If you want to make a big splash at a seafood restaurant, the lobster is the only thing you should order. Its claw and tail meat are tender and sweet, and people love them dipped in butter. This crustacean is the king of seafood. But depending on where your food comes from, you might not always get the real thing. You might end up eating fake lobster instead.
For seafood restaurants that want to save money, imitation lobster meat is often a good choice because it is much cheaper than real lobster meat. According to some reviews we found at the Herald-Tribune, it can even “rival the real thing. ” So perhaps its not all bad. What is it though, and how common is this mysterious lobster impostor?.
Lobster is one of the most prized seafood delicacies. With its tender, sweet meat and iconic red color, it’s no wonder lobster is a luxury menu item. However, when dining out, the lobster on your plate may not always be the real thing. Imitation lobster meat is surprisingly common in restaurants and pre-prepared foods. But what exactly is in imitation lobster if not actual lobster? I decided to dig into this crustacean conundrum and get the scoop on fake lobster meat.
The Allure of Lobster Drives an Imitation Market
Lobster is expensive which is why it’s a special-occasion meal for most people. Restaurants also know authentic lobster is pricey. Some use real lobster for their dishes while others cut costs by substituting cheaper imitation versions to keep menu prices down. For home cooks, packaged imitation lobster products provide an affordable way to enjoy “lobster” recipes without forking over big bucks. With its high demand and steep price, it’s no wonder the lobster market spawned an imitation industry.
Imitation Lobster is a Fishy Mix
So if it’s not real lobster, what is in these imitation products? Imitation lobster is essentially a seafood blend of fish like pollock, haddock, and whiting. Manufacturers finely grind the fish into a paste called surimi. To better mimic lobster, they add extra ingredients like salt, sugar, starch, and red dye. Sometimes small amounts of real lobster meat get mixed in too.
The fish paste then gets molded into lobster-like shapes, sometimes with shell patterns imprinted on the outside. Package labels downplay the fish content with names like “lobster-flavored seafood.” At least one brand is labeled as “langostino lobster,” which refers to a different crustacean species related to hermit crabs. Make no mistake though, imitation lobster is predominantly fish.
You’ve Probably Eaten Imitation Lobster Meat
With its much lower cost, imitation seafood is found more places than you’d expect. An Inside Edition investigation discovered that a shocking 35% of lobster samples from 28 restaurants in different cities were imitation. Even popular chains like Red Lobster were serving fake lobster bisque made with a langostino and fish blend.
On the grocery shelves, imitation lobster products are easy to find. Brands like Sabrett and Trader Joe’s sell lobster salad and lobster ravioli filled with fish paste instead of real lobster. Yes, you’ve likely eaten imitation lobster passed off as the real thing!
Using Imitation Lobster to Stretch Seafood Dollars
For restaurants, imitation lobster provides a cheaper way to offer classic lobster dishes. Customers may feel deceived getting fish instead of lobster, but sometimes a mix is used to offset high lobster prices. For example, Red Lobster explained they add langostino and imitation lobster to some bisque batches based on fluctuating lobster supply and costs.
At home, products made with imitation lobster provide home cooks with an affordable way to create lobster recipes. While not quite as tasty as the real thing, imitation seafood lets people enjoy dishes like lobster rolls, lobster ravioli, or lobster mac and cheese without spending a fortune on real lobster meat.
Imitation Lobster Shines in Dishes with Strong Flavors
On its own, imitation lobster doesn’t perfectly mimic the taste and texture of real lobster. However, it works well incorporated into flavorful dishes. Pasta sauces, seafood stews, sandwiches, salads, and bakes all do a good job of masking any flavor shortcomings in imitation seafood. Plus, the fun lobster shapes add visual appeal.
Imitation lobster really shines when you add seasonings and ingredients with bold, intense flavors. Go heavy on lemon, garlic, Old Bay seasoning, or other spices and herbs. A flavorful mayo dressing can make imitation lobster acceptable for lobster rolls. Likewise, cheesy sauces pair nicely with imitation lobster in mac and cheese or ravioli bakes.
Giving Imitation Lobster a Try at Home
After learning exactly what imitation lobster meat contains, I was curious to try it myself. I found packages of imitation lobster chunks in the frozen seafood section of my supermarket. One brand was labeled as “lobster-flavored seafood” and the other was “langostino lobster.”
