Pot-caught wild langoustine tails (Nephrops norvegicus) from the cold, deep coastal waters of Trøndelag in northern Norway. A genuine luxury ingredient with no real equivalent on the market — these are not the tails sold in bulk from trawled fisheries, where the catch arrives crushed, stressed and inconsistent. Pot fishing is a low-impact method that brings the animals aboard alive and undamaged, and the difference is immediately visible in the finished tail.

The shells are removed raw using high-pressure processing — a cold technology, unique to VAAG in Scandinavia, that uses extreme pressure to separate meat from shell cleanly without heat or chemicals, preserving the natural texture and translucency of the raw flesh. The tails are then vacuum-packed and super-frozen at –50°C at VAAG's fishery in Henningsvær, locking in quality at its peak. Once defrosted, they are virtually indistinguishable from a tail just shelled by hand — firm, sweet and ready to cook.

Langoustine sits in a category of its own. Sweeter than lobster, with a finer and more delicate texture, and far more refined than any prawn. The flesh is lean and clean-flavoured, and rewards brief, gentle cooking — a quick sear in foaming butter, a few seconds in a hot pan, or a flash through the grill. Overcooking is the single biggest mistake to avoid; the tails turn from perfect to rubbery in seconds.

Producer: VAAG Seafood, Henningsvær, Lofoten, Norway · Pot-caught from Trøndelag, Norway (FAO Area 27)

Species: Wild langoustine (Nephrops norvegicus)

Catch method: Pot, Norwegian coastal fleet

Processing: Raw-shelled by HPP (high-pressure processing), vacuum-packed, super-frozen at –50°C 

Ingredients: Wild langoustine (Nephrops norvegicus). No additives.

Storage: Keep frozen at –18°C or below. Defrost in the fridge in the sealed vacuum pack overnight, or in cold water for 30–40 minutes. Once defrosted, use within 24 hours. Do not refreeze.

Allergens: Crustaceans

Pack: 8 tails per pack (size 8/12), IQF frozen