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Steamed lobster tail is tender, juicy, and succulent! It’s steamed in a pot of boiling water with flavorings inside a steaming basket until perfectly cooked!
Steamed lobster tail is one of the easiest preparations of lobster tail! It’s gently steamed in a pot which allows for a moist, tender, and perfectly cooked lobster tail that’s not rubbery or overcooked.
It’s a great way to serve lobster tail and perfect for special occasions like Valentine’s Day, Christmas, Thanksgiving, and anniversary or date night dinners. If you prefer using the oven, try our Broiled Lobster Tails with Garlic Butter!
Why steam lobster tails?
- Steaming allows for gentle cooking in a moist environment which leads to tender, moist lobster tails.
- It’s easy to regulate the temperature by adjusting the burner.
- You can easily tell when the lobster is fully cooked. Simply feel for firm flesh and look for an opaque color.
Ingredients
- Lobster tails – Choose ones with firm, uniformly colored flesh. Avoid ones that have a fishy smell or cracked shells.
- Optional flavorings – Lemon, garlic, butter, parsley, Old Bay seasoning.
Thaw frozen lobster tails
Refrigerator (overnight method) – Set frozen lobster tails on a plate topped with paper towels and place it inside a resealable bag. The paper towels will absorb excess liquid. Allow them to thaw overnight in the fridge.
Faster method – Place frozen lobster tails inside a resealable bag and let out as much air as possible. Place the bag in a bowl of cold water and refresh the water every 15 to 20 minutes until the lobster is completely thawed.
Steps
- Butterfly the lobster tails: Take kitchen shears and cut a straight line down to just before the tail fin.
- Spread the shell open and lift the meat out and above the shell and place it on top. You can use a spoon to help detach the meat if needed.
- Make sure the meat is centered on the shell and fully opened. Optional: Insert a skewer or toothpick into the meat to keep it from curling.
- Place the lobster tails in a steamer basket and place it into a steaming pot filled with 1 to 2 inches of boiling water. Steam with the lid closed until fully cooked, anywhere from 6 to 8 minutes for small to medium tails or 8 to 12 minutes for large tails. Look for firm and white opaque flesh with bright red shells.
Optional herbs and spices can be added to the water for more flavor. Garlic, lemon slices, peppercorns, Old Bay seasoning, and fresh herbs are great additions.
The best way to serve steamed lobster tail is alongside melted or clarified butter with a few wedges of lemon. Enjoy!
More Recipes
Main Dishes
Broiled Lobster Tail with Garlic Butter
Main Dishes
15 Minute Cilantro Lime Shrimp
Salads
Classic Caesar Salad
Steamed Lobster Tail
Ingredients
- 2 lobster tails
Optional Seasonings
- lemon slices
- garlic
- fresh herbs
- Old Bay seasoning
- peppercorns
Instructions
- Butterfly the tails: Using kitchen shears, cut a straight line down the top center of the shell to just before the tail fins. Spread the shell open, lift the meat out, and place it on top of the shell. Use a spoon to help detach the meat from the shell if needed. Optional: Insert a toothpick or skewer into the meat to keep it from curling.
- Fill Steam Pot: Fill a steaming pot with 1 to 2 inches of water and add optional seasonings if using. Bring to a boil. Place the lobster tails into a steamer basket and insert it into the pot, making sure the water doesn't reach the lobster.
- Steam: Steam the lobster tails with the lid closed until fully cooked, about 6 to 8 minutes for small to medium tails and 8 to 10 minutes for large tails. Check after 5 minutes to prevent overcooking, but avoid opening the lid otherwise.They're fully cooked when the flesh is firm to the touch and white and opaque in color. The shells should be bright red and the internal temperature should reach 140°F to 145°F at the thickest part of the meat. Serve with melted butter and lemon. Enjoy!
Notes
- Refrigerator (overnight method) – Set frozen lobster tails on a plate topped with paper towels and place it inside a resealable bag. The paper towels will absorb excess liquid. Allow them to thaw overnight in the fridge.
- Faster method – Place frozen lobster tails inside a resealable bag and let out as much air as possible. Place the bag in a bowl of cold water and refresh the water every 15 to 20 minutes until the lobster is completely thawed.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this? Leave a comment below!
Our lobster tails came out perfectly cooked and super flavorful. Another great recipe – definitely keeping this one!
I made 4 lobster tails this way and they all came out tender and not at all rubbery. Absolutely wonderful recipe!
Amazing recipe, quick and easy to make. Added some lemon, garlic, and butter to the water. Fabulous steamed lobster. Yummy.
This is such a delicious and delicate way of preparing lobster tail and will be my go-to from now on. I used some lemon slices and bay leaf and it was so good. I look forward to trying more flavourings in the future.
This was my first time butterflying lobster tail and it worked great! I always wondered how the restaurants made it. Mine came out perfect!
I couldn’t believe how easy to steam lobster tails is. This is heavenly and delicious! Thanks for the recipe and the inspiration.
I had no idea it was so easy to make lobster at home! They looked so elegant with the lobster meat sitting on the shell and it tasted delicious!
I do love lobster and those steamed tails with drawn butter made everyone in my house very happy last night!
This was great for a surf and turf night! Thanks for the recipe! Excited to make this again!
This was a hit! I followed the recipe exactly and it came out so good. Moist, succulent, and tender. Everyone gobbled it up!
Thank you for the easy to follow recipe. I added these to a summer evening salad and it was so good!
I love lobster and swear somedays I could eat my weight in it! I love the tutorial on how to butterfly it and steam it perfectly! This is perfect for summer dishes!
Thanks for making this so easy! Mine were done in 5 minutes. Perfection!
This was a perfect dish for Father’s Day! Mouthwatering…I haven’t had lobster in ages! Definitely a nice treat for the summer months.
My husband made these for my birthday with scalloped potatoes. It was the best thing I ever ate. The lobster was amazing.
Check a minute earlier for 4oz lobster tails. They were perfectly cooked at 5 and a half minutes in.
First time steaming lobster tails and yeah!! Your instructions were so easy to follow. Thanks much for sharing.
This was so good for Valentine’s day! It was my first time making lobster and it turned out fantastic! I’m no longer afraid to cook this at home now!
Thank you for the helpful process photos on how to get a perfect lobster tail with the meat laying so nicely on top of the shell! I just love this presentation so much! This is my second time making this for Valentine’s day and my partner loves it. THank you!
My first time doing lobster. I normally steam crab legs, as I was always worried about overcooking them. Today, I got brave hahaha, and I followed every step of your recipe. So so fantastic and they were the best ones!!! Thank you!!!!