Is there anything better than a sweet, juicy bite of lobster kissed by fire? A split lobster tail is always the best way to get tender lobster with just the right amount of char. Just follow these easy steps, and you’ll be able to serve lobster that will impress your family and friends.
Lobster is a luxury item and an event unto itself. When you cook lobster, you want to do it with love, whether you’re looking for the perfect meal to go with surf and turf or want to celebrate a special occasion with the king of the sea. So, get your knife and kitchen shears ready, heat up the grill, and don’t forget the Bourbon Herb Compound Butter. This is also a great way to prepare your tails for Cajun Lobster Tails with Andouille Crust.
Lobster is a luxurious delicacy that many home cooks are intimidated to prepare. But with a few simple tools and techniques, you can easily split lobster tails for grilling, broiling or sautéing. Learning proper lobster tail splitting technique allows you to showcase beautiful tender lobster meat with that perfect kiss of char.
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about splitting lobster tails, from why it’s done to step-by-step instructions. You’ll gain confidence to treat family and friends to perfectly prepared lobster right in your own kitchen.
What Is Split Lobster Tail?
Split lobster tail refers to cutting a whole lobster tail in half lengthwise before cooking This involves slicing through the top shell, tail, and bottom shell to separate the tail into two long halves still joined at the base
The two halves then spread open, exposing more surface area for seasoning and cooking. The tender meat also becomes more accessible while still attached in the shell for presentation.
Common recipes calling for split lobster tails include grilled lobster tails, broiled lobster tails, and lobster thermidor. Many home cooks find splitting the best way to cook lobster tails evenly while adding flavors like garlic-herb butter.
Why Split Lobster Tails?
There are several advantages to splitting lobster tails rather than cooking them whole:
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Cooks more evenly – The thickness of a whole tail can lead to overdone outer meat and undercooked interior. Splitting allows heat to penetrate both sides.
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Infuses more flavor – Spreading the tail open provides more surface area to brush on compound butter, herbs, spices, etc. These seasonings permeate into the meat better.
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Prevents overcooking – Split tails cook faster, letting you avoid accidentally drying out the delicate meat.
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Easy to share – Two split halves are the perfect single-serving portion for sharing.
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Aesthetic presentation – Split lobster tails fanned out on a plate make for an elegant, yet rustic presentation.
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Versatile cooking methods – Splitting prepares the tails for grilling, broiling, sautéing, and more.
Tools Needed for Splitting Lobster Tails
Splitting lobster tails doesn’t require any special equipment. The only tools you’ll need are:
- Sharp kitchen shears
- Chef’s knife or other sharp knife
- Cutting board or sheet pan
- Kitchen towel (optional)
Kitchen shears do most of the work cutting through the shell. A chef’s knife finishes splitting the tail meat. Avoid using steak knives or serrated blades that can leave ragged edges.
Step-by-Step Guide to Splitting Lobster Tails
With the right tools prepped, here are step-by-step instructions for splitting raw lobster tails:
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Place the lobster tail shell-side up – Put the lobster tail on a cutting board or sheet pan with the shell or back side facing up. The soft belly should be down against the surface.
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Insert shears into the center of the shell – Place the blade of your kitchen shears into the middle of the shell, right at the thickest part of the tail. Gently pry open the shell to ease the shears in, if needed.
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Cut through the length of the shell – Keeping the shears inserted in the middle, cut straight down the length of the tail, slicing all the way through the shell and tail fin.
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Flip and cut off small legs – Turn the tail over so the belly is up. Use shears to trim off the small swimmerette legs on the bottom.
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Cut through underside of shell – Insert shears under the belly shell and cut through the length of the tail. Avoid cutting all the way through the fin end.
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Slice through center of meat – Turn the lobster over. Use a chef’s knife to slice through the center of the tail meat, keeping connected at the base.
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Rinse and dry – Rinse both halves under cold water to remove any shell fragments or vein. Pat the tails completely dry with paper towels.
Once split, the tails are ready to season and cook using your preferred preparation. Enjoy your expertly split lobster!
Tips for Splitting Lobster Tails Like a Pro
Follow these tips and tricks to help split lobster tails cleanly and perfectly every time:
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Opt for thawed or fresh raw tails, not cooked or frozen which are harder to split cleanly.
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Use a towel for traction when splitting the shell. This gives better control and leverage.
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Cut in one smooth, continuous motion to avoid jagged edges.
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Split larger tails completely in half to allow even cooking. Leave jumbo tails attached at the base.
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Rinse after splitting to remove small shell fragments that could puncture the meat.
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Dry thoroughly before cooking or the meat may steam instead of browning properly.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
It’s easy for beginners to make a few mistakes:
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Forcing the shears and not following the natural shape of the shell. This can mangle the meat.
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Not splitting all the way through the center of the meat. The tail may fall apart during cooking.
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Ripping the meat instead of making clean cuts. Rough handling tears the delicate meat.
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Leaving shell fragments behind. This creates a poor presentation with bites containing crunch shell pieces.
With practice, you’ll be able to split lobster tails perfectly every time. The more you do it, the easier it becomes.
Can You Split Lobster Tails in Advance?
Once split, raw lobster tails should be cooked the same day for food safety and maximum freshness. However, you can split tails several hours in advance:
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Split in the morning for dinner or split the night before cooking.
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Store prepared tails layered between damp paper towels in an airtight container in the fridge.
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Cook within 12-24 hours of splitting for best quality and food safety.
Splitting in advance helps streamline cooking and dinner prep. Just avoid leaving raw tails split for more than a day before cooking.
