How to Cook Lobster Tails

Lobsters are the crème de la crème of seafood, but this highly priced delicacy started out as being a poor man's food. Though there are many different types of lobsters, those used for cooking are often the clawed ones. Lobsters come in many sizes; jumbo, large, quarter, and chicken lobsters.

The claws and tail are the fleshy parts of the lobster, while the torso and legs contain less meat. Hence, the claws and tail are preferably consumed.

One might buy the entire lobster or just the tails. Lobster tails are often available frozen, hence, would need to be thawed before cooking. For this, leave them outside till they defrost. You can also heat them in the microwave for this purpose, making sure that they do not get cooked during the process. If you have the entire lobster, separate the tail from the rest of the body.

Wash the tail thoroughly before cooking. Cut the back of the shell using a pair of kitchen shears; the fan part of the tail can be left intact for show. Remove the meat by gently prying the shell open using your thumbs. Lastly, cut the blue vein from the meat. Now, the meat is ready to be cooked.

There are numerous methods of cooking lobster tails. They can be boiled, baked, or grilled. Many people relish their natural taste by simply savoring them with salt and butter. Here are some recipes that you can try.

Ingredients

• 4 lobster tails (5 ounces each, though size may vary)
• Scallion Butter (Alternatives: Pre-packaged Hot & Spicy Butter or Chili-Mustard Butter)

Preparation

Once the lobster meat is removed from the tail shell, grease it with the Scallion butter. Grill it over medium heat for 4 minutes. Grease the meat again with the butter and grill it for another 4-5 minutes. The meat will turn opaque when it is completely cooked. Heat the remaining butter, and serve it as a dip. You can serve approximately 3 tablespoons of dip per lobster tail.

Ingredients

• 6 lobster tails
• ¾ teaspoon sweet paprika
• ¾ teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon granulated garlic
• 3 sprigs of rosemary (leaves only)
• 15 sprigs of thyme (leaves only)
• 1 cup canola oil
• Pinch of salt

Preparation

Before starting with the preparation, get 12 ten-inch wooden skewers. Boil the lobster tails for 4 minutes and then let them cool. Once you've separated the meat from the shell, slice it in half. Use a deep container to mix the rosemary, thyme, paprika, cumin, garlic, oil, and salt to make a thick paste.

Use the skewers to pierce through the meat. If the skewers are wooden, soak them in water for half an hour prior to this process. Coat the skewered meat generously with the marinade, and refrigerate it for 15 minutes. Place the skewers on a heated grill for approximately 4 minutes on each side till the meat is cooked properly. Serve hot.

Ingredients

• 2 lobster tails
• 2-3 spring onions
• Handful of shredded cheese
• Handful of breadcrumbs
• 25g butter
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 2 teaspoons mustard powder
• ½ pint milk
• Dash of brandy

Preparation

The thumb rule to follow while boiling the lobster is 7 minutes for the first pound and 3 additional minutes for each pound thereafter. Separate the meat from the tail shell after it is boiled, chop it, and set it aside. Chop the spring onions finely and sauté them in the butter.

Add the flour, mustard powder, milk, and brandy to them. Mix till you get a smooth sauce without any lumps. Heat the sauce till it turns slightly thick. If it turns too thick, add some cream to improve its consistency.

Add the chopped meat to the sauce. After gently mixing it, place the meat back into the shell (make sure to wash the shells thoroughly before doing this). Cover each portion with the shredded cheese and breadcrumbs. Grill the filled shells till the meat turns golden brown, and serve hot.