Conference turris::cooks

    My husband frequently goes diving for lobster.  Since he can come
    home with varying numbers of the critters, and I don't like them,
    I was wondering if it is possible to freeze them.  Would I have
    to cook them first?  Can I just cut off the tails and claws  and
    freeze them uncooked? How would I cook them after thawing, or 
    would I cook them frozen?  I was wondering if anyone has any 
    information on the possibility of freezing lobster as it's not 
    the kind of thing I want to experiment with since it is easy 
    to get sick from eating a bad lobster.
    
    Thanks,
    Cathy

    Freeze it after you cook it.  Then thaw it right before you (he,
    if you don't like it) eat it.  I have a good lobster meat and noodle
    casserole recipe someplace; you might even like that yourself.
    
    Or, better yet, have him stop at my house on his way home from the
    briny deeps....

    Had the same problem several years ago when my husband was into
    lobster traps.  Since he was the one that didn't eat lobster
    and how many lobsters can one person eat in a week (there were
    weeks when more than 100 would come home and even after they were
    given out to everyone we know there were still many left)
    
    I did cook them and leave them in the shell then just pop them back
    into boiling water and they tasted great.  The only problem with
    this is that they take up lots of room in the freezer.  So, I would
    cook them, clean them and put them in a zip lock bag with some salted
    fresh water.  This way just thaw, rinse and put in your casserole,
    salad or sautee in a bit of butter and wine.
    
    I did notice that if left in the freezer to long they seemed to
    get tough.  I would suggest, don't freeze more than you can eat
    between now and Christmas.
    
    Judie
    
    

    According to the book Stocking Up III you can freeze lobster after
    it has been cooked.  Take the meat from the shell, pack it lightly
    in a zip lock bag and freeze.  It can only be kept for two months,
    however.  Hope this helps.

    Back in the days when I worked in the fish market we used to freeze
    our lobster in water.  In fact we used to freeze almost everything
    in water.  This way you can keep it indefinately.  There won't be
    any freezer burn or odd tastes getting into it if it is frozen with
    water surrounding it.  Makes sense, doesn't it?  
    
    dave

    
      Newburg Sauce <from memory amounts might be off alittle>
    
    
     2Tbsp Butter 
     2Tbsp Flour
     2 cups Milk
     1Tbsp Paprika <I like the Hungarian>
     2Tbsp Dry or Cream Sherry 
                                         
    
     Melt the butter and use the flour to make a roux. Add the milk
    slowly and beat with a whisk until the sauce is creamy. This is
    a basic bechmahel <sp?> sauce. Add the paprika and sherry and 
    viola you have Sauce Newburg.
    
    
     -mike
    

    
    				< Variation >
    
    Try adding a T. of grated strong cheddar cheese to Mike's recipe.
    Also, sometimes I use half milk and half cream to really add the
    calories :^}
    
    Ann
    
          								
    

    Hi Karen,
    
    I have bought the cans of lobster that are in the freezer section
    of my grocery store.  In the summer, we just open the can, and set
    it on the BBQ grille to thaw out and warm up.  Then we dip the peices
    of lobster in melted butter.  I'm sure you can adapt and thaw/heat
    the lobster by more conventional means.
    
    Just be sure that you use real butter.  Margarine just doesn't cut
    it when it comes to lobster and other seafood.
    
    	-Nancy
    
    BTW, my cats absolutely adore lobster meat, spoiled brats that they
    are.

    

    THIS SHOULD FREEZE WELL.  IF YOU HAVE A SEAL-A-MEAL, YOU COULD 
    FREEZE INDIVIDUAL PORTIONS AND BOIL THE BAGS RIGHT OUT OF THE
    FREEZER.  STOUFFERS ALSO SELLS A LOBSTER THERMIDORE THAT WOULD
    BE GOOD SERVED OVER TOAST. I BELIEVE THAT IS ALSO BOILED.
    
    2 POUNDS OF LOBSTER MEAT, LEFT IN BITE SIZE CHUNKS
    6 TABLESPOONS BUTTER
    3 TABLESPOONS FLOUR
    1 TEASPOON SALT
    1/8 TEASPOON GROUND NUTMEG   
    1/8 TEASPOON PAPRIKA
    1 1/2 CUPS HALF-AND-HALF
    3 TABLESPOONS MEDIUM SHERRY(MAY OMIT, JUST ADD MORE 1/2 AND 1/2)
    1/2 CUP SHREDDED CHEDDAR
    
