How to Cut the Meat Out of a Lobster Tail

Serve lobster as an appetizer or main entree.

Fresh-cooked lobster, no matter how it's prepared, is considered a gourmet delicacy around the world. The American lobster is found on the Atlantic coast of North America. These tasty crustaceans can be boiled, baked or broiled. Even lobster shells are packed with flavor and often simmered in sauces to impart a sweet lobster taste. But removing the lobster meat from the shell can sometimes be tricky. Choose from two base methods of removing the meat from a lobster tail. Does this Spark an idea?

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Sharp knife

Instructions

Cut the Sides
- 1
  
  Drain the lobster immediately after cooking. Place it on paper towels to dry.
- 2
  
  Remove the lobster from the paper towels. Place it on a flat cutting surface, shell side down and underside facing up.
- 3
  
  Cut down the side of the lobster, lengthwise, starting at the wide end and ending at the the tail, using kitchen scissors. Avoid cutting through the meat. Repeat the process on the opposite side of the lobster.
- 4
  
  Pull up the piece you just cut, the underside portion of the lobster, to expose the lobster meat. The lobster meat lies in the shell.
- 5
  
  Remove the meat in one piece from the shell. Place on a cutting surface and slice the tail meat widthwise into 1/2-inch thick medallions.
Cut the Underside
- 6
  
  Drain the lobster immediately after cooking. Place it on paper towels to dry.
- 7
  
  Place the cooked lobster on a flat cutting surface, shell side down and underside face up.
- 8
  
  Make a straight cut down the center of the lobster's underside to the end of the tail.
- 9
  
  Make a horizontal cut across the underside at the end of the lengthwise cut, just before the fins. Fold the lengthwise-cut edges back to open the underside and reveal the lobster meat.
- 10
  
  Pry the meat up and pull it gently from the shell with your fingers to avoid pulling the meat apart.
- 11
  
  Place the lobster meat on a cutting surface and slice widthwise into 1/2-inch thick medallions.

Tips & Warnings

The majority of meat is found in the lobster's tail and front claws.
Submerge the cooked lobster in ice water immediately after cooking, if you are not using it right away. This helps prevent the growth of bacteria.
Store the drained and cooked lobster in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to two days.