Langoustines are a prized ingredient in the world of seafood. This can mean that if youāve managed to get a stock of them in your home, you may be tempted to freeze them. But, is this ok to do?
Can You Freeze Langoustines?
Yes, you can freeze langoustines for up to 1 month. Cook and cool them then you can treat them as you would any other protein – wrap them in a layer of baking paper, followed by a layer of cling film. Once wrapped, label them and freeze.
Do Do Langoustines freeze well? Yes
Can you refreeze Langoustines? No
How to Freeze Langoustines
Although langoustines are a pricey ingredient and not something you’ll have on hand regularly to freeze, when you do, you’ll want to freeze them right. Here’s the correct method for doing so:
- Cook: Get started by bringing a large pot of water to the boil before blanching the langoustines in that water for two minutes at a time. After theyāve boiled and taken on a little colour, theyāre safe to freeze.
- Dry and Cool: Remove them from the pot of boiling water, and pat them dry with kitchen paper.
- Wrap: After that, wrap each langoustine in the first layer of baking paper, followed by a layer of cling film. Protein sources generally require two layers around them when freezing to prevent freezer burn from altering their texture.
- Label and Freeze: When the langoustines are entirely wrapped up, write the correct date on them before transferring them to the freezer, where they will freeze well and can be stored for around a month.
3 Tips for Freezing Langoustines
Now you know how to freeze them, we’ve got our 3 top tips which we strongly recommend following when freezing langoustines to have the best results:
Seal Tightly
The cling film should form a complete seal. This sealed layer will prevent frost from encroaching upon the langoustines, allowing them to stay food safe for longer.
Be Wary of Frost
When dealing with frozen food, itās always worth being wary of a little frost. When dealing with langoustines, frost is usually indicative of freezer burn, which leads to a lack of texture and flavour in the seafood youāre eating.
Use Your Nose
If the langoustines that youāre using smell fishy or bad in any way, then itās likely worth throwing them out. That smelliness comes from bacteria, and fresh, safe-to-eat fish shouldnāt smell fishy. If your langoustines have taken on a sour, spoiled smell while in the freezer, itās likely safer to walk away from them than it is to eat them.
How Long Can You Freeze Langoustines?
You can freeze langoustines for around 1 month or so, after which time the langoustines youāre storing are likely to have gone bad due to freezer burn.
Langoustines, both live and dead, will keep in the fridge for between 2 and 3 days. Once cooked, they can be kept in the fridge for up to 48 hours, but no longer!
How Do You Defrost Langoustines?
The best way to defrost langoustines is to keep them in the fridge overnight.
Langoustines are entirely food unsafe to keep on the counter of your kitchen for an extended period, meaning that itās wise to keep the langoustines in your fridge for the sake of food safety.
Can You Refreeze Langoustines?
No, you absolutely cannot refreeze langoustines.
If langoustines are allowed to thaw to room temperature, they must be eaten or thrown away.
This is because as soon as they reach room temperature, they will start to be slightly contaminated by bacteria in the air – the only way to solace that problem is through cooking, not refreezing.
Do Langoustines Freeze Well?
Langoustines do freeze quite well, yes.
They may get a little chewier, depending on how long theyāre being frozen, but as long as theyāre frozen for no more than a month, theyāll be entirely safe to eat!Ā
Related FAQs
If youāve still got questions about freezing langoustines or langoustines in general, then these may help:
Yes, langoustine tails can be frozen wrapped in a sheet of baking paper followed by cling film. They can then be popped into a freezer bag and kept in the freezer for around 1 month.
Although it is possible to cook langoustines from frozen, you may find that the centre doesn’t cook fully before the outside becomes rubbery. Thawing them beforehand is a better idea.
