A grilled lobster is among the most expensive dishes you can order in a luxury restaurant, however it is quite simple to cook at home too. If you use fresh lobster, you will get a succulent and tender dish that you can dip in melted butter flavored with herbs. Read on to learn how to cook lobster tails, whole animal and Thermidor lobster.
Steps
Method 1 of 2: Lobster Tails
Step 1. Choose fresh or frozen tails
The simplest way to grill lobster is to buy only the queues at the supermarket or fish shop. In fact, the tail is the fleshy part of the crustacean. Of course, you can also prepare the other parts of the animal, but if you want an easy solution, limit yourself to the tails.
- If you bought fresh tails, keep them in the refrigerator until ready.
- If you chose frozen ones, thaw them in the fridge overnight. This way you are sure that they will cook evenly.
Step 2. Preheat the grill before cooking the shellfish
If in your oven model the grill is located in the main part of the appliance, put a shelf in the center, so you are sure that the tails will be well cooked.
Step 3. Wash them under cold water
Dry them with kitchen paper.
Step 4. Make an incision along the back of the shell
Use a sharp pair of kitchen scissors and cut a rectangular "window" right on the top curve. This way the meat will be exposed to the heat of the grill. Do not remove the shell completely: only remove a section of about 5 cm in width that runs the full length of the tail.
- If you don't have scissors, use a sharp serrated knife, you are less likely to slip on the smooth lobster shell.
- If you prefer, you can just cut the entire tail lengthwise and then divide the two halves to expose the meat.
Step 5. Make the butter marinade
Since lobster meat tends to dry out during cooking, butter is usually added to keep it soft. The key ingredient for the sauce is, of course, butter and you can flavor it as you like. Here is a recipe from which to take inspiration; in a bowl combine:
- 60ml melted butter for each lobster tail.
- One clove of minced garlic for each tail.
- Salt and pepper to taste.
Step 6. Season the lobsters
Put them with the meat facing upwards in a small pan so the juices will collect. Pour the butter sauce over the tails, leaving a small pool of liquid to form inside the shells.
Step 7. Cook the tails
Place the pan in the oven under the grill and cook the shellfish for 10-12 minutes. Lobsters are ready when the flesh is opaque in the center and the butter has darkened. Remove the pan from the oven.
- If the pulp still looks translucent to you, it means it's not cooked yet. Put it back under the grill for another 2-3 minutes.
- Don't overcook it, the meat could become chewy. Check it after 10-12 minutes.
- As a general rule, grilled lobster tails should be cooked for 1 minute for every 30g of weight.
Step 8. Bring the queues to the table
They are delicious with other butter sauce, a sprinkle of lemon and fresh aromatic herbs such as dill and chives. Serve the lobsters just out of the oven to enjoy them at their best. You can leave the pulp in the shells, for an effective presentation, or extract it.
Method 2 of 2: Whole Lobster
Step 1. Buy fresh lobster
Look for the live ones at the supermarket or rely on the fishmonger. Check out the lobster tank and choose a lively and healthy animal. Avoid those that are too firm, which have holes or black spots on the shell.
Step 2. Blanch the shellfish
This step is recommended for preparing live lobsters before grilling them. They will die quickly and the meat will be fully cooked, which is difficult to do with the grill alone. Here's how you need to proceed:
- Fill 3/4 of a large pot with water. Add two tablespoons of salt for every quarter of water. Bring it to a full boil.
- Take the live lobsters one at a time and put them upside down in the water. Cover the pot with the lid.
- The cooking time varies according to the weight of the animal. A half-kilo lobster usually needs to be blanched for 3 and a half minutes, the one kilo for 5 and a half minutes and the 1.5 kg ones for 7 and a half minutes.
- Dip the blanched lobsters in ice water to stop cooking.
Step 3. Preheat the grill just before cooking them
If your oven model includes the grill in the main area of the appliance, place the shelf in the center to ensure even cooking.
Step 4. Cut the crustacean lengthwise
Use a sharp knife or kitchen scissors to split it in half from tail to head. Remove the greenish part found in the cephalothorax (these are the internal organs, especially the intestines). While it's edible, it doesn't look very inviting, so most people discard it. Rinse the fish to get rid of any small residue.
If you also want to grill the claws, break them so that the heat reaches the pulp easily
Step 5. Drizzle with the butter marinade
Place the crustaceans in a pan with the pulp facing upwards while in a bowl mix 60 ml of melted butter with a minced garlic clove, salt and pepper (doses for a lobster). Pour the seasoning over the fish to keep the meat moist as it cooks.
Step 6. Put the lobster under the grill
The pulp, to be cooked, must become opaque and the butter golden. It will take 10-12 minutes, depending on the size of the animal; usually 1 minute is calculated for every 30 g of weight. Remove the pan from the oven.
- If the meat seems dry while cooking, add more butter to prevent it from drying out and overcooking.
- If it still appears transparent after 12 minutes, put it back under the grill for another 2-3 minutes.
Step 7. Bring the lobster to the table
Place it on a serving plate and garnish with lemon juice, chopped dill, parsley or chives. The whole lobster is usually served inside the shell for an effective presentation.
Advice
- If you want to guarantee your guests an even stronger flavor, serve the lobster with more melted butter in individual bowls. Dipping the lobster meat in butter enhances its natural taste and softness.
- Lobster meat is very delicate and can be overcooked very easily. If you are not sure, check the temperature of the tails, they are ready when it reaches 127 ° C. At this point the lobster should be golden but firm to the touch, you will have to make several attempts to find the right balance.
- If you are cooking 270g or larger lobsters, heat them on the stove over medium heat for 1-2 minutes before placing them under the grill. Place them on a heavy pan with the meat facing up. This way they will cook evenly without drying out.
