The length of time cooked lobster will stay fresh varies, but knowing what to look for will help you determine how long you can safely store your cooked lobster.
Determine the Freshness Before Cooking
If the lobster was alive when it was cooked, it will stay fresh longer after cooking than a lobster that was not. The fresher the lobster when it is cooked, the longer it will stay fresh. If the lobster was frozen when you cooked it, you should expect that it will not last as long as a live lobster because you have no way of knowing how long the lobster had been deceased when it was frozen.
Determine the Degree of Doneness
If the lobster was cooked to a very well done state, it is likely to stay fresh longer than a lobster that was cooked lightly. A well done lobster that was alive when it was cooked might stay fresh for up to five days. A lobster that has only been cooked to a medium rare state will stay fresh for as few as three days.
Cooked lobster is safest to eat when it reaches an internal temperature of 180 degrees F. A lobster that has reached this temperature will stay fresh in the refrigerator for approximately four to five days.
Keep in mind that the flavor of the lobster is best if it is used within two days, so it is recommended that you eat the lobster within this time frame if possible.
Determine the Temperature of Storage
Cooked lobster should be refrigerated at 34 to 40 degrees F. At this temperature, cooked lobster will usually stay fresh for four to five days.
If you freeze the lobster, it will stay fresh for up to three months. When you remove the lobster from the freezer, it should be used immediately or placed into refrigeration at between 34 and 40 degrees F and used within three days.
Safety Precautions
Cooked lobsters should be wrapped individually in polythene or placed into airtight containers before they are refrigerated or frozen. They should never be stored beside raw lobsters because bacteria can be transferred from raw food to cooked.
Cooked lobster should be cooled slightly before it is placed into a refrigerator or freezer because the heat from very warm foods can drop the temperature inside the unit to unsafe levels. You can cool the lobster quickly by shocking it in ice water, or you can run it under cool water for a few minutes.
Determining Freshness
To determine the freshness of cooked lobster, you should use a combination of sight, smell and touch. If the lobster feels slimy or mushy, looks dull in color or smells strangely, it's best to throw it out. Cooked lobster that is still fresh should be firm to the touch, bright and have a fresh, sweet scent.
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