Got some frozen lobster tails for a good price but don’t know what to do with them? I can help you cook them.
Cooking frozen lobster tails is easier than you think after being thawed. Yes, thawed. Unfortunately, there’s no way around the thawing part if you’re after succulent, tender, sweet lobster meat. Cooking straight from frozen produces a tough lobster. Thawing is easy though and doesn’t take too long.
Frozen lobster tails are great for many recipes when fresh lobster isn’t available or when you want to find lobster that stays around the same price. They can be found just about anywhere if you know where to look. My favorite way to cook the lobster tails is by poaching in a flavorful butter mixture.
To find out more about how it all works, scroll down or click here. Now you can go straight to the recipe.
Lobster is a delicious and luxurious ingredient that can transform any meal into an elegant dining experience. However, high-quality fresh lobster can be expensive and difficult to find depending on where you live. For this reason, frozen lobster tails provide a more accessible option to enjoy lobster from the comfort of your own home.
Cooking previously frozen lobster requires a few special considerations to achieve the same tender juicy, and flavorful results as fresh lobster. In this comprehensive guide I’ll share my best tips for thawing, preparing, and cooking frozen lobster tails to perfection.
Why Proper Thawing is Essential
It may be tempting to skip thawing and go straight to cooking frozen lobster tails. However, this is a recipe for disaster! Cooking frozen lobster almost always produces rubbery, stringy meat with a noticeably inferior texture compared to properly thawed lobster.
Here’s why thawing is so important:
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Achieves an evenly cooked interior. Frozen sections take longer to cook, leading to overdone edges and undercooked centers when cooked from frozen.
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Allows seasonings to penetrate. Seasonings and marinades can’t properly flavor or tenderize the lobster meat when frozen.
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Maximizes texture Slow thawing prevents damage to the delicate meat structure, keeping it tender
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Enhances natural sweetness. Slow thawing maintains moisture, keeping the lobster succulent and sweet.
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Improves food safety. Thawed lobster cooks more quickly to food-safe temperatures.
Thawing Methods for Frozen Lobster Tails
Given the importance of thawing, what are the best methods to safely and effectively thaw frozen lobster tails? Here are my top recommendations:
Refrigerator Thawing
This “low and slow” approach provides the safest and gentlest thawing method. Simply place the frozen lobster tails in a bowl or on a plate in the refrigerator for 18-24 hours. Once thawed, use within 1-2 days.
Pros: Safest method, minimizes texture damage.
Cons: Requires planning in advance.
Cold Water Submersion
For faster thawing, place frozen lobster tails in a leak-proof plastic bag and submerge in a bowl of cold tap water. Change the water every 30 minutes until thawed, about 1 hour.
Pros: Speedy thawing, minimizes texture damage.
Cons: Labor-intensive, requires monitoring.
Cold Water in Fridge
This combines the gentle thawing of refrigerator method with the faster pace of cold water submersion. Place bagged tails in a bowl of cold water in the fridge, changing water every few hours.
Pros: Faster than fridge alone, hands-off method.
Cons: Slower than submersion, uses fridge space.
Cold Running Water
Hold frozen tails under a steady stream of cold running water. Rotate and flip periodically for even thawing. Defrosts in about 30 minutes.
Pros: Very fast thawing.
Cons: Uses more water, requires monitoring.
Preparing Thawed Lobster Tails for Cooking
Using properly thawed tails is the first step, but a bit of prep work before cooking makes all the difference. Here are my tips:
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Remove shells: For many cooking methods, remove the shells prior to cooking for tender, easy-to-eat meat. Leave attached at base.
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De-vein: Use kitchen shears to carefully cut through membrane on underside of meat. Remove digestive vein.
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Butterfly: Cut through soft side of meat and splay open like a book. More surface area = more browned bits!
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Dry thoroughly: Pat tails very dry before cooking. Wetness causes steaming versus searing.
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Season generously: Don’t be shy with salt, pepper, garlic, lemon, herbs before cooking.
5 Best Methods for Cooking Thawed Lobster Tails
With properly thawed and prepped tails, you’re ready to cook! Here are my top five techniques:
1. Broiling
Broiling at high heat delivers an unmatched sear while locking in juices. Brush tails with butter, season, and broil 3-4 minutes until browned. Watch closely to avoid burning.
Pros: Fast, easy, restaurant-quality sear.
Cons: Risk of burning if not monitored.
2. Grilling
Get bonus smoky flavor by grilling over medium heat. Grill shelled tails 4-5 minutes per side. Baste with herb butter for extra flavor.
Pros: Infuses grilled flavor.
Cons: Challenging to flip and grill evenly.
3. Pan Searing
Butterfly lobster tails and pan sear flesh-side-down over medium-high heat for 2 minutes. Flip, then cook 1 minute more.
Pros: Browning and fond = amazing flavor.
Cons: Tricky to get right.
4. Poaching
Gently simmer lobster tails in butter, wine or broth 4-6 minutes until opaque. Produces incredibly tender, delicate meat.
Pros: Foolproof, keeps lobster extra moist.
Cons: Milder flavor than searing.
5. Air Frying
Air frying is great for easy cleanup and adds light crispiness. Air fry shelled tails at 400°F for 5-7 minutes, shaking halfway.
