How to Cook Lobster Tails

Co-authored by Sophia Latorre

Lobster tails are a rich, delectable seafood that can be prepared in a variety of ways. You can steam lobster tails, bake them, or even grill them! Either way, you can leave the lobster in its tail while cooking, then eat the meat straight from the shell. You’ll be enjoying delicious lobster tails in no time!

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Steaming Lobster Tails

1
Put a steamer basket in a large pot with a tight-fitting lid. The pot should be big enough to accommodate your lobster tails. If you don’t have a steamer basket, you could use a small metal colander to keep the tails from being submerged in the water.^{[1]
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2
Add 2 inches (5.1 cm) of cold water to the pot and bring it to a boil. The amount of water will vary based on how large the pot is, but aim to fill it a couple inches. The basket or colander should keep the lobster tails out of, but close to, the water. Then, cover the pot with the lid and bring the water to a boil on medium-high heat.^{[2]
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3
Cut the lobster tails down the center and remove the vein. Use sharp kitchen shears to cut the exoskeleton, or shell, of the lobster tail down the center. Avoid cutting the meat or cutting into the tail fan. Spread the shell apart with your hands, then pull or cut out the vein running down the middle.^{[3]
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4
Place the lobster tails in the steamer basket and cook for 4-12 minutes. Remove the lid and carefully add the lobster tails to the steamer basket or on top of the colander. The size of the lobster tails dictates how long they should cook for.^{[4]
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- Cook 3-6 oz. (85-170 g) tails for 4-6 minutes.
- Cook 6-7 oz. (170-198 g) tails for 6-8 minutes.
- Cook 8-10 oz. (227-283 g) tails for 8-10 minutes.
- Cook 10-16 oz. (283-454 g) tails for 9-11 minutes.
- Cook 16-20 oz. (454-567 g) tails for 10-12 minutes.
5
Remove the lobster tails with tongs. Once the cooking time is up, remove the pot from the heat and turn off the burner. Carefully remove the lobster tails using tongs. Check to make sure the meat in the center of the tail is fully cooked—it should be an opaque, white color. If it’s not, steam them for another minute or 2.^{[5]
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6
Serve the lobster tails with drawn butter. To make drawn butter, simply melt the butter over low heat. You can flavor it with lemon juice or salt and pepper, if desired. Then, dunk the lobster tail meat in the butter and enjoy!^{[6]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Baking Lobster Tails

1
Preheat the oven to 350 °F (177 °C) and melt 1 stick of butter. Cut the butter into chunks and place it in a heat-safe dish or small saucepan. You can melt the butter in the microwave or on the stovetop. Aim for 1–2 tablespoons (15–30 ml) of butter per tail.^{[7]
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2
Use kitchen shears to cut the shell and remove the vein. Insert kitchen shears between the shell and the meat of the lobster tail. Cut down the center until you reach the tail fan. Use your fingers to spread the shell apart and loosen the meat from the shell. To remove the vein in the center of the tail, pull it out or cut it out with the shears.^{[8]
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3
Place the tails on a baking sheet and brush them with melted butter. Arrange the tails meat-side-up so they don’t overlap on the baking sheet. You may need to use more than 1 baking sheet, depending on how many lobsters you’re cooking. Use a pastry brush to coat each tail with the melted butter.^{[9]
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4
Bake them for 15 minutes or until the tails reach 140–145 °F (60–63 °C). Use an instant-read thermometer to measure the temperature in the thickest part of the tail. Don’t let the tails get hotter than 140–145 °F (60–63 °C), or they may become rubbery and overcooked.^{[10]
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5
Remove the lobster tails and serve them with lemon slices. Carefully remove the baking sheet(s) from the oven with an oven mitt and turn off the oven. Place each lobster tail on a plate, add a lemon slice or 2 to each, and serve them immediately. You can pour more melted butter over the tail meat, if you like.^{[11]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Grilling Lobster Tails

1
Preheat the grill to medium heat. You can use a gas or charcoal grill to cook lobster. Make sure the grill is clean and there is no food or char left from a previous meal.^{[12]
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2
Cut the lobster tail with kitchen shears and remove the vein. Place kitchen shears between the exoskeleton, or shell, and the meat of the lobster. Cut down the center of the tail, but leave the tail fan intact. Pry apart the shell and separate the meat from the exoskeleton using your fingers. Then, cut or pull out the vein running through the center of the tail.^{[13]
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3
Brush the tails with olive oil, then add salt. Use a pastry brush to coat the tail with olive oil. This will help prevent it from sticking to the grill. Season the meat with salt to taste.^{[14]
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4
Cook the tails cut-side-down for 5 minutes then turn them over. Carefully arrange the tails cut-side-down on the grill over direct heat. Cook them for 5 minutes or until the shell color brightens up. Then use tongs to flip each lobster tail over.^{[15]
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5
Brush the meat with butter and grill the tails for another 5 minutes. Spoon or brush about 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of melted butter onto the meat of each lobster tail. You could even add chives, tarragon, garlic, or other herbs and spices to the butter first, if you wish. Cook them for another 4 minutes. They’re done when the meat turns an opaque white.^{[16]
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6
Remove the tails from the grill and serve them with lemon wedges. Carefully remove the tails from the grill using tongs, then turn off the grill. Transfer the lobster tails to plates. Then, cut a lemon into quarters or eighths and add a wedge or 2 to each plate. Garnish each dish with a few sprigs of chive, then serve with butter and enjoy!^{[17]
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Community Q&A

Question

When cooking lobster, do I need to devein the tail?

Community Answer

I always do because it's easy to do and really grosses some people out if you don't.
Question

What is clarified butter?

Community Answer

Clarified butter is unsalted butter that has been melted over low heat, the foam skimmed off the surface, then the remaining liquid strained (e.g. through cheesecloth) to filter out any remaining solids.
Question

What is the easiest way to cut the tail out of the lobster?

Community Answer

Scissors or a sharp paring knife will do the job.