How to Bake Miniature Lobster Tails

Miniature lobster tails are rarely served individually.

Miniature lobster tails share the same mildly sweet flavor and sea-like aroma of their larger, mature counterparts. Miniature, or immature, lobster tails usually weigh between two and three ounces and yield up to 1 1/2 ounces of meat, making them perfect for use as a starter or part of amuse bouche -- small, elegant, single bites of food commonly served as hors d'oeurve. Allot two mini lobster tails per guest if using as an appetizer or four per guest if used as part of a seafood main course.

Things You'll Need

• 8 miniature lobster tails
• Cutting board
• Kitchen shears
• Paring knife
• Olive oil
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Sheet pan
• Clarified butter
• Freshly squeezed lemon juice to taste

Instructions

1. Position the miniature lobster tails upside down on the cutting board. Cut down each side of the thin shell on the underside of the tail with kitchen shears until you reach the tail fin.

2. Cut the shell across at the tail. Grasp the tail portion of the shell, peel it away and discard. The tail meat is now exposed.

3. Cut away the thin, translucent membrane covering the tail meat and discard. Dislodge the tail meat from the shell with a paring knife, leaving the meat in the shell.

4. Heat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Coat the tail meat with olive oil and season it to taste with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Arrange the tails, meat side up, on a sheet pan. Place the pan on the middle rack of the oven.

5. Bake the lobster tails until opaque and cooked through, approximately eight minutes. Finish the lobster with clarified butter and freshly squeezed lemon juice to taste.

References

• "The Professional Chef 8th Edition"; The Culinary Institute of America; 2006

Resources

• Lobster Help: Your Ultimate Lobster Guide