How To Fry Lobster Tails

As of late, lobster has become surprisingly affordable! Well, not really, but when compared to the prices of prawns, clams, and some types of fish, it isn’t at all as expensive as it used to be!

So, this left a mass of people asking how exactly do you fry lobster tails? Well, the entire process is relatively easy, the most difficult part being how to clean it properly. After that, you can remove the meat from the shell, season it with some spices, and simply deep-fry it in hot oil.

Today, we will explore the many ways in which you can cook lobster tail, specifically focusing on our favorite deep-frying technique.

And, we have even included the ultimate guide on choosing the freshest and best lobster tails, and exactly how you should prepare them!

What Are Lobster Tails?

Not many people are all that familiar with lobster. Until recently, lobster was extremely unaffordable and meant only for the mouths of the rich and famous.

Well, luckily times have changed. Today, you can easily find lobster available at your local grocery store, at a surprisingly affordable price.

While it is still pricey, you will find some products like prawns, fish, and clams retailing at similar prices.

So, what exactly is lobster tail? What is commonly referred to as “lobster tail” is actually the abdomen of a lobster. But yes, the tail is still attached, which is where the name comes from.

Lobster meat is firm and slightly chewy, with extremely juicy semi-sweet meat-like flavors. It is very similar to the flavor of prawns, but even more intense!

Many people also compare it to the flavor of crab, but it tends to be sweeter and not as rich.

Its incredible texture comes from the high amount of protein that the tail (abdomen) of the lobster contains. It almost melts in your mouth. It isn’t flaky, but it is also not dense and rubbery.

How To Buy The Best Lobster Tails

Now, arguably the first decision you have to make when it comes to buying lobster tail is which lobster it comes from. Naturally, there are many different kinds of lobsters, each having unique characteristics.

An American lobster produces fantastic claws, a body, and a tail. Spiny lobsters on the other hand, only produce delicate meat in its tail (none of their other parts are ever used).

Next, you will have to choose whether you want to buy a fresh or frozen lobster tail.

Naturally, a frozen tail will be slightly less expensive as compared to a fresh tail. However, in the end, it might not matter because your options may be somewhat limited.

Regardless of type, fresh or frozen, the following rules for choosing the best lobster tails apply to all!

• Your lobster tail shouldn’t have any blemishes or discoloration on the meat itself. If there are any black spots in the white flesh, or the flesh starts getting a yellow tinge, then it is definitively not the freshest. The color should also be bright, not dull.
• You should avoid lobster tails that have been soaked in sodium tripolyphosphate (STPP).  It is used to help firm up meat, make it smoother, and glossier. But, it does lower the quality of your meat, changes the natural flavor and texture, and has potential side effects of consuming it.
• None of the lobster (shell included) should be gray. If it is in any way, the lobster was dead before it was processed. 
• If you are buying frozen lobster, make sure it is completely frozen. There shouldn’t be any runny juices inside of the package, or even frozen juices. This means that the lobster has thawed at some point and lost quality.
• The best size to buy are tails between 5 ounces and 12 ounces. While these tails are smaller, they still contain a good amount of meat, but a lot more tender and buttery flavor.
• Coldwater lobster tails will be better quality than warm water lobster tails, but they will be a lot better quality. This is optional to do but is well worth the extra money. When purchasing warm water tails, you have a much higher chance of buying a mushy tail.
• In winter the prices of the lobster tail are lower. You can buy them in advance and simply freeze them at home.

How To Prepare Lobster Tails

Once you have chosen the best possible lobster tail, let’s have a look at how you should prepare it.

If you chose frozen lobster tails, naturally you will need to thaw them first. The best way to thaw them is to leave them inside the fridge to thaw overnight. It will help maintain the freshness and texture while slowly defrosting.

A quicker technique to use is to place the tails inside of an airtight bag. Then, submerge the bag inside some cold water to thaw within a few hours.

