Lobster tails

[Pan]

I'm wondering whether those Caribbean lobsters look really weird.

[slkinsey]

They look like giant shrimp.

[Pan]

Oh. I can picture that.

[theclash]

lots of Caribbean lobster pictures lobsters

[Pan]

Thanks. Nice web site. Love those spotted lobsters! Do people eat them, too?

[CRUZMISL]

Thanks a ton for the responses AND for the butter poaching page. I'm going to try that idea. Any tips or tricks? I just bought 3 lbs of plugra. Is the flavor of plugra too overwhelming or would it be good? I actually like the taste myself.

Joe

[malachi]

Plugra would work.

Butter-poached Lobster Tail with Bacon-Mashed Potatoes

This dish takes advantage of the insulting and moisture retaining properties of butter to prevent frozen lobster tails from becoming tough in cooking. Paired with bacon and mashed potatoes, you have a luxurious dish. Pairs well with a high-quality (not over-oaked) Chardonnay or White Burgundy.

Keys to success:

· Keep butter sauce between 180 and 190 degrees,

· Don’t overcook potatoes.

Ingredients

2 Frozen Lobster Tails

2 Pounds Unsalted Butter

1 Tbsp Water

1 tspn Chopped Chives

1 tspn white vinegar

Salt and Pepper

Thaw lobsters by placing in refrigerator for 24 hours.

Preheat oven to 180 degrees.

Put 1 Tbsp water in narrow, tall saucepan and bring to a light boil. Reduce heat immediately to a low simmer. Whisk 1 Tbsp butter into water. When completely melted, add another Tbsp and whisk. Repeat until all butter combined. If, at any point, the butter mixture looks like it will begin to boil, break or separate – immediately remove from heat and let cool before proceeding. You can use an instant read thermometer clipped to the side of the pan to monitor heat (it should stay between 180 and 190 degrees). Keep at this temperature in a double boiler or on low simmer.

Boil 2 quarts of water with the white vinegar and 1 tspn salt. Once boiling, remove from the heat and add lobster tails. Cover and let sit for 2 minutes. Remove the tails from the water and rinse in cold water. Remove all meat from the shell.

Put lobster meat and lobster shells in a high-sided, small roasting pan. Cover with the butter sauce. Place in oven for 5 minutes.

Place lobster meat on top of the mounded potatoes in a bowl. Spoon 3 Tbsp of the butter sauce over the top and garnish with chopped chives, reserved bacon and fresh ground black pepper and salt.

Bacon-Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients

4 medium Yukon Gold Potatoes

3 slices Thick-cut Smoked Bacon

4 Tbsp Salted Butter

4 Tbsp Sour Cream

2 Tbsp Milk

Salt and Pepper

Cook the bacon over medium heat until crispy. Drain, cool and crumble. Reserve.

Peel and quarter the potatoes and place in 3 quarts boiling, salted water. Cook until a fork pierces the potato easily. Drain and place potatoes in a large bowl. Either mash or rice the potatoes. Add the butter and stir with a rubber spatula until combined. Add the sour cream and milk and stir to combine. Add 2/3 of the bacon, stir and salt and pepper to taste.

[CRUZMISL]

Thanks, very similar recipe as the link above.

I was looking at the link above and I was confused by step 4 but likely a typo.

Heat oven to 300 degrees [F]. Place lobster pieces in single layer in a large saucepan or sauté pan. Add remaining emulsified butter. Lobster meat should be just about covered. Place pan over low heat, and cook 5 to 6 minutes, until meat is just heated through. Remove knuckle pieces, drain and fold into leek mixture.

I presume they mean place the roasting pan in the 300 degree oven for 5-6 minutes. Also wouldn't 300 degrees be too hot? Although maybe with the butter sauce already at 180-190 and only being in the oven for 5 minutes it may not have a significant impact on the butter sauce temp.

Thoughts?

Joe

[budrichard]

Lobster tails come from spiny caribbean lobster, not from New England cold water lobster. The caribbean lobsters are harvested just for their tails.

Why is that? Is there something wrong with the rest of their bodies?

They actually grow their tails back. Scientifically, this is known as rebutting.

I don't believe it. I assume your post was in jest? -Dick

[Al_Dente]

Lobster tails come from spiny caribbean lobster, not from New England cold water lobster. The caribbean lobsters are harvested just for their tails.

Why is that? Is there something wrong with the rest of their bodies?

They actually grow their tails back. Scientifically, this is known as rebutting.

I don't believe it. I assume your post was in jest? -Dick

When one lobster does this it's known as a rebuttal.

[WolfChef]

We used to lightly bread and just barely deep fry cold water lobster tail meat at a resturant. As i remember we would sort of flatten out the meat then egg wash and a unseasoned light breading. Cook for about 30 seconds then place inside a buttered fresh roll with some mayo and eat. We did this because we didn't want the waitresses to know we were eating lobster. They would want one too, and lobster wasn't on the employees menu. I know it probably sounds terrible to some out there...but it was quite good.

[budrichard]

Lobster tails come from spiny caribbean lobster, not from New England cold water lobster. The caribbean lobsters are harvested just for their tails.

Why is that? Is there something wrong with the rest of their bodies?

They actually grow their tails back. Scientifically, this is known as rebutting.

I don't believe it. I assume your post was in jest? -Dick

When one lobster does this it's known as a rebuttal.

Cute! -Dick

[rabidscottsman]

This New Years Eve i will be making lobster tails and fillet mignons for dinner.

Now heres the problem, I have never made lobster tail and everybody that i asked tonight at work about it told me to boil them and serve with drawn butter.

