This is the best place to find out how to cook lobster tails if you want to learn how to do it. We provide multiple methods for cooking lobster tails.
First things, First: Always thaw lobster tails if they are frozen. Putting them in the fridge for 24 hours before cooking is the best way to remove this problem. They can thaw at room temperature for a few hours if you need them faster. If you need them right away, you can run cold water over them to thaw them faster.
Lobster Tails That Were Frozen Thawing lobster in the refrigerator allows you a few days leeway for cooking or refreezing. If the lobster tails thaw in a fridge that is 40 degrees Fahrenheit or less, you can freeze them again within two days.
As a seafood lover, I often stock up on lobster tails when they go on sale. Lobster isn’t cheap, so buying in bulk saves me money. But sometimes life gets busy, and I don’t end up cooking all the thawed lobster tails I had planned. At that point, I’m faced with the question – can you safely refreeze previously frozen lobster tails? Or will refreezing ruin their texture and flavor?
I did some digging into proper lobster tail refreezing techniques, and the good news is you can safely refreeze thawed lobster tails without destroying quality. However, there are a few guidelines to follow.
Here’s my guide to successfully refreezing previously frozen lobster tails to avoid waste and save your seafood budget
Can You Refreeze Thawed Lobster Tails?
Yes, you can safely refreeze uncooked, raw lobster tails that were previously frozen, according to USDA recommendations. The key is ensuring they were thawed properly in the first place.
As long as the raw lobster tails:
- Were kept at 40°F or below during initial thawing
- Haven’t been left at room temperature for over 2 hours
- Don’t have any off odors or signs of spoilage
Then they can be refrozen without safety or significant quality issues.
Refreezing cooked lobster tails is riskier since the meat texture degrades. For best results, only refreeze uncooked tails.
Storing Thawed Lobster Before Refreezing
For refreezing thawed lobster tails, you want the meat to still be as cold and firm as possible. Here are some tips:
-
Refreeze ASAP – The shorter time thawed lobster sits in the fridge, the better. Refreeze within 1-2 days max.
-
Keep Cold – Store thawed tails on lowest refrigerator shelf, ideally in contact with ice packs, until ready to refreeze.
-
Separate – Keep tails spread out with space between rather than stacked. This allows for quick, even re-freezing.
Follow cold storage rules to prevent deterioration of thawed meat. The sooner you get those lobster tails back into the freezer, the higher quality they’ll retain.
How to Refreeze Lobster Tails Step-By-Step
Here is a simple 3-step process for properly refreezing lobster tails:
Step 1: Rinse & Pat Dry
Rinse thawed tails under cold water and gently pat dry with paper towels. You want to remove any liquid or moisture so they re-freeze evenly.
Step 2: Open Freeze
Place tails in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Make sure no tails are overlapping or touching.
Put the tray of tails in the freezer until completely solid and frozen through, about 2-3 hours. Fast flash freezing prevents large ice crystals from forming and damaging texture.
Step 3: Seal for Storage
Once tails are frozen solid, remove baking tray and pack tails in airtight freezer bags or containers. Squeeze out excess air and return to freezer.
Properly sealed, the refrozen tails can be stored for up to 4 months before quality decline.
And that’s it – lobster saved! With this 3-step method, you can safely refreeze that expensive seafood.
Tips for Refreezing Lobster Tails
Follow these best practices when refreezing lobster tails:
-
Only refreeze once – Repeated thaw and refreeze cycles degrade texture and flavor. Refreeze previously frozen tails just once.
-
Use freezer bags – Prevent freezer burn by using airtight freezer bags or containers for storage.
-
Label bags – Mark bags with refreeze date so you know when to use by.
-
Cook within 4 months – For best quality and flavor, cook refrozen tails within 4 months.
Taking these precautions allows you to refreeze lobster tails while maintaining safety and getting the most out of your precious seafood.
Refreezing Cooked Lobster Meat
While refreezing raw, uncooked lobster tails is fine, handling pre-cooked lobster meat is more tricky.
