Cooking Lobster Tails

Here are 5 ways for cooking lobster tails... Boiling, Steaming, Baking, Broiling and Grilling. If you are new to cooking lobster I would suggest you pick a method you are comfortable with, no need to experiment on such an expensive seafood.

I also steered my customers who where cooking lobster tails for the first time to steaming. Not quite as colorful as baking, broiling or grilling, but steaming is pretty much fool proof, as to getting it cooked right. Plus I think steaming brings out the true taste in a lobster. Just serve it with butter and lemon.

If you are new to cooking lobster tails, you might want to read about frozen lobster tails to learn more about warm and cold water tails. Also remember that the tails will continue to cook a little after you have removed them from their heat source.

Boiling

In a large pot add enough water to cover how many tails you are boiling , add 1 tsp. of salt per quart of water you have. Bring to a boil, drop the thawed lobster tails in after the water returns to a boil reduce the heat and begin timing.

The rule of thumb is 1 minute per oz of the tail So a 4-6oz lobster tail will be cooked for 4 to 6 minutes.

Steaming

Can be done over a large pot with a steamer basket or in a steamer/rice cooker appliance. You can butterfly the tail or split them in half if you have a larger tail. If using a pot to steam bring the water to a boil place lobster in the basket and steam for about 1 minute per oz of lobster. Season your tail with salt and spread butter over it.

I really like the electric food steamer, it's fast and easy and almost fool proof by using the instruction booklet that comes with them. You can just put the specified amount of water in it, cover and cook.

Baking

Prepare the tail, brush with butter or olive oil,place tails on a cookie sheet and in a preheated oven bake a 6 to 8oz lobster tail for 8 minutes.

Your baking time will vary according to size of tail and the heating of your oven. You can also place a small amount of water on the cookie sheet to help keep the tails moist.

Broiling

After preparing your lobster tail. Fill your broiling pan with a 1/2" of water. Preheat the pan in the oven till the water is hot this helps keep the lobster moist while broiling.
Remember not all oven broilers are the same. Some produce more heat while others will not. The hard part is finding the right distance to place the broiling pan away from the heating element.

Larger tails say 8 oz or larger will need to be placed farther away from the heat for a 8 to 9 oz tail the rule of thumb is somewhere between 8 to 9 inches away from the heat. Cooking time for an 8 to 9oz tail it would likely be around 10 to 12 minutes.

To avoid baking the tails when broiling keep your oven door ajar, with the door ajar it makes it easy for you to watch your tail cook in case you need to make any adjustments.

Place the tail or tails on a broiling pan, brush with melted butter. Keep basting with butter as needed until your lobster tail is opaque.

Grilling

Once again I like to butterfly the tail, the size of the tail and the grills heat will determine your cooking time. Over a medium high heat place the tail meat side down first, this will get you some nice grill marks and a little browning of the meat.

A 8 to 9 oz tail you would grill for about 4 to 5 minutes and then turn to finish cooking, say another 5 to 6 minutes, basting with butter.