Lobster wasn’t always the luxury meal we know and love today. It was once considered peasant food, a dish that was served to prisoners because it wasn’t considered good enough to serve on restaurant menus or at fancy dinner parties. Oh, how the tides have changed! Today lobster is a luxury, and we cringe over every little wasteful mistake we make with this precious meat. But one thing that certainly is not a mistake is serving lobster poached in a delicate butter bath, a simple technique resulting in a rich, creamy, and undeniably delicious meal that will make your mouth water.
If the idea of poaching a pricey lobster tail intimidates you, rest easy. It’s a surprisingly simple technique that’s easy to do and eventually master. To achieve this culinary success, you’ll want to remove your lobster from the shell (both tail and claws are delicious when cooked this way) and get some butter melting in a pot on the stove. Two sticks (or 1 cup) should do, although you’ll want to add enough water, so the poaching liquid completely covers the top of the meat.
Once the butter comes to a simmer, add your meat and let it gently cook, making sure not to let the butter come to a boil. Keeping the butter at a simmer is essential to maintain a consistent heat so that the fat emulsifies and coats the meat in a creamy sauce. This will help carry that beautiful butter flavor into whatever dish you serve the meat with. You’ll want to cook it for around 6 to 8 minutes to make sure it’s done, and don’t worry if you have to work in batches — it’s better to cook a few pieces at a time rather than crowding the pan and getting an uneven cook.
Butter poaching lobster is the doorway to many incredible dishes
Poaching is a skill that can be traced back centuries, with several references to poaching in one of the very first cookbooks, “Le Viandier” published in the early 14th century. Along the way, poaching has been perfected and has evolved to include water poaching and butter poaching. This method is used to create beautiful meals far beyond lobster, from eggs Benedict to a delicately poached chicken breast that can be used any number of ways.
When it comes to lobster poached in butter, the possibilities for using it in recipes are practically endless, and you can add a variety of seasonings like fresh herbs (dill and chives are great choices) to the butter to achieve your desired flavor. The rich, tender meat is commonly used for dishes like lobster rolls but can also be the show-stealing topping for a perfectly grilled steak, an exceptional option for a surf-and-turf dinner.
Many salads feature lobster meat, and butter poached lobster is the perfect way to include it, providing a richness that perfectly balances the fresh flavors of greens and vegetables in a lovely nicoise salad. You can also go ultra-fancy (and ultra-decadent) with a linguine Alfredo topped with creamy butter-poached lobster meat. If that option is too rich for your taste buds, it will pair excellently with just about any pasta dish from ravioli to spaghetti with a simple brown butter or garlic sauce.
