Can Squid Be Frozen Whole?

[BucknBass]

Hi,



I'm new to the squid cleaning/cooking game. I bought some fresh squid yesterday. Can they be frozen whole and then cleaned after being thawed?

[Jazman]

You can definately freeze squid whole, but if you bought (not caught) the squid, I would want to be quite sure that they are indeed fresh before you freeze them. In my experience squid are at least several days old by the time they get market, and I would have some reservations about freezing them if this were the case. I have a personal rule that if I can't freeze fish or squid within 24 hours of capture, then I don't freeze them at all.

Personally I like to clean my squid before I freeze them, that way when the time comes to thaw and cook them there is less work to do.

[supersquid]

I dont like your chances of having good quality squid if you havent cleaned them before freezing

Squid from the market can be very old and Ive seen squid thats whiter than white which is the telltale sign that they arnt fresh

I try to avoid freezing squid all together and if there not in the fry pan within 24 hours of capture then youve lost a bit of quality