Once thawed, you can proceed with preparing the tails as you would with fresh ones.

1. Run the whole tails underneath clean water for a couple of minutes. This will help clean them while removing any iodine. Then, place them on a paper towel and make sure they are dry.
2. Now, use a good quality, sturdy, sharp pair of scissors and cut off any fins attached to the tail. This includes the end fins and the tiny ones on the side.
3. Then, cut down the back (top) of the tail, all along the center. Don’t use a knife as it will slice the meat too, or squish it when you press down the shell. Slightly separate it to make sure there isn’t a vein still present. If the vein is still there (black or white string), then carefully pull it out and discard it.
4. Again, run the lobster tails underneath running cold water to help remove the off smell. Place them back onto a paper towel and allow them to sit for about 10 minutes. This will help properly drain any excess water the tails may hold.
5. You can then either use them immediately or keep them on clean paper towels inside of the fridge until they are ready to be used. 

How To Fry Lobster Tails

So, one of our favorite ways to eat lobster tail is by having it fried. While this may not be as traditional as poached, steamed, or roasted tail, it is equally delicious! Now, naturally, there are many different ways to do this, but this is ours!

Ingredients

• 2-4 lobster tails, cleaned but shell on
• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk, room temperature
• 2 teaspoons old bay seasoning
• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups cake flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder

Instructions

1. First, after cleaning the tails, you can butterfly them. To do this, cut along the same line at the top of the tail where you removed the vein. Then, before slicing all the way through, pull the meat out of the shell.
2. Place the buttermilk in one bowl and keep it aside. Then, combine all of the spices in a small bowl. Rub the spice mix onto the lobster meat. Combine the remaining spice with cake flour and baking powder, and mix well.
3. Next, allow the lobster tails to soak inside the buttermilk for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, start preheating your oil to 350ºF.
4. Once your oil is preheated and the tails have soaked, you can start frying them. Take each tail out of the buttermilk and coat them in your seasoned flour. Shake off any excess flour before placing the tail inside the hot oil.
5. Fry each tail for roughly 4-5 minutes. Smaller tails will naturally fry for a shorter amount of time than larger tails.

Tips For Frying Lobster Tails

• Do not overcook the lobster tails. To prevent this, you can check the internal temperature of the tails. They should be 140ºF.
• Serve your fried lobster tails immediately. As soon as they rest too long, their flesh becomes chewy and their flavor diminishes.
• Store any leftover tails inside an airtight container for up to 3 days. You can use them as-is (simply reheated) or incorporate them inside a wide variety of dishes, including a bisque, pasta, or fish cakes.

What To Serve With Fried Lobster Tail

We love to serve lobster tail with a freshly made garlic butter sauce. But, there are also a wide variety of mayo-based sauces, like a chili aioli, that pairs extremely well.

Many people also like to serve fried lobster tails with other seafood items such as steamed clams or mussels, or even pan-fried prawns.

Then, you can naturally serve them with a fresh garden salad (or something a little more sophisticated) or some dinner rolls.

If you are having lobster with your kids, they will love some potato chips or steakhouse fries and tomato sauce. But let’s be honest, we would probably also indulge in that combination!

And, if you want to go outside of the box, you can serve our fried lobster tails with a pasta salad, corn chowder, mac and cheese, roasted vegetables, or some cheesy biscuits!

Other Ways To Cook Lobster Tails

One of the most common ways to cook lobster tails is to boil, poach, or steam them. But personally, for us, it doesn’t help elevate the flavor!

While it does help retain the most moisture, keep the most natural unaffected flavor, and keep the texture soft, it’s boring!!!

So instead, we like to use methods like deep-frying, roasting, broiling, or even pan-frying. These methods help caramelize natural sugars and protein present in the meat, which helps add a delicious sweet and salty flavor.

Cooking techniques like grilling help add a bit of a smoky flavor to the meat, which we also absolutely love!

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