Pros: Mess-free, adds texture contrast.
Cons: Milder flavor than high-heat methods.
Handling and Storing Cooked Lobster
Cooked lobster is delicious but extremely perishable. Follow these guidelines for storage:
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Let rest 5 minutes before removing meat. Steaming hot lobster meat is delicate.
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Store in fridge up to 2 days in airtight container. To freeze, first immerse in butter or broth.
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Reheat gently to preserve texture and moisture. Steam, poach or microwave with a damp paper towel.
Serving Suggestions and Sauces for Lobster
Don’t let all your hard prep and cooking work go to waste. Pair your cooked lobster tails with complementary flavors and textures:
Best sides: roasted asparagus, lemon garlic green beans, roasted potatoes, bread to soak up butter.
Sauce ideas: drawn butter, garlic-herb butter, tangy vinaigrettes, lobster dipping sauce.
Complete meals: Lobster rolls, lobster mac and cheese, surf and turf with steak.
Key Takeaways for Cooking Previously Frozen Lobster
Follow these best practices for successfully cooking frozen lobster tails:
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Always thaw frozen lobster slowly and gently before cooking.
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Prepare tails by removing shells, de-veining, and drying well before cooking.
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Choose a high-heat cooking method for maximum flavor and browning.
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Don’t overcook! Lobster goes from tender to rubbery quickly.
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Rest before serving and store cooked lobster properly.
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Complement lobster’s sweetness by pairing with bold seasonings, herbs, sauces and sides.
With proper handling, seasoned butter and a hot oven or grill, previously frozen lobster tails can taste every bit as amazing as fresh. Now that you know how to cook frozen lobster like a pro, you can start enjoying this luxurious seafood at home. Give these tips a try for your next surf and turf dinner or special occasion meal.
Poaching Lobster Tails in Butter
Put the butter, garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper in a wide saucepan or skillet with straight sides. The pan should be wide enough to lay the lobster tails flat in it. Cook this on low heat, swirling the pan every now and then until the butter is completely melted. You might start to see some white solids in the pan. This is normal; the milk solids are just starting to separate. It won’t change the taste. But don’t let the butter boil, or it will turn brown. Also, the lobster can start to taste bitter as it cooks.
As soon as the butter has melted, add the lobsters, cut-side-up, and baste the exposed tail meat with the pan butter. Cover the pan and poach for 10 minutes or until the internal temperature of the lobster meat registers 135°F, or 140°F for a firmer texture, on an instant-read thermometer. It’s important the butter never boils, so check by listening or removing the pan lid and adjusting the heat as needed.
Move the lobster tails to a platter or plates for serving. Serve right away with some of the melted butter that was used for poaching.
What About The Leftover Butter?
For poaching, you need a lot of butter. You can put the extra butter in a glass or ceramic jar. Store in the refrigerator, covered, up to five days, or in the freezer for up to two months. You can freeze it for longer, but I’ve found that the butter tends to take on freezer smells and tastes, even if you cover it well.
That butter is going to be infused with thyme and with lobster flavor. After that, you can poach more frozen lobster tails with it, or you can use it to poach shrimp, or you can use it to dip or drizzle seafood. It’s also amazing on asparagus and green beans, and also mixed with rice before cooking it. When I cook lobster tails in butter this way, I actually divide the butter into 8 portions afterwards. Two are kept in the fridge for later use, and the other six are put in the freezer for later use.
Don’t throw away the lobster shells either. You can freeze them for up to a year in a zipper bag. The shells can be used to flavor seafood soups, bisques, stews, and sauces.
How to Cook Frozen Lobster Tails
How do you cook a frozen lobster?
To cook a frozen lobster, boil enough water to cover the lobster and add 1 tbsp (17 g) of salt per 1 quart (1 l) of water to the pot. Place the frozen lobster inside and simmer for 5 minutes. Alternatively, you can broil the lobsters on a broiling pan with their shells face up for 4 minutes. It is recommended to buy frozen lobster that has never been thawed.
How do you cook a frozen lobster in a crock pot?
Cooking a frozen lobster in a crock pot is not mentioned in the provided passage. Here’s how to cook a lobster using other methods: Place it in a plastic bag and set it in a bowl of water in the fridge. Or, cook it by boiling: Boil enough water to cover the lobster, then add 1 tbsp (17 g) of salt per 1 quart (1 l) of water to the pot. Place the lobster inside and simmer for 5 minutes. Alternatively, you can broil the lobsters on a broiling pan with their shells face up for 4 minutes.
How should you thaw frozen lobster before cooking?
Thaw frozen lobster 24 hours before cooking by placing it in a plastic bag and setting it in a bowl of water in the fridge. Then, boil enough water to cover the lobster, add 1 tbsp (17 g) of salt per 1 quart (1 l) of water to the pot, and place the lobster inside to simmer for 5 minutes.
How do you pre Cook lobster?
Blanching, or submerging it in boiling water for about 2 minutes followed by cold water, is the best way to pre-cook lobster. You can enjoy lobster all year round by freezing it — just pre-cook lobster before popping it into your freezer. Here’s how to do it, according to the Northeast Fisheries Science Center.