How to Inject Marinade Into a Lobster

Inject marinade into a lobster tail for added flavor.

Injecting marinade into a lobster is an effective way to maximize flavor. This process is often used in Cajun recipes for turkey, chicken or other meats, but shellfish can be included in that list. Lobster is already a rich food, and an injection of a simple marinade before grilling or broiling gives a surprising result. Buy a medium to large syringe at a cookware shop and a large lobster pot and you are ready to begin. Does this Spark an idea?

Print this article

Syringe
Lobster pot or large saucepan (at least 19 qts.)
Kitchen shears
Large kitchen knife

Instructions

- 1
  
  Boil a live lobster in a large (19 qt. or larger) saucepan or lobster pot. Remove rubber bands from the claws before cooking. Grab the lobster behind the head with one hand and drop headfirst into boiling, salted water. Cook 10 minutes for a one pound lobster and add three minutes of cooking time for each additional 1/2 pound. Lobster should be bright red with the tail curling up when removed from water. Set on a plate with a paper towel to drain.
- 2
  
  Assemble a simple marinade according to your recipe. Many times, cooks use a marinade of butter, white wine and garlic powder. To be useful with a syringe, the marinade must be completely liquefied. Use any spice you wish, provided it is absorbed completely by the liquid.
- 3
  
  Fill the syringe with the marinade. The marinade will only be injected into the lobster tail, so you need no more than 1 ounce per pound of lobster. Flip the lobster over and inject the marinade directly into the tail. Pierce through the back membrane rather than the tough shell on the front. Inject half the marinade in one place, and the other half in a spot one inch away. If you have only cooked the tail rather than the whole lobster, you can inject through the opening in the front, but add another injection halfway to the tail's end.
- 4
  
  Grill or broil the lobster on a rack for 8 to 10 minutes. Place the lobster directly over or under the heat source, flipping it every two minutes to prevent charring.
- 5
  
  Remove from grill and cut the lobster down the middle with a large sharp knife. Separate claws from the body, discard the green tamale and split the tail in half. Crack the claws with a hammer or knife butt. Serve with melted butter and sides such as rice pilaf and roasted potatoes.

Tips & Warnings

Use a pot large enough to accommodate the entire lobster to promote even cooking.
If the lobster dies before cooking it will not cook properly, so discard it and buy a new one.