shell them. Removing the shell from lobster that hasn’t been cooked through can affect the overall quality upon freezing.
Step 3: Storage and Freezing
You can store your blanched lobsters in airtight freezer bags, or use a vacuum sealer if you have one. If you don’t have one, you can seal the lobsters tightly in airtight freezer bags.
Keep your lobsters out of the way of other food items so that they do not absorb unwanted flavors, don’t forget to label the bags also.
How to Thaw Frozen Lobsters
Thawing frozen lobsters require premeditation. You can thaw your lobster in the refrigerator by leaving it in there for at least 24 hours.
If you are under a time strain and would love to thaw it faster, you can thaw it by keeping it under running cold water for at least 30 minutes.
Once the lobster thaws, you can then reheat the meat in the oven for some minutes. This would help you finish cooking them through and through.
How to Recognize Spoiled Lobster
Spoiled lobster can be recognized by taking a good sniff at it. If your lobster has a pungent odor, then you should throw it out. Spoiled lobster would also be soft and have a cottage cheese-like consistency. So, if your lobster meat smells okay, you should check the texture.
Another way to recognize spoiled lobster is to check if it is slimy or not. If it is slimy, you should throw it out. Spoiled food is unhealthy and could pose a great risk to one’s health.