How to Store Seafood

Nothing beats fresh seafood for a meal, but many people shy away from serving it at home because of concerns for proper storage and handling. Rather than take a chance of getting sick, they eat seafood at restaurants and pay top dollar. Learn the basics to store seafood safely and let the sea bring forth its bounty and feel confident enjoying seafood from the comfort of your own kitchen.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

1. Put the seafood immediately in the fridge or on ice the minute you get home to store it until ready to use. If it's already frozen, take the seafood directly from the shopping bag to the freezer.
2. Keep live shellfish like oysters and mussels in the shell and place them in a shallow dish covered by a damp towel. Don't put the shellfish in water and wait to scrub them until right before you shuck or cook them.
3. Know the time limits of storage for live seafood in the shell. Use mussels within two to three days while clams or oysters can last about seven to 10 days. Test each shell before using by tapping the shell to see if it closes. If not, it's died and needs to be thrown out.
4. Cook live lobsters and crabs the same day they are purchased and store a whole, cooked lobster or crab in an airtight container and eat within two to three days. Leftover meat that is picked clean from the shell can be stored in a zipper bag or airtight container and kept for three to four days.
5. Store shrimp, squid or shucked shellfish in a zipper bag or airtight container. Shellfish can be kept for one to two days while shrimp and scallops can be kept for two to three days. Shucked oysters can be stored for five to seven days.