Cooked lobster meat is quite fragile. The proteins have already denatured from the initial cooking so refreezing can really damage the texture.
If you must refreeze cooked lobster, here are a few tips:
- Allow meat to fully cool before freezing
- Wrap tightly in plastic wrap
- Use within 1 month
- Expect some degradation in texture
Ideally, try to freeze uncooked lobster tails instead of refreezing cooked meat for best flavor and mouthfeel.
Serving Refrozen Lobster Tails
Once you’ve refrozen and thawed those lobster tails for the second time, how do you serve them up?
Here are some of my favorite ways to enjoy previously refrozen lobster tails:
-
Baked with lemon, garlic butter
-
Split and grilled
-
Cold lobster salad
-
Summer lobster rolls
-
Tacos with lime crema
-
Fresh lobster mac and cheese
-
Hearty lobster bisque
Refreezing doesn’t have to mean compromise on taste – with the right recipes, those frozen and refrozen lobster tails will still shine!
The Takeaway: Enjoy Your Leftover Lobster
Thanks to proper refreezing methods, you don’t have to stress about leftover lobster tails ever again.
As long as you promptly refreeze uncooked tails that have been thawed at safe temperatures, you can safely save that expensive seafood without ruining texture and flavor.
Follow the 3 keys to refreezing lobster tail success:
- Rinse and pat dry tails
- Open freeze briefly on tray
- Seal airtight for long-term storage
So feel free to stock up on lobster when prices drop, knowing you can simply refreeze any extra tails. Your budget and tastebuds will thank you. No more lobster waste – just delicious, tender seafood ready for your next surf and turf feast!
Broiling Maine Lobster Tails
- Preheat broiler to high.
- Cut the top of each tail shell all the way down to the tip of the tail with sharp kitchen shears. You only need to cut through the top, not the meat or the shell at the bottom.
- To separate the meat from the bottom shell, spread the top shell open and pull the meat up. Push the shell together a little so it looks like the meat is sitting on top “butterfly-style.”
- Place on a baking sheet.
- Melt the butter and add seasonings to taste. Mix them together in a small bowl.
- Drizzle the butter mixture over the lobster meat.
- Place on the middle to upper oven rack and broil for about one minute per ounce of lobster tail until the meat is opaque all the way through and lightly browned.
Boiling Maine Lobster Tails
Leave the lobster meat in the shell for this method until it is finished cooking. Once it’s cooked, cut the lobster shell from tip to tip to access the meat.
- For every four lobster tails, boil six to eight cups of salted water.
- Turn the heat down to a simmer and add the lobster tails to the boiling water.
- Cook one minute for every one ounce of lobster meat. That is, cook for 10 minutes if you have four 10-ounce lobster tails in the pot.
- Once the lobster tails are out of the water, dry them off with paper towels. Then, use a sharp, heavy chef knife to cut the shells down the middle, from end to end.
- Add your favorite seasonings and serve with hot butter or olive oil. You can also eat it plain.
How to Cook Frozen Lobster Tails
Can You Freeze frozen lobster tails?
If you purchased them frozen at the store, it’s fine to just pop the package straight into the freezer, as long as they are still frozen. Thawed lobster: Place fresh lobster tails in the refrigerator, covered or in an airtight container, and use within 1-2 days for best quality and safety.
How do you thaw lobster tails?
Thawing lobster properly is crucial to maintaining its quality. The recommended methods include refrigerator thawing, cold water thawing, and microwave thawing. For the best results, thaw lobster slowly in the refrigerator overnight. The time required to thaw lobster tails depends on their size and the method used.
Are refreezing lobster tails safe?
Refreezing lobster tails are entirely safe, given that you follow the refreezing instructions carefully. However, keep in mind that it might affect their quality. Though refrozen lobster tails might not taste as good as the fresh ones yet, they won’t cause you any harm.
Should you freeze and thaw lobster?
Lobster, a delicacy cherished for its sweet and succulent meat, deserves to be preserved with care. Whether you have an abundance of lobster tails or want to extend the shelf life of your favorite seafood, mastering the art of freezing and thawing lobster is essential.