How to Cook Lobster Tails

Lobster tail is a nutritious, delicious seafood dish, and can be prepared in many ways such as steaming, baking or even baking. Whichever method you use, you can keep the shell of the lobster’s tail intact during cooking and then peel it off to enjoy the meat. You’ll be enjoying delicious lobster tails in no time!

Table of Contents

Steamed Lobster Tail

{“smallUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images_en/thumb/3/32/Cook-Lobster-Tails-Step-1-Version-4.jpg/v4-460px-Cook-Lobster-Tails- Step-1-Version-4.jpg”,”bigUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/3/32/Cook-Lobster-Tails-Step-1-Version-4.jpg/ v4-728px-Cook-Lobster-Tails-Step-1-Version-4.jpg”,”smallWidth”:460,”smallHeight”:345,”bigWidth”:728,”bigHeight”:546,”licensing”:” <div class=”mw-parser-output”></div>”}

Place the steamer in a large pot with a tight-fitting lid. The pot must be large enough to hold all the lobster tails to be processed. If you don’t have a steamer, you can use a small metal basket to keep the lobster tails from getting submerged in the water. ^{[1] X Research Source}

{“smallUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images_en/thumb/8/85/Cook-Lobster-Tails-Step-2-Version-4.jpg/v4-460px-Cook-Lobster-Tails- Step-2-Version-4.jpg”,”bigUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/8/85/Cook-Lobster-Tails-Step-2-Version-4.jpg/ v4-728px-Cook-Lobster-Tails-Step-2-Version-4.jpg”,”smallWidth”:460,”smallHeight”:345,”bigWidth”:728,”bigHeight”:546,”licensing”:” <div class=”mw-parser-output”></div>”}

Pour in a pot of water about 5cm high and bring to a boil. The amount of water needed will vary depending on the size of the pot, but you’ll need a few centimeters high. The steamer or basket will keep the lobster tails close to the surface but not submerged. The next step is to cover the pot and bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat. ^{[2] X Research Source}

Cut a vertical line in the center of the lobster’s tail and remove the black thread. Use scissors to cut a vertical line in the center of the shell. Avoid cutting into the flesh or caudal fin. Peel the shrimp by hand, then pull or cut the black line in the middle. ^{[3] X Research Sources}

{“smallUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images_en/thumb/e/e5/Cook-Lobster-Tails-Step-4-Version-4.jpg/v4-460px-Cook-Lobster-Tails- Step-4-Version-4.jpg”,”bigUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/e/e5/Cook-Lobster-Tails-Step-4-Version-4.jpg/ v4-728px-Cook-Lobster-Tails-Step-4-Version-4.jpg”,”smallWidth”:460,”smallHeight”:345,”bigWidth”:728,”bigHeight”:546,”licensing”:” <div class=”mw-parser-output”></div>”}

Place lobster tails in a colander and steam for about 4-12 minutes. Open the pot lid and carefully place the tails into the steamer or basket. Steaming time will depend on the size of the lobster tail. ^{[4] X Research Sources}

Steam lobster tail weighing 85 – 170g for about 4-6 minutes.
Steam lobster tail weighing 170-200g for about 6-8 minutes.
Steam lobster tail weighing 230 – 285g for about 8-10 minutes.
Steam lobster tail weighing 285 – 450g for about 9 – 11 minutes.
Steam lobster tail weighing 450 – 570g for about 10 – 12 minutes.

Grilled Lobster Tail

{“smallUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images_en/thumb/e/e8/Cook-Lobster-Tails-Step-7-Version-4.jpg/v4-460px-Cook-Lobster-Tails- Step-7-Version-4.jpg”,”bigUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/e/e8/Cook-Lobster-Tails-Step-7-Version-4.jpg/ v4-728px-Cook-Lobster-Tails-Step-7-Version-4.jpg”,”smallWidth”:460,”smallHeight”:345,”bigWidth”:728,”bigHeight”:546,”licensing”:” <div class=”mw-parser-output”></div>”}

Preheat oven to 175°C and melt a stick of butter. Cut the butter into small pieces and place in a heatproof dish or small saucepan. You can melt butter in the microwave or on the stove. You will need 1-2 tablespoons (15 – 30ml) of butter for each lobster tail. ^{[7] X Research Sources}

Use scissors to cut the lobster tail shell and remove the black thread. Insert scissors between the shell and flesh of the lobster’s tail, and cut a line along the center of the tail until it touches the caudal fin. Next, use your fingers to open the shell and separate the flesh from the shell. To get the black thread in the middle of the tail, you would pull it out and cut it with scissors. ^{[8] X Research Sources}

