How to Eat Lobster Tail

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: August 4, 2020 References

Lobster tails are one of the most delicious seafoods available. Though it takes a little bit of work to get to the savory meat in a lobster, it is well worth the effort. Once you separate the lobster's tail from its body, all you need to do is crack open the shell and remove the meat inside. In minutes, you'll have a hearty meal at your fingertips!

Part 1

Part 1 of 2:

Practicing Good Lobster-Eating Etiquette

1
Wear a bib to catch the juices and melted butter. It may feel a little silly to wear a bib at the dinner table, but it's vital for lobster eating so that you don't stain your clothes. Put the bib on before you start breaking apart the lobster. Otherwise, the lobster juices could come flying at you and get all over your clothes.^{[1]
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- If you're at a restaurant, you can use the cloth they provide as your bib. Instead of putting on your lap, tuck it into your shirt collar and let it hang in front of your chest.
2
Twist the 2 halves apart to detach the tail. If you have a whole lobster that's freshly steamed, you'll need to remove its tail to get to the meat inside. Fortunately, a properly cooked lobster is easy to break apart. Place 1 hand on the body and 1 hand on the tail. Then, twist your hands in opposite directions to separate the tail.^{[2]
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- You can also use a knife or nutcracker to split up the lobster if you don't feel comfortable breaking it apart with your hands.
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3
Brush off the tomalley. The tomalley is the lobster's liver and pancreas. It's green in color and considered a delicacy to some, but it is not recommended that you eat the tomalley. This part of the lobster's body filters out toxins and pollutants and could contain those things even after the lobster has been cooked. Remove the tomalley by scraping it away with a fork and setting it on a napkin.^{[3]
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- Fortunately, whatever is inside the tomalley will not affect the lobster meat itself.
Warning: Do not eat with the fork you used to remove the tomalley.
4
Split the tail in half with a sharp butcher's knife. Once you've separated the tail from the rest of the body, you'll need to cut open the tail to get to the lobster meat. Flip the tail over so that the underside is facing up and place it on a plate. Then, slice down the middle of the tail to split it in half.^{[4]
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- If you don't have a butcher's knife, a steak knife should do the trick. You can also use kitchen shears if you'd like.
5
Pull the tail out of its shell to remove the meat. Grab the top of the tail and pull it away from the shell gently to get the meat out. The tail should come out in 1 big piece.^{[5]
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- Once you've removed the meat, you can put the shell to the side or throw it out.
Tip: Run your hands across the inside of the shell to see if there's any lobster meat you might have missed.
6
Remove the black intestinal track running through the tail. This part of the tail is edible, but it doesn't taste very good. Grab an end of the vein with your fingers and pull it out of the tail. You can throw it away once you've removed it.^{[6]
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- Some lobsters come with the vein already removed.

Part 2

Part 2 of 2:

Pairing Food and Drink with Lobster

1
Dip the lobster tail in butter. Clarified butter is the best dipping sauce for lobster meat. If you're at a restaurant, you'll get a small cup of it with your meal. You can eat the lobster tail by itself, but dipping it in butter adds new flavors and textures to the dish.^{[7]
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- Most restaurants will give you lemons with your lobster. Drizzle on some lemon juice after you've dipped it in butter to add another flavor to the meal.
2
Serve baby carrots glazed with brown sugar. This root vegetable goes great with lobsters and is easy to make. All you have to do is fill a pan with water and put a bag of carrots, a pat of butter, and 1 teaspoon (4.2 grams) into the pan. Bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat. Then, turn the stove to low and let the ingredients simmer for 6 minutes. Finally, turn the stove to high and cook for another 5-6 minutes, or until the water has evaporated.^{[8]
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- At this point, the carrots and tender and ready to serve. Just add some salt and pepper and enjoy!
Other foods that go with lobster:

String beans and broccoli covered in butter
Grilled or steamed asparagus
Tomato and cucumber salad
3
Make macaroni and cheese for a heavier side that pairs well. Macaroni and cheese is a classic dish that goes perfectly with lobster. If you want to combine the two dishes, simply chop up your lobster into small pieces and mix it into the macaroni and cheese with a spoon.^{[9]
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- Baked potatoes, risotto, and baked beans are other hearty side dishes that pair well with lobster.
4
Drink champagne to pair your lobster with a drink. Champagne is a versatile drink that pairs well with many dishes. That said, get a dry champagne to pair with your lobster dish. Dry champagne or white wine works best with any kind of seafood.^{[10]
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- If you don't like champagne, get a bottle of Sauvignon blanc or crisp Chardonnay instead.