How To Cook Frozen Lobster Tails To Succulent Perfection

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 one of the most decadent and delicious seafood treats out there. The sweet, succulent meat is indulgent enough to feel like a real special occasion meal. But unlike live lobsters that require prep work like boiling or steaming, frozen lobster tails provide a convenient shortcut to enjoying this delicious crustacean in your own home kitchen.

Frozen lobster tails are readily available in most grocery stores, and take just minutes to prepare. You can boil steam bake or grill frozen lobster tail with incredible results. Read on to learn step-by-step techniques for cooking frozen lobster tails to tender, juicy perfection.

How To Properly Thaw Frozen Lobster Tails

The first step is thawing your frozen lobster tails properly to ensure they cook evenly and absorb any flavors you add. Here are a few thawing methods to choose from:

Refrigerator thawing: Place tails in a bowl and thaw overnight or up to 1-2 days in the fridge.
Cold water thaw Submerge tails in a bowl or ziplock bag of cold tap water, changing water every 30 minutes Takes about 1 hour
Microwave thaw: Put tails on a microwave-safe plate, cover with damp paper towels and microwave in 10-15 second bursts until thawed.

Thawed tails will feel soft and flexible when gently squeezed. Once thawed, dry tails well with paper towels before cooking.

How To Cook Frozen Lobster Tails – 4 Easy Methods

Once thawed, cooking frozen lobster tails is quick and easy. Here are 4 foolproof cooking methods to try:

1. Steaming

Steaming is a quick and healthy cooking method that poaches the lobster tails in gentle, moist heat.

Fill a pot with 1-2 inches of water and bring to a boil. Place a steamer basket in pot.
Add thawed lobster tails shell-side up. Cover and steam for 5-7 minutes until opaque.
Serve tails with drawn butter, lemon wedges, or dipping sauces.

2. Boiling

For perfect boiled lobster tails:

Bring salted water to a rolling boil in a large pot.
Lower thawed tails into water shell-side up. Boil for 8-10 minutes.
Drain, cool slightly, and serve with melted butter for dipping.

3. Baking

Baking brings out the natural sweetness of lobster meat.

Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with foil.
Place lobster tails shell-side up and brush with oil or melted butter.
Bake for 10-12 minutes until opaque. Serve with lemon or sauce.

4. Grilling

The high heat of the grill caramelizes the meat for amazing depth of flavor.

Preheat grill to medium-high. Oil grates well.
Grill thawed lobster tails meat-side down for 2 minutes until grill marks appear.
Flip tails and grill shell-side down for 4-5 minutes more until opaque.

Handy Tips For Cooking Frozen Lobster Tails

Follow these tips for perfect texture and flavor every time:

Choose tails labeled “previously frozen” for better quality than “frozen”.
Thaw tails completely before cooking so they heat evenly.
Cook until meat is opaque all the way through – this ensures it’s fully cooked.
Be careful not to overcook or meat will be rubbery. Check often.
Brush tails with oil or butter before cooking to prevent sticking and add flavor.
Serve with melted butter, lemon wedges, fresh herbs, or dipping sauces.

How To Tell When Lobster Tails Are Done Cooking

It’s important not to overcook lobster tails – this causes them to become rubbery and dry. So how do you know when they’re perfectly cooked? Here are a few easy ways to test doneness:

Temperature – Use an instant read thermometer. Lobster is done at 145°F.
Color – The meat will become opaque white throughout when fully cooked.
Texture – Meat should be firm but still tender when poked.
Ease of shell removal – Shell should pull away from meat easily when cooked.

Delicious Seasonings And Sauces For Lobster Tails

One of the best parts about cooking lobster tails at home is experimenting with different flavor combinations. Although lobster needs little adornment beyond some butter, you can take them to the next level with spices, herbs, sauces and creative recipes.

Some delicious seasonings and sauces to try:

Lemon, parsley, garlic
Old Bay, paprika, cayenne
Basil, oregano, tomato salsa
Lime, chili powder, avocado
White wine, shallots, thyme
Soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger
Hollandaise, bearnaise, or lemon butter sauce

Get creative and come up with your own signature flavor combinations!

Fun And Easy Recipes For Frozen Lobster Tails

Beyond simply steaming, boiling, baking or grilling, frozen lobster tails are amazing incorporated into recipes like:

Lobster mac and cheese
Lobster tacos or tostadas
Lobster risotto or pasta
Lobster rolls
Lobster thermidor
Cobb salad with lobster
Lobster quesadillas
Summer lobster salad

With so many possibilities, you could enjoy lobster tails a different way every week!

Freezing Cooked Lobster Tail Meat

Have leftover cooked lobster tails that you won’t be able to eat right away? The cooked meat freezes beautifully for 6 months or longer. Here’s how:

Allow cooked lobster meat to cool completely.
Pack meat into freezer bags or airtight containers, removing air.
Label bags with contents and date.
Freeze for up to 6 months.
Thaw gently in fridge before using.

With frozen lobster tails on hand, you can create incredible seafood meals on a weeknight or have an elegant entrée ready for impromptu dinner parties. Follow these tips for thawing, cooking methods, doneness tests, seasoning ideas, and recipes, and you’ll be able to prepare succulent, restaurant-worthy lobster tails at home any time. Surprise your family or significant other with lobster for a special romantic meal, or finally take advantage of those frozen lobster tails that have been in your freezer for who knows how long. You’ll be so glad you did!

how to cook a frozen lobster tail

Flavoring Your Poaching Liquid

Once the tails have been skewered, set those aside and prepare the poaching liquid. In this case, it’s butter, and lots of it, with garlic and herbs. The lobster will add its own flavor to the butter, and the butter will also add its own flavor to the lobster. The lobster butter can be used for dipping after it has been poached, or it can be kept in the fridge for up to five days and used in other recipes. The butter can also be frozen up to two months.

You can add other aromatics to the pan as well. Sliced fennel bulb and a splash of vanilla extract, chipotle in adobo and lime zest, and onion, bay leaf, green bell pepper, and coconut milk are some of my favorite combinations.

Where To Buy Lobster Tails

You’ll most always find the best price at your local fish monger. Grocery stores and wholesale food clubs near you will often have frozen tails at the seafood counter or in the frozen food section if you don’t have a nearby one. If you don’t see them, ask. Because lobsters are pricey, some grocery stores keep them in the walk-in freezer behind the counter to keep thieves from taking them.

You can also order frozen lobster tails online, but check prices because they vary greatly. Popular steak and seafood mail order companies tend to have higher prices than other online specialty markets.

You might also find thawed lobster tails at the grocery store or fishmonger. I don’t recommend buying these because you never know how long they’ve been sitting in the case. When it comes to lobsters, fresh is best! You should always bring them home alive, frozen, or already cooked. In the case of lobster tails, frozen is the best option.

Lobster tails are available as cold water and warm water varieties. Canada, Maine, and the coast of New England are some of the places in the cold Atlantic Ocean where cold water lobsters are caught. Lobsters that live in warm water are caught off the coasts of Florida, the Caribbean, California, and other tropical or warmer water areas. Sizes vary greatly, but are typically available between 4- and 8-ounce tails.