Store Your Lobster Tails Properly Until You Are Ready To Use

Once your tails are thawed, do not refreeze your lobster tails at home, the slow freezing process in a conventional freezer will actually break down the cell wall of the raw lobster meat and ruin the texture of your cooked lobster tails. Place your lobster tails in the freezer right away until 24 hours prior to use. Do not store for more than 3 months or your tails may begin to dry out.  Lobster tails will turn red when fully cooked 

 

Thaw Your Tails Thoroughly To Avoid Meat Sticking to the Shell

If you want to avoid your tails sticking to the shell, thaw your tails 24 hours prior to cooking in a refrigerator inside a leak-proof container. Your tails are defrosting so they will leak fluid. If your tails are frozen and you are planning on cooking them today, that is not a problem. Put your lobster tails in a sealed bag and soak them in cold water for at least 30-60 minutes. Larger lobster tails will take longer to thaw. If you want to butterfly a lobster tail, thawing your tails will be critical because you will have to cut the meat, and you won’t be able to do so if the tails are not thawed all the way.

Common Misconceptions

It is common to have tomalley in the center of the tail. It appears black and sometimes green and sometimes will startle customers. Do not worry. This is a natural part of the lobster tail. It is actually the liver and is totally edible and is considered a delicacy. If you do not desire to eat this it can be rinsed off with water once the lobster is fully cooked.

The most lobster tail meat is white but it is also common to have a slight pink tint to the meat for lobsters that are preparing to shed. Once again, this is a totally natural process and is totally edible. If you want to remove the pink tint, you can rinse most of it off with warm water after you have cooked your tail.

With our easy-to-use lobster tail boiling, grilling and broiling guides below, you’ll find that cooking lobster tails is a rewarding experience the whole family will want to experience again and again. Check out our lobster tail recipes section to find out better techniques on how to butterfly a lobster tail! We intentionally only stock cold-water lobster tails, if you are interested in learning the difference between cold-water and warm-water lobster tails check out our blog for more information.

If you aren’t sure which method to use, we strongly recommend boiling frozen lobster tails because this is your best bet to avoid your tails sticking to the shell. Please read our following section to make sure your lobster tails are stored and thawed properly to ensure the best results.

How Long To Cook Lobster Tails

Cook times for lobster tails range from 3 minutes to 30 minutes. This will vary based on the method of cooking you choose and the size of the lobster tails you’re cooking. Boiling and steaming are faster processes, whereas baking and grilling take a bit longer.  More detailed instructions can be found on the specific cooking method pages linked to above and at the bottom of this page. Start with the low range of these recommendations. Overcooking your lobster tails will leave them dry.  Our lobster tails are precooked, so the cook times are really just to reheat them!

TAIL SIZE	BOILING/STEAMING TIMES
3 to 6 oz.	3 to 6 minutes
6 to 7 oz.	5 to 8 minutes
8 to 10 oz.	6 to 10 minutes
10 to 16 oz.	8 to 11 minutes
16 to 20 oz.	10 to 12minutes
20 to 28 oz.	10 to 13 minutes