The idea of cooking lobster tails can be daunting for the uninitiated. Don’t you have to be an accomplished chef to tackle this fancy, gourmet delicacy plundered from the bottom of the sea? Thankfully, the answer is no! In fact, lobster tails are relatively easy to cook, and there are multiple ways to do so. We’re going to show you how to cook lobster tails using several techniques, and we’ll end with a delicious lobster recipe you can follow.
Preparation
Before we cook the lobster tails, we need to get them ready. If they’re frozen, thaw them by leaving them in the fridge for 12 hours, or by placing them in cool water for about an hour, changing the water every 15 minutes. You can also microwave them on defrost-mode if you’re really short on time, but be extremely careful they don’t start cooking. For giant lobster tails, you’ll need to increase the thawing time by around half. The lobster tails should feel soft and flexible if they’ve been properly thawed.
Once thawed, you can either remove the meat from the shell, or leave it intact. This will depend on how you’re cooking the oyster. In our cooking methods below, we’ll mention whether it should be de-shelled or not for each.
Boiling Lobster Tails
When boiling lobster tails, most chefs leave the shell on the lobster while it’s boiling, since it imparts flavor and holds the meat together nicely.
Add a tablespoon of salt to some water in a pan (there should be enough water to cover all your tails) and bring to a boil. You can add other seasonings to the water if you wish.
Carefully place the tails in the boiling water without splashing yourself, and reduce the heat, allowing the tails to simmer for around 2 - 4 minutes uncovered (the amount of time needed will depend on how many tails you’re boiling).
Remove the lobster tails from the pan, but let the water keep boiling in case the tails aren’t done yet. Turn one of the lobsters over on its back, so you can use a knife to cut into its underside. The meat inside should be thick and white throughout. If there are any gray or translucent parts, you’ll need to cook the tails a little longer.
Once they’re sufficiently white inside, they’re ready to eat, so you can use your knife or kitchen shears to deshell the tails entirely, or leave them in their shells, and then serve them for eating. Serve with butter and lemon.
Grilling Lobster Tails
For grilling, we recommend cutting the tail in half lengthwise, or leaving it whole. It’s better to leave the shell on, since it will protect the meat from being overcooked during grilling.
Make sure the grill is clean, and set it to medium heat. Coat your lobsters in butter, and add salt, lemon juice and any other desired seasonings. You can also skewer them if you wish, for added stability.
Grill each side of the lobster for around 3 - 5 minutes depending on size (giant lobster tails may even require 9 or 10 minutes per side). The shells should turn bright in color, while the meat should turn white all the way through to the center.
You can baste the lobsters again with butter and seasonings to really enhance their flavor, and serve them with your choice of side. Don’t forget napkins: these things will be as messy as they are delicious!
Baking Lobster Tails
Heat a standard oven to 420 degrees. Slice the top of the lobster tail along both sides, so you can peel back the top of of the shell, allowing the meat inside some space to burst out during cooking. You can also cut around the sides of the meat, making it easier to remove from the shell once cooked. Baste the meat with butter, lemon and other seasonings, and place it on a baking pan with a layer of water, which will steam the lobster during baking. Baking time will depend on the size of the lobster, but 2 or 3 minutes per ounce is a safe bet. Check on the lobster regularly, and make sure the flesh is entirely white before serving.
For all our lobster tail cooking techniques, we recommend using only the freshest and cleanest lobster tails. Our lobster tails are imported from Brazil and are incredibly tender and full of flavor. Alternatively, try our Canadian Cold Water Lobster Tails. We’ll deliver these to your doorstep at the pinnacle of freshness, ensuring you and your guests enjoy the finest in taste, texture and quality.