How to Prepare Lobster Tails for Steaming
- 1). Purchase your lobster tails. Both fresh and frozen varieties of lobster tail are available at stores. Fresh tails can be harder to come by unless you live relatively close to the ocean. Frozen tails are more readily available. When buying a frozen tail, make sure to avoid discolored tails or meat with black or gray spots.
- 2). Defrost the tails. Place the tails in the refrigerator for 8 to 10 hours ahead of time. Frozen tails can be steamed, but you will get better results if you defrost the tails first.
- 3). Using a pair of kitchen shears, cut the shell open down until you hit the base of the tail. Pry the shell away from the meat and discard, making sure to leave the tail intact.
- 4). You are now ready to steam to your lobster tail. Place a steamer basket into a pot with a few inches of salted water. When the water comes to a boil, put the lobster tail into the steamer basket. Steam until the meat is white and firm. For Lobster Help's chart for determining cooking times, see references.
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