    1. COOK LOBSTER, AND REMOVE MEAT(YOU WILL NEED ABOUT 4(1 1/2) LB
       LOBSTERS. 
    2. IN 3-QUART SAUCEPAN OVER MEDIUM HEAT, IN BUTTER, BLEND FLOUR,
       SALT, NUTMEG AND PAPRIKA.  STIR IN HALF-AND-HALF AND SHERRY;
       COOK, STIRRING, UNTIL THICKENED.  ADD MEAT; COOK JUST UNTIL
       HEATED, STIRRING OCASSIONALY.
    3. FREEZE INDIVIDUAL SERVINGS IN SEALED BAGS.
    4. TO SERVE:  REMOVE BAG FROM FREEZER AND EITHER BOIL(IF YOU USED
       SEAL-A-MEAL) OR REHEAT IN SAUCEPAN.  POUR OVER TOAST AND SPRINKLE
       WITH SOME CHEDDAR CHEESE.  PLACE UNDER BROILER TO BROWN CHEESE
       IF DESIRED.
    
    THIS WILL MAKE 4-6 INDIVIDUAL SERVINGS
       
    
    

    Cathy,
    
    If you don't want to eat it tonight, you can freeze the meat. It does
    tend to lose a little flavor as it gives off a lot of "water" when you
    thaw it. I have found frozen lobster meat really only good for lobster
    salad or for using in a seafood quiche.
    
    For tonight, if you want to eat the lobster as if it were just steamed,
    you can just take the chill off the lobster meat and dip it in  hot 
    melted butter and lemon. 
    
    You could also "simulate" a baked stuffed lobster by placing the meat
    in ramekins with some butter, maybe a bread-and-crab stuffing in the
    tails or just a crumb topping on top. I would probably cover it with
    foil for most of the cooking since you don't have the shell to insulate
    it from drying out and maybe just pop in under the broiler for a
    minutes to toast the topping up. I wouldn't imagine that it would take
    long to heat up and a low oven setting would be best to keep it from
    drying out. 
    
    Enjoy it. Tell your husband to give my a call next time he's out
    lobstering. I've only managed a 2-pounder so far!! 
    
    Andrea

I was fortunate enough to 'grab' an 8 and a 10lb lobster two weeks ago. Being
somewhat tired of lobster, I steamed them then took the meat out. I used the
lobster meat the next night over linguine and it was delectable!

I sauted the lobster in a light olive oil and butter with white wine, garlic,
shallots (A MUST) and lemon juice. Served this over linguine. A real crowd 
pleaser!

You could sautee lots of garlic in olive oil, with optional mushrooms, and add 
the lobster just to warm it and flavor it.  Then serve it over pasta, or as is. 
Like a shrimp scampi, only with lobster.  Or add it to some tomato sauce for
spaghetti.

Or make a lobster pie, with butter and bread crumbs, ala the Hilltop, or in a 
crust with veggies and a white sauce (like a pot pie), or in a quiche.

How about a stirfry?  Stir fry blanched snow peas and sliced mushrooms, then add
the lobster at the end to warm it.  Add a tablespoon of hoisin and mix.  Serve
over rice or noodles.  Or use chili paste with garlic instead of hoisin, for a 
spicy flavor.

Or a soup?  Like lobster chowder, or lobster bisque.  You can make a soup from 
scratch or just add lobster to a prepared soup.

Or a newburg?  The Quarterdeck in Maynard sells frozen newburg sauce, or
you could use Knorr's instant newburg sauce.

Or how about lobster tacos?  enchiladas?  burritos?  In place of the usual meat.

Lobster omelettes are wonderful, too!

Or lobster laden chef's salad.

							Jealously,

								-JP

    
    
       Can you freeze lobster tail's that are still in the shell??? 
    If so how long will they keep in the freezer???
    
    
    
                                              Brian(who was given some and
                                               hopes they are still good!)

 I don't see why not, seeing as they come that way at the supermarket.
You can buy a box of frozen (rock) lobster tails that are still in the
shell, no problem.

    
    Anyone have any pointers/advise on cooking lobsters in a pit?  
    I know about the seaweed deal, that's about it...
    
    thanks,
    Kev --
    

    Use lots of stones to line the pit. Build a hardwood fire over the stones,
    and let it burn for 1-2 hours to get to hot coals. Rake the coals to
    the side of the pit to expose the hot stones. cover with wet seaweed.
    Add lobsters. More seaweed. Add clams (preferably in some sort of mesh
    bag for easy removal). cover with more seaweed and a tarp. Go play
    volleyball or something for an hour or so until it's done.

How do you keep the lobsters from crawling out?

    They aren't very effective at crawling anywhere with all of that
    seaweed, clams, etc on top of them.