How do you prepare them? boiling and serving with drawn butter sounds kinda boring and routine.

[NulloModo]

I thought that whole lobsters were traditionally boiled, and that just tails were traditionally broiled.

Broiling and served with butter certainly isn't a bad idea, the thing about lobster is that you don't want to do anything too crazy that will cover up the natural sweetness and flavor of the meat.

I like the tails grilled though, just a short time over hot coals adds a hint of smokeyness that really sets them off.

[Oceangroveguy]

Top them with a shmeer of crunchy peanut butter and 2 slices of your best bacon, and broil until the bacon is crisp??

[Busboy]

The trendy and delicious way to cook them is to "poach" them in butter. For a more detailed explanation, treat yourself to Keller's French Laundry Cookbook for Christmas, but it's a relatively simple (meaning even I can do it) procedure.

"Lightly kill" (as Monty Python would put it) your lobsters by dousing them in boiling water for a minute or two. Remove tail meat and claw meat.

Put a tablespoon or so of water in a small but heavy saucepan and then add about a pound of butter over low heat, stirring constantly. The idea is to get the butter warm enough to melt, but not to separate. Throw the lobster in and poach until warmed through. Serve.

If that seems a little much, you might consider sticking a rack or something in the bottom of a large pot and steaming the lobsters, rather than boiling them. It's a lot less mess when you start hacking the little buggers up. Whatever you choose, be careful not to overcook, a too-common occurrance in the world of lobster cookery.

[Busboy]

The trendy and delicious way to cook them is to "poach" them in butter.  For a more detailed explanation, treat yourself to Keller's French Laundry Cookbook for Christmas, but it's a relatively simple (meaning even I can do it) procedure.

"Lightly kill" (as Monty Python would put it) your lobsters by dousing them in boiling water for a minute or two.  Remove tail meat and claw meat. 

Put a tablespoon or so of water in a small but heavy saucepan and then add about a pound of butter over low heat, stirring constantly.  The idea is to get the butter warm enough to melt, but not to separate.  Throw the lobster in and poach until warmed through.  Serve.

If that seems a little much, you might consider sticking a rack or something in the bottom of a large pot and steaming the lobsters, rather than boiling them.  It's a lot less mess when you start hacking the little buggers up.  Whatever you choose, be careful not to overcook, a too-common occurrance in the world of lobster cookery.

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PS, aren't you supposed to be eating haggis, shortbread and whisky on New Year's Eve? Surf and Turf seems a little bit Yank to me.

[JPW]

If you've got tails, and you are doing surf and turf, I would grill them.

[Jinmyo]

I'm with Busboy on Kellerizing them.

One can also poach in EVOO with a few chiles then serve with cilantro pesto.

But grilling is fun too.

[pam claughton]

This New Years Eve i will be making lobster tails and fillet mignons for dinner.

Now heres the problem, I have never made lobster tail and everybody that i asked tonight at work about it told me to boil them and serve with drawn butter.

How do you prepare them? boiling and serving with drawn butter sounds kinda boring and routine.

←

I'd make a little lobster pie/casserole to go along w/the filets. Just chop the lobster meat into good sized chunks. If you have a pound of lobster, we use the following amounts, you can adjust accordingly.

1 pound lobster meat

1 stick butter

1 sleeve ritz crackers

lemon and sherry to taste

Melt half the butter and toss with the crumbs. Melt a tab of butter and toss with lobster in dish. put crumb mix on top, and mix ina bit w/lobster. Cut rest of butter into slivers and dot over the top. Give a squeeze of lemon and a drizzle of sherry. Bake at 300 for about 25 minutes. Sprinkle with a little parsley.

This really complements the lobster and has so much flavor, rich and decadent. Goes very well w/filet. Have had this combo many, many times.

Enjoy!

Pam

[=Mark]

If grilling, you may want to consider running a skewar up through the tail which will prevent it from curling up. This will allow for a more even cook...

[winesonoma]

This New Years Eve i will be making lobster tails and fillet mignons for dinner.

Now heres the problem, I have never made lobster tail and everybody that i asked tonight at work about it told me to boil them and serve with drawn butter.

How do you prepare them? boiling and serving with drawn butter sounds kinda boring and routine.

←

I'd make a little lobster pie/casserole to go along w/the filets. Just chop the lobster meat into good sized chunks. If you have a pound of lobster, we use the following amounts, you can adjust accordingly.

1 pound lobster meat

1 stick butter

1 sleeve ritz crackers

lemon and sherry to taste

Melt half the butter and toss with the crumbs. Melt a tab of butter and toss with lobster in dish. put crumb mix on top, and mix ina bit w/lobster. Cut rest of butter into slivers and dot over the top. Give a squeeze of lemon and a drizzle of sherry. Bake at 300 for about 25 minutes. Sprinkle with a little parsley.

This really complements the lobster and has so much flavor, rich and decadent. Goes very well w/filet. Have had this combo many, many times.

Enjoy!

Pam

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Some how Lobster and Ritz crackers don't compute for me. Maybe that fake crab stuff. But not lobster.

[HungryChris]

Are these Rock or Spiny Lobsters or Maine Lobsters?

[jackal10]

Butter or olive oil, vanilla and poach.

DO NOT OVERCOOK; 45C max

[Gifted Gourmet]

Butter or olive oil, vanilla and poach.

DO NOT OVERCOOK; 45C max

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What, no picture of the lobster tail, Jack?

I so long for your photos!! they are akin to actually eating whatever is being served ...