{“smallUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images_en/thumb/e/e9/Cook-Lobster-Tails-Step-9-Version-4.jpg/v4-460px-Cook-Lobster-Tails- Step-9-Version-4.jpg”,”bigUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/e/e9/Cook-Lobster-Tails-Step-9-Version-4.jpg/ v4-728px-Cook-Lobster-Tails-Step-9-Version-4.jpg”,”smallWidth”:460,”smallHeight”:345,”bigWidth”:728,”bigHeight”:546,”licensing”:” <div class=”mw-parser-output”></div>”}

Place the lobster tails on a baking tray and spread the melted butter. Place the lobster meat side up so it doesn’t stick to the baking sheet. You may need to use multiple baking trays, depending on how much lobster tails you need to cook. Use a pastry brush to spread melted butter over each lobster tail. ^{[9] X Research Source}

Bake the lobster tails for about 15 minutes or until 60–63°C is reached. Use a kitchen thermometer to measure the temperature at the thickest part of the lobster’s tail. Don’t let lobster tails get hotter than this, or they’ll be tough and overcooked. ^{[10] X Research Source}

Remove the lobster tails from the oven and serve with a few slices of lemon. Put on kitchen gloves and carefully remove the baking tray and turn off the oven. Arrange lobster tails on a plate, add 1 or 2 slices of lemon and enjoy right away. You can drizzle more melted butter over the lobster tails if you like. ^{[11] X Research Source}

Grilled Lobster Tail

Prepare the grill on medium high heat. You can use a grill or a charcoal grill to grill lobster tails. Make sure the grill has been cleaned and that there are no leftovers or burnt bits from a previous meal. ^{[12] X Research Source}

{“smallUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images_en/thumb/2/22/Cook-Lobster-Tails-Step-13-Version-4.jpg/v4-460px-Cook-Lobster-Tails- Step-13-Version-4.jpg”,”bigUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/2/22/Cook-Lobster-Tails-Step-13-Version-4.jpg/ v4-728px-Cook-Lobster-Tails-Step-13-Version-4.jpg”,”smallWidth”:460,”smallHeight”:345,”bigWidth”:728,”bigHeight”:546,”licensing”:” <div class=”mw-parser-output”></div>”}

Cut the lobster tail with scissors and remove the black thread. Place scissors between the shell and flesh of the lobster, and then cut a vertical line in the center of the tail, leaving the tail fins intact. Use your fingers to peel the shrimp and remove the flesh from the shell. Next, cut or pull the black thread in the center of the lobster tail. ^{[13] X Research Source}

{“smallUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images_en/thumb/9/9e/Cook-Lobster-Tails-Step-14-Version-4.jpg/v4-460px-Cook-Lobster-Tails- Step-14-Version-4.jpg”,”bigUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/9/9e/Cook-Lobster-Tails-Step-14-Version-4.jpg/ v4-728px-Cook-Lobster-Tails-Step-14-Version-4.jpg”,”smallWidth”:460,”smallHeight”:345,”bigWidth”:728,”bigHeight”:546,”licensing”:” <div class=”mw-parser-output”></div>”}

Brush the tails with olive oil and add salt. Use a cake brush to spread a layer of olive oil on the tail of the shrimp to prevent sticking. Sprinkle a little salt to taste on the meat. ^{[14] X Research Source}

{“smallUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images_en/thumb/c/c3/Cook-Lobster-Tails-Step-15-Version-4.jpg/v4-460px-Cook-Lobster-Tails- Step-15-Version-4.jpg”,”bigUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/c/c3/Cook-Lobster-Tails-Step-15-Version-4.jpg/ v4-728px-Cook-Lobster-Tails-Step-15-Version-4.jpg”,”smallWidth”:460,”smallHeight”:345,”bigWidth”:728,”bigHeight”:546,”licensing”:” <div class=”mw-parser-output”></div>”}

Grill the lobster tails with the cut side down for about 5 minutes, then grill the other side. Carefully line up the lobster tails with the cut side down on the grill placed over a direct heat source. Bake the lobster tails for about 5 minutes or until the shells are bright, then flip the lobster tails over with tongs. ^{[15] X Research Source}

Advice

Remember to defrost the lobster tail first!
You can also prepare lobster tails by boiling, blanching in butter or seasoning the inside of the lobster before cooking!

Steps

Steamed Lobster Tail

Grilled Lobster Tail

Grilled Lobster Tail

Advice

Related Posts