Keeping Your Kaimoana choice ‘till Christmas: A How-To Guide
Kaimoana will only last so long in the fridge, so if your catch is a little too far from Christmas Day, we've got you covered. Here's a guide to ensure your kaimoana will be tasting the ultimate for the Christmas feast:
CRAYFISH
BOILING
For those who fancy the classic boiled crayfish on Christmas Day, we've got your back. Follow these steps for seafood perfection:
Boil your crayfish the day after they've arrived, once they've peacefully passed in the fridge.
Once boiled, drained, and cooled, pop them into the freezer. This preserves the meat's integrity and texture.
Thaw in the fridge the night before Christmas.
Crayfish can last cooked in the fridge for up to 3 days when provided fresh, so depending on when it arrives, decide whether to leave or freeze based on your intended feast day. Both will give you a fantastic texture and taste!
BBQ-ING
For the BBQ enthusiasts, we've got two options to keep that meat texture on point while you work your magic on the barbie:
boil for half the amount of time, drain, then freeze. Thaw in the fridge on Christmas eve or morning. Once thawed, halve, add your toppings and BBQ away to finish them off!
For an admin-free BBQ-ing, freeze them whole the day they arrive and let them thaw in the fridge on the morning of Christmas. Once thawed, halve and BBQ! Easy peasy.
TAILING
To tail; kill them kindly by freezing for 1 hour or peircing between the eyes, then remove the tail (and the poo tube!), and freeze. Remember to keep the bodies for bisque, cray oil or stock.
Pāua
Once delivered, swiftly remove them from their box and place them in the fridge.
The following or once they’ve passed in the fridge, either freeze them whole or shuck and clean them before freezing for easier preparation.
If you’re planning on using minced pāua for Christmas, let it pass in the fridge for ultimate tenderisation, shuck, clean and mince. Vacuum pack and pop into the freezer, thawing the night before or morning of in the fridge.
kina
Preserve the goodness of kina with these methods:
Shuck and brine in saltwater. Keeping the meat away from the gut is imperative to keeping it fresh.
Make kina butter— the fat in the butter helps preserve them nicely. See recipe here.
Disclaimer: These are recommendations used in our whare. Like any meat or seafood, it's crucial to check the condition before eating, as conditions will vary from home to home. Enjoy your feast responsibly!