Knowledge Base > Eric Wynkoop - Ask Me Anything (Office Hours)
Eric Wynkoop - Ask Me Anything (Office Hours)
This event was on
Tuesday, September 05, 2023 at 11:00 am Pacific, 2:00 pm Eastern
Join Chef Eric Wynkoop in his virtual office as he welcomes all of your questions. This event was created for you and we encourage you to Ask Anything – from cooking techniques to co… Read More.
Question:
Can you you freeze lobster after steaming? If so, what is the best method?
— Philip Konicky
Answer:
Yes, you can. And, um, you know, generally speaking, the goal is going to be to, um, to, to wrap it or containerize it, um, so that it is airtight or, you know, as airtight as you can get it. Um, and then, um, you know, this is gonna be true, um, of most anything in the freezer, really. Uh, we want to, um, avoid any oxidation. We wanna avoid exposure to other aromas in the freezer. Uh, we also want to minimize the drying effect of the freezer. So when we, uh, you know, hear this term freezer burn, um, this is actually drying of the, the surface of the food. And, uh, it changes the texture, which is irreversible. Uh, it changes the flavor, the appearance, uh, and, um, you know, even the aroma. Uh, and so, you know, this is, uh, something that can be mitigated by storing it, um, in an air proof, uh, environment. And, uh, so you, again, you can wrap it or put it into a container that's, that's airtight. Uh, and then also to use the product in a reasonable time period, um, freezers, maybe, especially in some restaurants, but at home to, um, be, become kind of a, a, a, a one-way journey, like a black hole. Uh, you, you place this food item in there with the, the good intent, uh, to utilize it, uh, at some point, uh, only to be forgotten, only to be covered up by the next thing, uh, that you place into the freezer. And, uh, um, the, uh, so the idea here is, is to label your food and to, uh, date it, and then try to use it up within, you know, maybe two or three months, let's say. Uh, there are a lot of guidelines that say, you can keep food in the freezer for six months, no problem, one year, no problem. And all that is true, um, but be in mind that, uh, keep in mind that the quality of the food slowly drops off over time. And, um, you know, you might not perceive the difference between, um, you know, the point you put it in the freezer and the passage of two months, but you should, I think, uh, notice it after six or 12 months. And so try to shorten that time period. It's edible. Um, but just the aesthetic quality, uh, declines.
