Steamed lobster tails are a quick and easy way to impress your dinner guests. You don’t even need plenty of sides as the lobster will be the star of all the dishes. Talk about the WOW factor!
Jump to:
How to choose lobster at the market?
If you are buying just lobster tails, choose ones that are uniform in their color of flesh and do not have any discoloration in the meat. Tails should be frozen and should not have any grayish color on them. If you have an option to where you get your lobster tails, opt for Maine lobster tails as the meat is tender and flavorful with a bit of sweetest to it. If you’re buying a full lobster, you’ll want to ensure it’s alive. The more active the better as it’s showing a sign of being healthy.
Is it better to steam or boil lobster?
If you have multiple guests, boiling lobsters will be quicker and easier. However, lobster that is steamed allows the meat to be more tender as less water gets into the shell as it’s not submerged in the water.
How long should you steam a lobster?
10 minutes per pound of lobster is a good timing gauge for lobsters cook time when steaming.
Ingredients
This simple recipe only calls for 5 ingredients and 1 piece of equipment. All you really need to buy is just the lobster!
- Steamer
- Lobster
- Water
- Sea Salt
- Butter
- Lemon
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
- Prep: Wash the lobster and place in the freezer (this is a humane way of cooking the lobster by having it go to sleep). In your steamer, bring the water to a boil and stir in the salt. While you’re waiting for the water to boil, mix your butter and lemon together - set aside until you are ready to serve the lobster.
- Cook: Add the lobster into the steamer once the water is boiling, steam the lobster until they’re bright red, it will take about 10 minutes for every pound of lobster you’re cooking. Make sure the lid is securely placed on so the steam stays in the pot/steamer.
- Serve: Once you’re ready to serve the lobster don’t forget about your butter and lemon dip!
What goes well with steamed lobster?
Butter, butter, and butter. In all honestly melted butter mixed with lemon used to dip your lobster is simplistic, but enhances the flavor of the lobster without overpowering the dish. You can also have a side of corn, potatoes, and risotto. Less is more in this though - the main star is the lobster. You could create multiple dishes from your steamed lobster like lobster rolls.
Storage
When storing your cooked lobster remove the meat from the shell as it will be easier when you have to heat them up. Place in an airtight container in the fridge, it’ll be good for 1-2 days. To reheat you can place in the microwave in 30-second increments. If you need to reheat a whole lobster, shell and all - wrap belly-up in aluminum foil with butter and reheat for 5 to 10 minutes at 350 degrees F in the oven.
Top Tip
You can check the doneness of a lobster by pulling an antenna. If it comes off without resistance, bon appetit! Your lobster is ready to eat.
FAQ
You can save them for stock! You can place the shells in the freezer until you need to use them!
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with the steamed lobster:
Quick and Easy Steamed Lobster Tails
Equipment
- 1 Steamer
Ingredients
- 3 Lobsters (1lbs each)
- Water (enough to fill your steamer half way - bottom pot only)
- 1 tablespoon Sea Salt
- 1 Stick Butter (melted)
- 1 Lemon (juiced)
Instructions
Lobster
- Wash/rinse the lobster and place in the freezer.
- In your steamer, bring the water to a boil and stir in the salt.
- Add the lobster into the steamer once the water is boiling, steam the lobster until they’re bright red, it will take about 10 minutes for every pound of lobster you’re cooking. Make sure the lid is securely placed on so the steam stays in the pot/steamer.
Dip/Marinade
- Mix the butter and lemon in a bowl.
Leave a Reply