How to Prepare Lobster Tails for Steaming

Lobster tail makes an elegant and impressive main dish.

Lobster tails are easier to find at stores and easier to prepare for cooking than whole lobsters. On the whole, they are often a better bargain, too. The lobster's tail contains the bulk of the meat, so pound-for-pound, it yields much more meat than a whole lobster would. Lobster tails can be steamed relatively quickly and are easy to prepare for cooking. Prepare and steam your own lobster tails for an unforgettable dinner.

Things You'll Need

• Lobster tails
• Kitchen shears
• Steamer basket
• Large pot
• Water
• Salt

Instructions

1. Purchase your lobster tails. Both fresh and frozen varieties of lobster tail are available at stores. Fresh tails can be harder to come by unless you live relatively close to the ocean. Frozen tails are more readily available. When buying a frozen tail, make sure to avoid discolored tails or meat with black or gray spots.

2. Defrost the tails. Place the tails in the refrigerator for 8 to 10 hours ahead of time. Frozen tails can be steamed, but you will get better results if you defrost the tails first.

3. Using a pair of kitchen shears, cut the shell open down until you hit the base of the tail. Pry the shell away from the meat and discard, making sure to leave the tail intact.

4. You are now ready to steam to your lobster tail. Place a steamer basket into a pot with a few inches of salted water. When the water comes to a boil, put the lobster tail into the steamer basket. Steam until the meat is white and firm. For Lobster Help's chart for determining cooking times, see references.

Tips & Warnings

• You can marinate your lobster tail before steaming in a marinade of melted butter, paprika, lemon juice, pepper and garlic.

References

• Help With Cooking: Cooking Lobster Tails
• Lobster Help: Learn How to Steam Lobster Tails