How To Cook Perfect Maine Lobster Tails | Maine Lobster Now (2024)

FAQs

How To Cook Perfect Maine Lobster Tails | Maine Lobster Now? ›

Lobster tails typically bake in 8 to 30 minutes depending on the size. They should be baked at 350 degrees F until the internal temperature reaches 140 degrees F.

Steaming is a classic way to cook lobster and is even faster than boiling it. Use a steaming basket inside a large pot with a tight-fitting lid. Small to medium lobster tails take 6-8 minutes to cook while larger tails may take 8-12 minutes. You can steam your lobster tails in the shell or butterfly them beforehand.

Instructions for Boiling Live Jumbo Lobsters:

Fill a large pot with water, cover it with a lid and let it reach a rolling boil. Improve the cooking flavor by adding salt. Place the lid on the pot and continue cooking until the tail's internal temperature reaches 170 degrees Fahrenheit.

Cover the pot with the lobster tails in boiling water with a lid. Keeping the pot covered is essential, as this will help steam the lobster tails evenly and thoroughly. Let the lobster tails steam for 8-10 minutes or until they turn bright red. Be careful not to overcook them, making them tough and rubbery.

In a large kettle, bring enough water to a boil to cover lobster tails; add 1 tbsp. salt, if desired, for each quart of water. Place thawed tails in boiling water. When water returns to a boil, reduce heat and simmer (do not boil), covered, 5 min.

Though some seafood may be cooked frozen, it's best to thaw lobster tails first. Cooking lobster while frozen can leave the meat tough and chewy. Also, the meat tends to stick to the shell if it's cooked while frozen. Let lobster tails thaw in the refrigerator for a day before cooking.

Steaming lobsters is the preferred way to cook whole, live lobsters for a few reasons: you're less likely to overcook lobsters when steaming, the entire cook time is shorter and the process of cooking and removing the lobsters from the pot is a lot easier. Get a pot large enough to hold your lobsters.

Boiling is a little quicker and easier to time precisely, and the meat comes out of the shell more readily than when steamed. For recipes that call for fully cooked and picked lobster meat, boiling is the best approach. Benefits of Steaming: In contrast, steaming is more gentle, yielding slightly more tender meat.

Use shears or a knife to cut the lobster tail lengthwise along the middle. You should cut the lobster all the way back to the very tip of the fin. Try to avoid cutting into the meat, so that it does not break apart during the boiling.

The issue we see again and again is the recommended cooking times are often too long. Overcooked lobster will be tough and chewy no matter if you steam or boil them. When in doubt, use a meat thermometer to help you ensure you're not overcooking those large lobsters.

Is it better to broil or boil lobster tails? ›

Boiling lobster tails is a great choice because if stored and thawed your lobster tails properly, this is the cooking technique we recommend to minimize your tails sticking to the shell! Boiling is always a safe bet and if you are a first-timer or old-timer, this is the technique you can count on.

Some chefs suspect that freezing, thawing, then refreezing could be a big factor in why meat becomes mushy. Another reason could be the lobster was recently dead or almost dead and released enzymes that start the decomposition process prior to being cooked.

Preheat the oven to 350-degrees Fahrenheit. Wrap shelled lobster or tails in aluminum foil and place a couple of pats of butter over the meat. Place the wrapped lobsters on a baking pan and cook for five to ten minutes. Remove from the oven and use a thermometer to check that the lobster's reached at least 140-degrees.

Boiling and steaming are the methods of choice when you want to serve diners a whole lobster. Boiling is a little quicker and easier to time precisely, and the meat comes out of the shell more readily than when steamed. For recipes that call for fully cooked and picked lobster meat, boiling is the best approach.

For the lobsters, the preparation was unique among the methods tested. You cut down the top of the shells as if about to butterfly, but rather than loosening and pulling the meat out, it stays in the shell halves.

Use shears or a knife to cut the lobster tail lengthwise along the middle. You should cut the lobster all the way back to the very tip of the fin. Try to avoid cutting into the meat, so that it does not break apart during the boiling.