I decided to use the imitation lobster two ways. First, I made lobster rolls. I mixed the chunks with lemon juice, mayo, salt, pepper, and a pinch of Old Bay. The flavor was decent, but the texture was softer than real lobster. For the second recipe, I made lobster mac and cheese. I cut the lobster into bite-size pieces and tossed it with cooked pasta, cheddar sauce, and seasonings. Baked with a crispy breadcrumb topping, this dish was a success! The strong, creamy cheese sauce really complemented the imitation seafood.
While not as tasty as real lobster, the imitation version provided an affordable way for me to make lobster dishes at home. At around $5 a bag, it cost a fraction of what real lobster meat would cost. For recipes that highlight other strong flavors, imitation crab isn’t a bad route for home cooks on a budget.
Imitation vs Real: Know What You’re Getting
After getting to the bottom of what imitation lobster meat is made of, I have a better understanding of this imposter seafood. Imitation lobster definitely has a place providing cheaper options for lobster recipes. But customers and consumers have a right to know exactly what they’re getting – and paying for.
Restaurants shouldn’t pass off imitation mixes as real lobster. Likewise, packaging should clearly state when a product contains fish blends instead of lobster. There are fair uses for imitation seafood, but it’s important we all know the difference between the real thing and imposters. The truth is now out there about imitation lobster, so we can make informed choices about these fishy fakes!
Fake lobster meat is a lot more common on menus than you might think
It’s likely that you’ve ordered what you thought was real lobster but got fake lobster meat instead. A report from Inside Edition says that it was found that 35% of samples from 28 different seafood restaurants in the US were fake lobster meat. Everywhere, from small seafood shops to big chain restaurants like Red Lobster, the fake lobster meat was sold.
When asked why Red Lobster used fake lobster in some of their dishes, the company said, “Red Lobster knows that lobster availability and seasonality can change, so our Lobster Bisque can contain meat from Maine lobster, langostino lobster, or, in some cases, a combination of both.” Both types of lobster give the bisque a rich, sweet taste that our guests love. Inside Editions’ test was a matter of what we call “luck of the ladle.” “.
Imitation lobster meat is a seafood mishmash
Depending on where youre getting your imitation lobster, this phony meat can be a seafood hodgepodge consisting of Alaskan pollack, whiting, or haddock (via The Today Show). For example, test of the lobster salad roll at Nathans Famous in Coney Island, Brooklyn revealed that it wasnt lobster at all, but whiting.
There are also times when langostino, a type of crustacean that is more like hermit crab than lobster, gets mixed in. Seafood producers can simply take the fish or langostino as is and slap a lobster label on it. Food companies use a process called surimi to change the taste and texture of fish meat so that it tastes and feels like lobster.
According to The Chicago Tribune, to create surimi, fish is completely skinned, deboned, and washed repeatedly. After that, other things (like sugar and salt) are added in until the fish is a lot less fishy and more… lobstery. Perhaps the biggest thing that makes all the difference is that in some brands there is some actually lobster meat in imitation lobster. In those cases, manufacturers add around 17 percent, pulverized, real lobster meat into the mix. It may not be a lot, but it helps give the meat the genuine lobster taste. After that, red food dye is added and the meat is shaped into the form of a lobster tail by a machine.
Imitation lobster meat is certainly going to be a lot cheaper than the real thing, but unfortunately, it does have an environmental downside. While this phony seafood meat may be convenient, it takes a lot of water to make the stuff, and that can be pretty wasteful (via Associated Press).
What Exactly Is Imitation Lobster Meat Made Of
What is the difference between imitation lobster and imitation crab?
Imitation lobster and imitation crab are similar since they’re made from the same seafood paste called surimi. The difference comes in terms of the additives. These give each imitation seafood meat a distinct flavor. Similar to how imitation lobster is made with some lobster meat, imitation crab is often made with some real crab.
What is imitation lobster?
The base ingredient in imitation lobster is surimi. This is a type of minced meat or fish product first made in Japan roughly 900 years ago. It was a way at the time to get as much flesh from fish containing lots of bones. Traditionally, surimi is used as a single ingredient in Asian dishes like stews or salads, and not as a substitute.
What does imitation lobster taste like?
Despite being such a heavily processed food, it doesn’t have a fake taste. Instead, imitation lobster has the same sweet, salty, and fishy taste as fresh ones. And although it’s made from fish, you won’t get a heavy fishy smell from this product too. Texture-wise, imitation lobster isn’t too far off, either.
Is imitation lobster good for You?
Since imitation lobster is still made from authentic seafood, it gives you healthy fish nutrients, like omega 3 and 6 fatty acids. Alaskan pollock, the main ingredient in imitation lobster, provides these healthy oils that help protect the heart. It’s also low in cholesterol. Imitation lobster typically provides less protein than real lobster.