How to Cook Split Lobster Tails
The beauty of splitting lobster tails is it allows for diverse cooking methods. Here are some of the most popular ways to cook split lobster tails:
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Grilled – Grill split side down first to get char grill marks before finishing flesh side down.
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Broiled – Place split-side up under the broiler for 3-5 minutes depending on thickness.
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Sautéed – Pan fry in butter or olive oil for 2-3 minutes per side.
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Baked – Bake split side up at 375°F for 12-15 minutes until opaque.
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Air Fried – Air fry split lobster tails at 400°F for 5-8 minutes flipping halfway.
Monitor carefully to avoid overcooking the lean meat. Sauce with melted butter, lemon juice, or other simple accents.
Make Your Own Restaurant-Quality Lobster
With practice, you can become proficient at splitting lobster tails to prepare beautifully cooked, tender lobster entrées. Use fresh raw tails and avoid overhandling the delicate meat. Follow the simple steps for clean splitting, then season and cook as desired.
Impress your guests with your very own split lobster masterpieces. You may even find they like yours better than restaurant versions!
Why Split a Lobster Tail?
Sharing is caring! It’s never been easier to share the delicate gift of lobster than with split lobster. Additionally, splitting lobster tails makes them easier to share. Here are some other great reasons why this is the best way to prepare these delicious crustaceans:
- Portion Control—Lobster is an expensive food item, no doubt about it. By splitting lobster tails, you can easily portion them out.
- Method That’s Easy—You Don’t Need Any Fancy Tools A sharp knife and kitchen shears are all you need. If you butterfly a lobster tail, you might tear the meat, but this way gives you more control.
- More Surface Area—there is more surface area to season and baste with your favorite infused butters. There is also more surface area to grill to get that extra mysterious ingredient of char.
- Presentation: There’s no denying that a butterflied lobster tail looks great. But a line of plates with sassy red split lobster tails is just as impressive and makes you want to grab one.
- Flexibility: You can use any size lobster for this way of cooking a lobster tail. I used a huge lobster tail from LobsterAnywhere for this post. When you butterfly bigger lobster tails, the meat might get torn when you take it out of the shell. Cutting lobster tails in half works for both small tails and the big ones.
- Possible Ways to Cook—There are several ways to prepare lobster tails. You can cook your lobster meat side down first, getting a little char on the grill, griddle, or skillet. This is different from piggyback lobster tails, where only the end of the meat is still attached to the shell. You can also put compound butters between the meat and shell to make it taste even better.
Kitchen shears are going to do the majority of the work for this method of preparing your lobster. Knives can be used to cut all the way through, but they might tear the meat and leave behind small pieces of shell. I’ve found that kitchen scissors and a knife give you the most control and the best look.
You will need kitchen shears, a sharp knife, and a cutting board or baking sheet to keep everything stable.
How to Split a Lobster Tail
There is something truly special about adding lobster to any menu. Is an ingredient to celebrate with, and also celebrate. You can warm up the butter and pop the bubbles with just a few tips and easy steps.
- Place: Put your lobster on a stable surface, like a cutting board or baking sheet, with the shell side up and the meat side down.
- Snap: Work your finger slowly into the shell to make room for your scissors. Insert the kitchen shears into the middle of the shell and cut down slowly until you reach the tail. Cut through the middle of the tail.
- Flip and Feet – Flip your lobster tail over. Cut off all of the lobster’s feet from the bottom with kitchen shears. Not only does this look better, but they can also burn if cooked over a direct flame.
- Cut: Cut the lobster tail shell in half down the middle with kitchen shears. Now it’s easy to open the lobster tail all the way up to get to the meat.
- Slice—The bigger piece of lobster meat will still be attached. With a sharp knife, cut the tail meat in half all the way through.
- Rinse—You need to take out the vein in lobster, just like you do with shrimp. You only need to quickly rinse both sides of your tail and then dry them completely. This will also get rid of any small pieces of shell you may have.
- Cook—Once you’ve split your lobster tail, you can either cook it right away or put it in the fridge until you’re ready to grill it. It is best to cook your lobster on the same day that you either defrost it or buy it fresh. Make sure to check out how to grill lobster tails.
Lobster Tail 101 | Cut And Prepare Lobster Tail | How To Butterfly Lobster Tail | The Foodie Channel
How do you cut a lobster tail?
Using kitchen shears, cut the lobster tail down its length, from the thickest part of the tail to the ending fins. Make sure you cut through the meat, too, but don’t cut the bottom part of the shell. Use your hands to gently pull apart the shell and meat where you just cut to separate the halves. Be careful not to break the bottom shell.
Can you split a lobster tail?
By splitting lobster tails, you can easily portion them out. Easy Method – There is no need for any fancy equipment. All you need is a pair of kitchen shears and a sharp knife. Unlike butterflying a lobster tail where you risk tearing the meat, this method gives you more control.
How do you cut a lobster shell?
Take your kitchen shears or chef’s knife and cut along the top of the shell, starting at the big end and going towards where it meets the tail fan. Be sure to leave the tail fan and the bottom shell uncut. Next, ease the shell open, insert your fingers, and gently pry the lobster flesh away from the upper shell.
How do you fan cut a lobster tail?
To fan cut a lobster tail, start by laying it on its back. With a pair of kitchen shears cut along the sides of the flexible undershell where it connects to the harder upper shell. Cut from the thick end down to the tail fan. Then, pull up the undershell and snip it free where it connects to the tail fan.