What is the Optimal Lobster Part for Lobster Mac and Cheese?

Lobster macaroni and cheese is a creamy blend of cheeses, pasta, and tender lobster meat — and you want the lobster to shine here. For the best flavor and texture, choose tail meat for your lobster mac and cheese. Tail meat is firmer than claw meat, so as it cooks in with the cheesy sauce, it becomes a bit softer. Tail meat is great for anything from a saucy pasta dish to a creamy soup.

There also tends to be more meat in the lobster tail, so depending on how much you need, you can usually buy frozen lobster tails on their own. And if you’re not a lobster-cracking pro, the tail meat is easier to access than the claw meat. The more tender claw and knuckle meat, on the other hand, would be great as a salad topping or in a lobster roll. That said, if you’re the one shelling the whole lobster, then it’s fine to use a combination of tail and claw meat, so no meat goes to waste. Plus, you can even save the shells for an easy seafood stock.

Good-quality lobster is essential for the best mac and cheese, and cooked lobster meat will safely last between three and four days if properly refrigerated. For the best flavor and texture, though, purchase the lobsters as close to preparing the recipe as possible. If you’re baking the macaroni and cheese in the oven, you can parboil the lobster. This means blanching it quickly in boiling water for only about two minutes. It loosens the meat from the shell, but it doesn’t cook it all the way through; it’s a great method for when the lobster meat will then be cooked for additional time.

Lobster meat has a mild flavor; you can easily upgrade the mac and cheese by using a variation of sharper and milder cheeses, such as a blend of sharp cheddar, Gruyére, and Parmesan. Seasonings like Old Bay or a Cajun blend are great for pairing with seafood, and incorporating fresh herbs that go nicely with lobster — such as chives or a little fresh dill — will make a big difference, too. For a hint of brightness, serve the mac and cheese with a squeeze of lemon juice.