Steamed Lobster

My Recipe for Steamed Lobster Tails:

If frozen, place frozen lobster tails in luke warm water for about 30 minutes to defrost.

Pour about 1 inch of water in the bottom of a large pot and bring to a boil. Add the salt and place a steamer insert inside the pot so that it is just above the water level. Put the lobster tails on the rack and cover the pot. Cover and steam for 1 minute per ounce (i.e., if 6 ounce tails, then 6 minutes of steaming).  Alternative method is to boil, which removes more flavor.

Serve hot with melted butter.  Or place in ice bath for 5-10 minutes if serving chilled such as in lobster rolls.

The remainder of this page is just ideas for suping up your lobster game.

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Optional- Serve with David Chang’s lobster infused butter:

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If using live lobster versus tails:

Here’s a fresh, more narrative and “chef’s kitchen” style rewrite of your lobster instructions:

Start by chilling three lobsters (about 1¼ to 1½ pounds each) in the freezer for 20 minutes—this slows them down and makes handling easier. Once chilled, remove them and snip off the claws and legs using kitchen shears. Lightly crack the claws with a meat mallet to let the flavors seep during cooking.

Place each lobster on a cutting board with the tail extended. Using a heavy, sharp knife, slice the body in half lengthwise where the tail meets the head. Hold the tail firmly and bring the knife down in one clean motion. Rotate the knife and cut the tail in half the same way.

Open the lobster and trim away the antennae and eyes with your shears. Scrape out the digestive sac tucked behind the eyes, and pull out the dark vein running along the tail. Keep the tomalley (the pale-green liver) in place—it adds incredible depth to the sauce. If your lobster has coral, leave it in as well; it’s both flavorful and beautiful.

Dust all the lobster pieces—the body, tail, and claws—in flour and brown them as you would for the recipe. When making the sauce, add the tiny legs along with the tomatoes to enrich the flavor. Toss in the tails during the final five minutes of cooking. Serve hot, and let the rich, buttery lobster sauce shine.