How to Pan-Fry Lobster Tail

Butterflied and pan-fried lobster tails are prominent on surf and turf platters.

Change the way you think of lobster. Instead of grilling, broiling or steaming the tails, pan-fry them in a skillet. Pan-frying the lobster tails gives the meat more flavor by searing it. Directly heating the lobster meat brings out its natural sweetness. This method should be used with caution because the lobster tails can quickly go from perfect to overcooked and tough in seconds. Serve the pan-fried lobster tails whole with a steak for surf and turf or remove the meat and add to recipes for a more flavorful addition than steamed lobster meat. Does this Spark an idea?

Print this article

Skillet
1 tbsp. butter or olive oil
Tongs
Drawn butter
Lemon wedges

Instructions

- 1
  
  Cut lengthwise through the shell on top of each of two lobster tails.
- 2
  
  Pull the sides of the shell apart like a book to expose the meat inside.
- 3
  
  Lift the meat out of the shell with one end of the meat still attached to the base of the tail.
- 4
  
  Push together the sides of the shell with the meat on the outside and lay the lobster meat on top.
- 5
  
  Slit the meat down the center lengthwise and fold over the flaps to butterfly the lobster tail. Repeat with the remaining tail.
- 6
  
  Heat a skillet over medium heat for one minute or until hot. Add the butter or olive oil and heat until the butter melts or the olive oil begins to shimmer.
- 7
  
  Place the butterflied lobster tails into the hot oil with the meat side down.
- 8
  
  Fry the lobster tails for five minutes or until the shell brightens to red and the meat is opaque white. Move the lobster in the skillet and out with tongs around the sides of the tail to avoid damaging the meat.
- 9
  
  Serve the pan-fried lobster tails with drawn butter and lemon wedges.

Tips & Warnings

Ask the seafood counter to butterfly your lobster tails for you to save time.

Suggest item

"Cruising Cuisine: Fresh Food from the Galley"; Kay Pastorius; 1997
"Emeril's TV Dinners"; Emeril Lagasse, et al.; 1998
"Biró: European-inspired Cuisine"; Marcel Biró, et al.; 2005
"Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book"; Better Homes and Gardens, et al.; 2006