Boiled Lobster Tails

By Kath Dedon

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I had never cooked lobster tails before last night. Maybe it’s because they are not a local seafood. We live in “crab land”. Dungeness crabs are bountiful in the Pacific Northwest, so they are the shellfish we most often enjoy. But this week I noticed that one of our upscale markets was featuring lobster tails for Valentine’s Day so I decided to make Boiled Lobster Tails as part of my “Surf and Turf” dinner for Bob.

Surfing the Internet, I found all kinds of ways to prepare them, including grilling, roasting, steaming, baking, and boiling. I found an excellent video about how to butterfly them. I found a site that gave several methods of cooking and it also recommended putting a skewer through the tails to keep them straight, regardless of your cooking method. In the end, I chose this simple method from Better Homes and Gardens for boiling the lobster tails. I figured it would give me the pure lobster flavor I wanted with no danger of drying out the meat.

I loved this simple preparation! The Boiled Lobster Tails, served with a grilled steak, green beans, and a salad made our Valentine’s Day dinner feel quite special. But there’s no reason you can’t make Surf and Turf any day of the year for your honey!

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(Adapted from a Better Homes and Gardens recipe)

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(print the recipe)

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Serves 2

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2 lobster tails (5 – 8 ounces each)

1½ teaspoons salt

Melted butter (optional, for serving)

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2 for $12.98. Not bad!

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1. Bring 6 cups of water to boil in a 3-quart pot.

2. Run a wooden skewer through each lobster tail lengthwise to keep them straight.

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3. When the water is boiling, add 1½ teaspoons salt to the pot. Add the lobster tails and turn the heat down a bit so they are simmering. Simmer for 5 – 8 minutes (or 1 minute for each ounce of your lobster tails).

4. Drain for a minute or so in a colander. Then use scissors to cut the shells; spread them open with your fingers.

5. Serve with melted butter, if desired.