How to Cook Lobster Tail

There are dozens of ways to serve lobster tail, but only a handful of ways to cook lobster tail...

...bake 'em, broil 'em, steam 'em, boil 'em, or grill 'em.

However...

Knowing the basics on how to cook lobster tail will provide you with the starting point for creating many wonderful, mouthwatering lobster meat recipes.

Ways to Cook Lobster Tails

It may seem intimidating when cooking your first lobster, or lobster tail. After all, if these decadent creatures are so expensive, they must be difficult to prepare, right? Not so...

Cooking lobster is actually very, very easy - especially if you are only cooking lobster tails, and don't need to worry about how to kill a lobster. Or, how to crack claws, after it's cooked!

Listed below are the different methods for how to cook lobster tail. They are easy and simple. Just what you need to get started. After that, have fun, and be creative, adding your own sauces, spices, marinades, or stuffing...

...and whatever other flavorings you feel will compliment the sweet, salty taste of the lobster meat.

These cooking methods are for fresh lobster tails or frozen lobster tail that has been thawed. Although cooking frozen lobster tails is possible, it is not advised. Why? When frozen, the lobster tail may not cook thoroughly or evenly, AND the lobster meat may lose some of its tenderness.

How will you know the lobster cooking time?

General guidelines are included below, but keep in mind that timing will vary depending on the lobster tail size, and the heat of your oven, broiler, or grill.

However, there are some tell tales signs to look for...

Uncooked lobster has a shell tinted with shades of green and brown and the meat is translucent, whereby a cooked lobster has a red shell with meat that is firm and white.

Tip on how to cook lobster tail: Since lobster tails tend to curl when cooking, you may want to run a wooden skewer through the tail meat during preparation.

Grilling Lobster Tails

My favorite - simple and delicious!

1. Lay your lobster tail on a cutting board, with the underside (the soft shell side) facing up.
2. With kitchen scissors cut a slit in the soft shell lengthwise down the center, leaving the hard shell on the backside of the lobster intact. Be careful not to cut into the lobster meat.
3. Preheat grill to medium high heat, or for a charcoal grill make sure the coals are evenly heated.
4. Clean and baste the grill rack with oil.
5. Baste the lobster meat with melted butter.
6. Place the lobster tail on the grill, with the hard shell facing up, and cook for 4-5 minutes until grill marks appear.
7. Turn the lobster tail over placing the hard shell on the grill.
8. Grill for another 3-6 minutes, basting several times with melted butter.
9. Serve hot with melted butter, or clarified butter, and lemon wedges.

Baking Lobster Tails

Lobster tails can be baked various ways making for appealing presentations. Here are two very classic and traditional preparations, great for learning how to cook lobster tail.

1. Lay your lobster tail on a cutting board, with the underside (the soft shell side) facing up.
2. With kitchen scissors cut a slit in the soft shell lengthwise down the center, leaving the hard shell on the backside of the lobster intact. Be careful not to cut into the lobster meat.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
4. Place the lobster tail on a baking sheet with the hard shell facing down. Lightly baste with butter.
5. Bake for 15 minutes and then remove from the oven.
6. Serve hot with melted butter, or clarified butter, and lemon wedges.

Or, for a more elegant presentation...

1. Lay your lobster tail on a cutting board, with its back (the hard shell side) facing up.
2. With kitchen scissors cut a slit in the hard shell lengthwise down the center, leaving the soft shell on the underside of the lobster intact. Be careful not to cut into the lobster meat.
3. Use your fingers, or a small knife, to gently loosen the lobster meat from the shell.
4. Leave the meat by the tail intact and lift the remaining meat out through the slit. Rest the meat on top of the shell.
5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
6. Place the lobster tail on a baking sheet with the hard shell facing down. Lightly baste with butter.
7. Bake for 15 minutes and then remove from the oven.
8. Serve hot with melted butter, or clarified butter, and lemon wedges.

Tip on how to cook lobster tail: When baking lobster tails you may want to wrap them in well sealed aluminum foil. This is often recommended to preserve the moisture in larger tails that require longer cooking times.

You may also be interested in:
Cooking Frozen Lobster Tail, Types of Lobsters, Types of Tails

Broiled Lobster Tails

Since broiler temperatures vary dramatically, the distance from the broiler AND cooking times will need to adjusted for your stove.

1. Lay your lobster tail on a cutting board, with the underside (the soft shell side) facing up.
2. With kitchen scissors cut a slit in the soft shell lengthwise down the center, leaving the hard shell on the backside of the lobster intact. Be careful not to cut into the lobster meat.
3. Preheat broiler.
4. Place the lobster tail on a baking sheet with the hard shell facing down. Lightly baste with butter.
5. Place 4-5 inches beneath the broiler. Watching carefully. Broil for 5-10 minutes, or until the shell is red and the meat is white.

Tip on how to cook lobster tail: When broiling lobster tails you may want to leave your oven door open slightly to help prevent the lobster tails from baking.

Boiled Lobster Tails

1. Put enough water into a large pot to completely submerge your lobster tail.
2. For each quart of water add 1 teaspoon of salt.
3. Bring the water to a boil.
4. Place the lobster tail in the pot and return the water to a full boil.
5. Boil for approximately 1 minute to 1-1/2 minutes per ounce and then remove the tail from the water. See below...
6. Serve hot with melted, or clarified butter, and lemon wedges.

Weight 4 ounces, boil 4-6 minutes
Weight 5 ounces, boil 5-7 minutes
Weight 6 ounces, boil 6-9 minutes
Weight 7 ounces, boil 7-10 minutes

If boiling several lobster tails at once, add additional cooking time, dependent on the size of the tail.

Steamed Lobster Tails

Be sure to use a pan with a tight fitting lid, preferably a lobster pot or steamer and one that has a steaming basket or rack.

1. Cover the bottom of a pan with 1-1/2 inches of water.
2. Bring the water to a boil.
3. Place the lobster tail in the steaming basket.
4. Steam for approximately 1 minute per ounce and then remove the lobster tail from the water. See below...
5. Serve hot with melted butter, or clarified butter, and lemon wedges.

If steaming several lobster tails at once, add additional cooking time, dependent on the size of the tail.

If you will not be serving your lobster while it is hot...
Stop the cooking process by chilling it under cold running water and then refrigerate the lobster meat until you are ready to use it.

My advice when learning how to cook lobster tails...

Don't wait until that special occasion to learn how to cook a lobster tail. Buy one for yourself (that's right, yourself!) and cook it up ahead of time. That way you will get a good idea for the amount of time needed for cooking, and you will have a chance to experiment with how you would like to serve lobster tails to your guests.