How Long Can Lobster Tails Stay in the Fridge? Extra Tips

Lobster tails taste best when fresh. But if you can’t finish them all at once, consider storing the leftovers in the fridge.

How long can lobster tails stay in the fridge? This article will give you a complete guide to this question. Also, do not miss the signs of spoiled food to protect yourself from food poisoning. Let’s jump into the details!

How Long Can Lobster Tails Stay in the Fridge?

If you store cooked lobster tails in the fridge, they can last about three days there. Raw tails will last longer, up to five days. 

The problem with cooked food is that you have added various ingredients and seasonings to them. Hence, when storing such food, we advise consuming them as soon as possible.

Raw Lobster Tails

Raw lobster tails can remain good in your refrigerator for up to five days if treated properly. If you’re unsure about how long they can last, consider the following advice as a guide:

• Set your fridge’s temperature at 40°F. The meat of your lobsters will rot more quickly if the temperature increases.
• When storing your tails in the refrigerator, ensure to submerge all of their parts thoroughly in ice or water.

Cooked Lobster Tails

If you have any leftovers, you may keep them for about three days in your refrigerator. But there are several safety measures to follow.

To maintain their taste and safety, you should refrigerate cooked lobster tails right when you finish cooking.

Besides, drain off all the water and meat juices of the lobster tails before cooking them in your fridge.

Another piece of advice is to use airtight containers to store your cooked lobster tails. In this manner, moisture can’t find its way to penetrate your food and form condensation there.

How to Store Lobster Tails in the Fridge

The lobster tails are quite fragile. They soon spoil if you don’t prepare them straight away. But if you know the way, you can keep your food in the refrigerator for a few more days.

It’s ideal for storing lobster tails in their supermarket packaging, as with any other meat product. Then, put the packs in the coldest area of the refrigerator, away from temperature changes and the door.

If your lobster tails don’t come in sealed packaging, put them in airtight containers to decrease airflow and minimize the chance of cross-contamination.

To prevent them from drying out while you’re ready to use them, you can also store lobster tails in your refrigerator with an ice pack or cover them in a moist cloth.

Another method is to submerge the meat in melted butter or water in the fridge. However, the taste and texture of your food will change over time.

Read more: A step-by-step guide to preserving lobster shells

How to Tell If Lobster Tails Are Bad 

Before taking your lobster tails from the fridge, you should check for signs of spoilage first. Here are five things to examine about your food to avoid food poisoning.

Appearance

The lobster meat beneath the patterned blue-green shell of the raw lobster tail should have a transparent white hue. Any changes from this suggest that your food is no longer safe to cook and eat.

If you store cooked lobster tails, either store-bought or homemade, the shell should be orange-red, and the flesh should be white with some red splashes. If the flesh turns green or lime-white, it isn’t edible. 

Smell

Raw lobster tails have a seaside aroma that makes you want to head for the beach. But if they turn fishy, you’d better throw them away.

You can sniff the tails carefully to check their smell. If it’s revolting and pungent, your food may have gone spoiled.

Perform the same test on cooked lobster tails. The rule doesn’t change in this case: The meat is unsafe to eat if it has a fishy smell.

Texture

The texture of raw lobster tails should be firm and slightly dry because it has been out of the water. Meanwhile, the shells have smooth patches and a rougher overall texture.

The lobster tail has gone rotten if the shell looks slimy or if the meaty flesh turns mushy and gooey like cream cheese.

On the other hand, the cooked lobster tail meat should also be dry, firm, and maintain its shape. Slimy, soft, or squishy meat is a sign of spoilage.

Taste

Of course, you can’t eat raw lobster tails even when they haven’t gone bad. So you will only check for the taste of cooked meat.

You will realize the sour taste if you accidentally eat spoiled lobster tails. You may also feel the mustiness that is unpalatable.

Mold

Mold doesn’t often grow on raw lobster tails. If you see any growths, your food must have decayed, and the only thing you can do is throw it away. The same stays true for cooked lobster tails.

Can You Keep Lobster in the Freezer?

If you don’t plan to use your lobster tails soon, putting them in the freezer will be the best storage method. They can last for months in such freezing temperatures.

When frozen correctly, lobster tails may even remain good for one year. Then, your food only deteriorates in texture.

To freeze lobster tails, wrap them carefully in a sealed container and place it in the freezer immediately. This method will prevent bacteria from growing and spreading within your food.

To thaw frozen lobster, put it in the fridge overnight. The best temperature to defrost is below 40 degrees Fahrenheit.

Thawed lobster tails can last up to two days in the refrigerator if stored properly. It’s important to keep lobster tails in an airtight container or wrap them tightly with cling film to prevent them from drying out or absorbing other flavors in the refrigerator.

If you do not plan to use lobster tails after this time, it is best to refreeze them to maintain their quality and freshness.

This video will show you more tips on how to freeze and preserve lobster tails:

Conclusion

Lobster tails can last about 3 days in your fridge when cooked and five days if still raw. However, you should learn how to refrigerate them correctly to lengthen their lifespan.

Besides, do not forget to check for signs of spoilage when taking lobster meat from the fridge. If you live in warmer regions, we highly recommend freezing them.

Hopefully, storing lobster tails won’t bother you anymore. If you need extra tips for this task, don’t be shy to contact us. We welcome all the questions.

Thank you for stopping by!