Given their hefty price tag, some people feel wary of cooking lobster tails. While incredibly delicious, lobster meat is delicate and exceptionally prone to being ruined by home cooks who lack the proper knowledge. To secure this knowledge and learn the ins and outs of lobster tails, we spoke with Michael Chavez, kitchen development manager for the Angry Crab Shack.
“The method that has the most margin for error would be steaming,” Chavez says. “Steaming is not as direct or intense of a heat source, so there is a less chance of over cooking the tail … Steaming produces a more tender texture by cooking with a less intense heat source.” For first-timers, having the right equipment to properly steam lobster tails takes much of the pressure off the cooking process. Even if your timing is off by a minute or two, you’ll still achieve a nearly perfect texture, producing tender, flavorful flakes of meat that practically slide right out of the shell.
However, once you’ve gotten some experience under your belt, it might be time to explore other methods. “Boiling, grilling, broiling, and steaming each require a few different steps in preparation, but each method done correctly will produce a perfectly tender lobster tail,” says Chavez. While preparing lobster requires precision, none of these methods are particularly difficult to execute.
Experiment with boiling, grilling, or broiling lobster tails
Which method of cooking lobster produces the best flavor? “Each … has its own pros and cons,” Michael Chavez explains. Do you want to incorporate the meat into a creamy lobster mac and cheese? Serve it as a standalone dish brushed with butter? Lobster is nothing if not versatile, so you should always consider how you want your plate to look once you’re sitting at the table.
“Boiling typically results in a softer, sometimes mushy texture due to the prolonged exposure to water,” Chavez says. To humanely cook lobsters at home by boiling, press a sharp knife into the skull and making a quick downward chop. Boiling has the added benefit — or detriment, depending on your recipe — of adding no additional smoky or charred flavors, making it a great option for dishes like the Ditch Plains lobster roll or other heavily seasoned, cold preparations.
“Broiling the lobster tail creates a charred exterior with a tender interior from the isolated heat just from the top,” Chavez says. This method is also a great way to remove that white stuff on your lobster — hemolymph — if you find it a bit too unsightly for your tastes.
Finally, there’s grilling, which Chavez calls his “preferred method for the best balance of ease and flavor.” As he explains, “Grilling provides distinct grill marks, smoky flavor[,] and a slightly caramelized exterior with a juicy interior.”
