How to Freeze Maine Lobster

Properly prepared, Maine lobster will keep frozen for 9-12 months. Here are instructions for freezing Maine lobster.

  1. Lobsters should be chilled and live.
  2. Blanch lobsters in rapidly boiling salted water for 60 seconds. Use 1 tbsp of salt for every liter/quart of water.
  3. Chill blanched lobster in an ice water bath.
  4. Following a 15-20 minute chill, pat the lobster dry to remove excess water.
  5. Place lobster in freezer or vacuum bags, removing as much air as possible (Ziploc vacuum bag systems available at supermarkets work well.)
  6. If not using vacuum bags, place in a second freezer bag or wrap with freezer wrap.
  7. Freeze at -18 C◦ (0 F◦), which standard for home freezers. If possible, freeze at a lower temperature to maintain the quality of the meat.
  8. Thawing directions: Frozen lobsters should be thawed overnight in the refrigerator.
  9. Thawed lobsters should be boiled in salted water 12-15 minutes, until cooked.

Process provided by The Lobster Institute.

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