Refreezing is the best option to consider if you want to save some money by simply storing the lobster tails. So, can you safely refreeze lobster tails?
You can safely refreeze lobster tails for up to 8 months if you properly thaw them in a refrigerator. Avoid refreezing lobster tails left outside the refrigerator for longer than two hours. Refreezing lobster tails more than once is not recommended.
If you want to refreeze lobster tails, you need to deal with the refreezing process cautiously. So, to make this process easier and safer, you can follow the instructions given below.
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Is It Safe To Refreeze Lobster Tails?
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.
While refreezing lobster tails, you should also be aware of how to prepare them before freezing. Different types of lobster tails need to be handled differently, or you might end up ruining them.
It is advisable to know the different types of lobster tails before you refreeze them. These include:
1. Cold-water lobster tails
These tails originate from South Africa, New Zealand, and Australia. Cold-water lobster tails contain meat in a lesser quantity, but the meat is firm in texture and of higher quality. Moreover, the meat is whiter than the warm-water lobster tails.
2. Warm-water lobster tails
Warm water lobster tails generally come from the Caribbean, Latin America, and Florida. Though the warm-water lobster tails contain more meat, the meat is less firm and a little mushier. A warm-water lobster’s meat is also less white. The shells are also different and have yellow spots and markings on them.
Cold-water lobster tails vs. Warm-water lobster tails; Which refreezes better?
Since the cold-water lobster tails’ meat is more firm in texture, it would support the refreezing process. On the contrary, the warm-water lobster tails meat is less firm, so it might need more careful handling for refreezing.
Also, refreezing lobster tails more than once should be avoided. Repeatedly thawing and refreezing the lobster tails will immensely reduce their quality. And it may lead to clump formation and crystal formation, which will only further degrade the quality. So, it is best not to refreeze the tails more than once.
How To Refreeze Lobster Tails?
Here is a step-by-step guide to refreezing lobster tails in their different forms following the safest refreezing procedure:
- If you want to refreeze lobster tails out of the shell, all you need to do is first soak the tails in cold water and then pick the meat out of them.
- While refreezing lobster tails in the shell, take the frozen lobster tails and let them thaw slowly in the refrigerator. When the tails have appropriately thawed, you can start working on refreezing the unused tails.
- Place the thawed lobster tails or picked lobster meat on a freezer-safe tray in such a way that their edges are not touching each other. Make sure that no pieces are in contact or on top of one another.
- Once you’ve placed the tails/meat properly on the tray, you can go ahead and pop it into the freezer and let it flash-freeze.
- Next, take the frozen solid tails/meat out of the freezer, and put them inside a freezer-safe bag or a vacuum-sealed bag. Ensure that no excess air is present inside the bags in which you are placing the lobster tails.
- You can skip this step if you want, but it’s best to put the packaged tails/meat inside a freezer-safe container.
- After securing the freezer packaging, you can safely refreeze lobster tails/picked meat inside the freezer.
Can You Refreeze Cooked Lobster Tails?
If needed, you can safely refreeze the cooked lobster tails. However, the National Center for Home Food Preservation recommends refreezing uncooked lobster.
Follow the steps given below to refreeze cooked lobster tails:
- Let the cooked lobster tails cool down thoroughly.
- Next, flash-freeze the cooked lobster tails by placing them on a freezer-safe tray and freezing them till the tails have frozen solid.
- Take out the frozen solid lobster tails and wrap them inside a paper towel.
- Put these wrapped tails in a freezer-safe bag and push out the extra air. Or you can put them inside vacuum-sealed bags.
- After that, place them inside a freezer-safe container and pop them inside the freezer.
How Long Do Lobster Tails Last In The Fridge?
When stored properly, crustacean tails such as lobster tails can last 3-4 days in the refrigerator. But make sure you store them in zip-lock bags or plastic storage containers and keep them in the coldest part of the fridge (32-34 degrees Fahrenheit) – ideally near the bottom or beside the ice tray.
How Long Can You Refreeze Lobster Tails?
You can store properly refrozen lobster tails for up to 8-10 months or even a year. However, these tails taste best when used within 4-6 months of refreezing. The longer you keep lobster tails refrozen, the more loss of quality and taste will take place. So, you should consume them as soon as possible if you want to enjoy them to the fullest.
How To Thaw Frozen Lobster Tails?
There are two effective ways to thaw your lobster tails; you can opt for either, depending on your spare time!
1. Overnight thawing
We highly suggest the overnight method’ if you can dedicate 24 hours to thawing before finally enjoying the lobster tails. Though it does take more time, it allows the tails to remain in a temperature-controlled environment.
All you need to do is place the lobster tails in a well-sealed leak-proof bag, then put the bag on a plate and shift it to the bottom shelf of the refrigerator. Let them thaw in the fridge for a full day and night until they are ready to go in a recipe.
2. Quick thawing
A quicker thawing option is to put the lobster tails in a leak-proof bag, releasing the excess air and placing the bag in a bowl of cold water. Check the water every fifteen minutes to ensure its temperature is between 30 and 40 degrees. If not, replace the water and continue the same process until the meat is tender enough.
One to two lobster tails may take around 30 minutes; if there are more, it will likely need about an hour or more.
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