DESCRIPTION

After thawing in the refrigerator for a few hours or overnight, frozen lobster tails are best prepared by poaching in butter. Here’s how.

Ingredients

Scale

4 (4 oz.) frozen lobster tails, thawed
3 lbs. salted butter (12 sticks)*
6 garlic cloves, peeled, smashed
1 and 1/2 tsp. fresh thyme leaves
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

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Instructions

Working with one lobster tail at a time, place tail on a cutting board with tiny feet facing up. Using sharp kitchen sheers, cut the undershell from tip to tail along the right side where the hard top shell meets the undershell. Repeat with left side. Remove the center portion of the undershell, exposing the tail meat. Repeat with remaining lobster tails, see video above. **
In a straight-sided skillet or wide saucepan that is just big enough to fit the lobsters in a single layer, add butter, garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper. Cook on low heat, swirling pan occasionally until butter is melted, about 10 to 15 minutes..
Place lobsters, cut side up, in butter mixture. Baste exposed tail meat with butter.
Cover pan, cook 10 minutes, or until internal temperature of lobster tails register 135°F, or 140°F for a firmer texture on an instant-read thermometer.
Transfer lobsters to serving plates or platter. Serve immediately with poaching butter.

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Notes

*Note though that the butter is just used for poaching and can be re-used after the lobster tails are cooked. After the cooking is finished, transfer the butter to a sealed container and store it in the fridge for up to 5 days or the freezer for 2 months. It’s going to be infused with the thyme and lobster flavor. You can use it to poach more frozen lobster tails, or some shrimp or as a dipping sauce or drizzling sauce for seafood. It’s also amazing on asparagus and green beans, and also mixed with rice before cooking it. When I cook lobster tails in butter this way, I actually divide the butter into 8 portions afterwards. I keep 2 in the fridge to use in the days ahead, and the remaining 6 go into the freezer.

**If desired, after step 1, insert a wooden skewer through the tail meat to keep it from curling during cooking.