Learn how to handle and care for live lobsters at home with tips from the lobster experts at LobsterAnywhere.com.
Note our tips for storing lobsters apply mostly to hard-shell lobsters. Although soft-shell lobsters (lobsters that have shed their old shells) can be purchased locally, they are generally weak and fragile and do not store or ship well.
Lobsters will die if they dry out, and can only last so long when refrigerated. Lobsters stored this way will stay sluggish and moist, but must be cooked within 24-48 hours — after this, your investment in fresh seafood probably won’t be so fresh.
How Do You Store a Lobster?
Refrigerate lobsters immediately, and keep them cold until you’re ready to cook them (best around 40 degrees F). The colder the lobster is, the sluggisher it will become, and the less it will move around. Don’t put them in your freezer.
Keep lobsters moist with wet newspaper or seaweed that it was packed in. A dry lobster is an unhappy lobster. It’s best to cook lobsters the day they’re delivered. See below if you cannot cook your lobsters right away.
Break Down Fresh Killed Lobster Before Storing
Breaking down a fresh, dispatched lobster before storing it in the refrigerator is important. Separate the tail and claws from the body to prevent the tail from becoming mushy. As Cooks Science notes, the digestive enzymes found in the lobster’s body (hepatopancreas) will break down the proteins in the tail, turning it mushy.
Check out our Guide for Cooking Live Lobster at Home.
How to keep your lobsters alive through the night.
FAQ
Is lobster still good the next day?
Is leftover lobster safe to eat?
How long can a lobster be dead before cooking?
How long can lobster sit out before it goes bad?
Can you cook a lobster right away?
See below if you cannot cook your lobsters right away. Store lobsters in a strong paper bag or right in the lobster pot if you were lucky enough to receive one. When transferring lobsters, pick them up by the body, not the claws or the tail. To handle a live lobster, pick it up by the large shell just behind its head (the carapace shell).
Should you cook and eat dead lobster?
Most of the time, the answer is yes. If cooked within a day or so—again depending on the temperatures and conditions in which the dead lobster is stored—the lobster should be safe to eat even if it doesn’t quite have the same impeccable texture and flavor.
Is it safe to eat a cooked lobster?
If cooked within a day or less, the lobster should be safe to eat even if it doesn’t quite have the same impeccable texture and flavor.
How long do lobsters last?
Our lobsters are very hardy and have been known to last up to 36 hours out of seawater, but we cannot guarantee it. We always suggest cooking your lobsters the day they are delivered. You can store live lobsters overnight, one night, in your refrigerator. Keep them upright, moist, and cold; you’re good to go!