Although you can have broiled lobster and many other ways of cooking this fantastic shellfish, the best way you can cook them when new to this is to boil them.
However, even if you boil them when you grill a lobster, you need to be careful about cooking times. If your lobster is frozen or you don’t cook them properly, you could find yourself with an upset stomach.
In our guide, you can learn all you need to know about how to cook frozen lobster tails or cook lobster tails that are fresh, no matter what size they are. (Find the Best Fish Finder)
How to Choose Lobster Tail?
Picking the best seafood is part of the experience, especially if choosing something such as lobster. You have a few things to look out for. The molting phase is important, and the harder the shell, the better it will be, as it means the shell is filled with sweet, firm lobster meat.
How to Buy Lobster Tail?
Make sure you buy a cold water lobster tail as this has a sweet, clean taste, along with a dense texture. Most lobsters in the US come from Maine. If you find warm water lobsters, these are not as firm after cooking, and textures can be grainy.
Buy from a place selling lobster tails with a high turnover. You can find many online sources for the lobster tail and check the company before you buy.
Frozen Lobster Tail
In most cases, you’ll find the lobster tails you see at the market or in a fish store will have already been frozen, or they are sold as frozen. Buying frozen is fine, so long as you thaw them properly.
You have a couple of ways to thaw your lobster once you have them home.
Thawing Lobster in the Refrigerator
You will find the best way to thaw frozen lobster tails is in your refrigerator. Please keep it in its packaging, or transfer it to a sealed container. Lobster tails will thaw in one day unless they are oversized and heavier than one pound each.
Thawing Lobster in Cold Water
Another way to thaw your lobster is to place your lobster tails in a well-sealed plastic zipper-top bag. Once sealed, you can place your lobster tails in a bowl of cold water. (Read our Lifetime Sport 10′ Fisher Review)
Make sure you have tightly sealed the bag, so water doesn’t soak in your lobster meat. You will find this method takes around 4 to 8 hours, though it will vary based on size.
Lobster Size Boiling Times
- 1 lb. Lobster 5 minutes to 6 minutes
- 1 ¼ pound 7-8 minutes
- 1-1/2 lb. 8-9 minutes
- 2 lb. lobster 10 minutes to 12 minutes
- 3 lb. lobster 12-14 minutes
- 5-6 lb. lobster 18-20 minutes
When you begin cooking, you’ll find the times for all sizes and roughly work out at one minute per ounce of lobster. You will want your lobster meat to be white all the way through and not translucent.
Even when boiling lobster tails, be careful not to overcook your lobster tail. Doing so makes it tough. If checking the temperature, you need an internal temp of 140°F.
One thing to note is to use the individual lobster weight for lobster tail boiling time rather than a combined weight. The lobster tail boil time will vary based on lobster size.
Cooking time for other ways of cooking your lobster is not much different, and an 8-ounce lobster can take around 6 minutes if you grill them.
Boiled Lobster Tail
You will want to cook whole uncut lobster tails in boiling salted water. When you boil them for the right amount of time, it cooks and tenderizes the flesh, and it will though dilute some of the briny flavors.
Many individuals boost this by adding a little salt for additional seasoning. You can find this a great way to parboil large lobster tails before you broil or grill them to start the cooking. Doing so will cook the meat evenly and prevent over-cooking.
Add sufficient water to a large pot and cover the lobster tails. Bring the water to a boil and carefully add the tails to the pot.
Steam for 8 minutes until the meat is translucent, pinkish-white, and the shells have turned a bright red (about 1 minute per ounce). Finally, drain the lobsters and allow them to cool enough to handle before opening the shell and removing the meat.
Step-By-Step Guide On How to Boil Lobster Tails
Here are the step-by-step instructions on how to cook lobster tails. Just be sure to follow the cooking time from the included table.
- Thaw your lobster tails, then put a skewer through them to keep them from curling.
- Bring a pot of water to a boil.
- Reduce the heat to a soft boil and add some sea salt.
- Add the lobster tails one at a time to the boiling water, and then set your kitchen timer for the desired boiling times.
- Cool your cooked lobster tails right away after cooking with cold water or ice for 30 minutes, as this prevents them from overcooking.
Tips For Preparing the Lobster Tails for Boiling
Preparation is vital for cooking delicious lobster tails. Luckily, preparation is simple, and the prep time is minimal. To prepare lobster tails for boiling, thaw them thoroughly.
If you try to cook lobster while still fully or partially frozen, it dries out during cooking and turns rubbery. Thaw your lobster in a cold-water bath or the refrigerator as directed earlier.
You can also prepare lobster tails using a metal or wooden skewer, so your lobster tails stay straight when cooking. It isn’t important, yet it stops tails curling when in the lobster pot.
The Best Way to Serve Boiled Lobster Tails
When you cook the lobster by boiling, there’s only one way it should be served. 2 tablespoons of melted butter is one way to please the crowd.
If you fancy a bit more, you can add minced garlic to your butter as it melts to add garlic taste and aroma. Lemon juice is another favorite, as is salt and pepper or Old Bay seasoning.
Butterflied Lobster Tails
After cooking, you’ll need to serve your lobster, and the best way is to butterfly the lobster. Cut the tail down the top of the shell in the middle using kitchen shears, open the shell and remove the meat. Make sure to leave a portion connected to the tail fin.
You can then layer the meat on top of the shell. When cooked, the shell will look as if it is connected to the meat sitting on top.
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