doo: that's a great link. They do curl up too. I have metal skewers I can use though. But getting the meat out was the tricky part. When I order lobster tails at a restaurant, the meat just slides out. How the heck can you get the meat to slide out when you cook them yourself? I had to massacre the darn thing. It was really messy. Poor tail.
Especially if you boil it. You can't open the tail like you do when you are baking. So do you let it cool and then open it? Geez. I think cooking a whole lob and just ripping it apart would be easier!
To get the meat out of lobster tails you have to twist BACK the end of the tail that has the little semi-circle shaped shell flap. Twist them back until they snap off.
Take your index and middle finder and insert them in the opening you have now made at the end of the tail where these little flap things used to be.
As Dr. Ruth would say, Firmly but gently, push against the meat with your fingers until it begins to slide out of the wider opening of the tail.
Sometimes it helps if you flex the tail a couple of time - like straighten it out and curl it back up.
Once the meat begins to slide out of the wider opening of the tail, you can grasp it better and finish taking it out.
Note: There will be a dark vein that runs along the "top" of the tail meat, sorta in the middle. This dark vein is the intestines. Just pull it off. It won't hurt you if you eat it but I just remove it. The tails may have been cleaned and you won't see this vein - but that's doubtful.
By the way - are these Maine lobster tails? Or is it Langastino?
(And if you just steam the tails and eat them with butter - yummmmm!)
Chas thanks. The tails are HOT though after cooking! How do you do this when they are piping hot? Do you have to wait a few minutes for them to cool down?
And at the risk of sounding like a total dummy, how would one steam tails?
I visited Maine twice, btw, and had my first lobsters there. I remember I just ripped the thing apart and ate it. I never thought I would have this much trouble with a tail!
And yes, these are genuine Maine Lobs. The steak is from Chicago (I ordered lobs and steak) but the lobs are sent straight from Maine. I don't know what Langastino is!
I once saw and amazing recipe with Julia Childs and a guest chef - the lobster tails were cut before cooking and then braised on the stove in wine and broth. If I can find it I'll post it.
I searched for this segment - but I can't find it. I do remember that the chef had a more humane way of killing the lobsters - at least that's how it was touted - it involved a French knife and splitting the head in two I believe.
Perhaps you can find a segment of her series with guest chefs on PBS. I haven't had any luck - although I could definitely see myself experimenting with what I remember.
I searched for this segment - but I can't find it. I do remember that the chef had a more humane way of killing the lobsters - at least that's how it was touted - it involved a French knife and splitting the head in two I believe.
Perhaps you can find a segment of her series with guest chefs on PBS. I haven't had any luck - although I could definitely see myself experimenting with what I remember.
Yes, you take a sharp French Chef's knife and run it between the top of the back shell and the head - it's not fun to do, believe me (I used to work in a raw bar.)
Langastino is lobster that comes from warm waters - like around FL, Cuba, etc.
To steam the lobster, you just put a few cups (maybe 6-8) of water in a pan, add salt, and then get it boiling hard. Then drop the tails in for about 5-7 mins. They will curl and turn red.
Now, I'd steam them and serve them with maybe rice pilaf, corn on the cob, salad, and maybe a nice Chablis. Oh, and melted butter. HELLO!
Eat the other stuff while the tails cool - let everyone crack his or her own tail, you know. If the meat is a little cool, its no big deal. If its too hot to touch with your fingers, why would you want it in your mouth? If you serve the butter hot, that will sorta warm up the meat anyhow.
Now, if you're doing whole lobster, you should get yourself a good nutcracker set with the little pointy hooks and nut cracker to get at the meat.
Your posts make me drool for lobster! I'd love to attend a New England clam bake sometime.. its just so far away from us here! Ummm... lobster, clams, crabs and oysters..... with lots of beer.
I used to work in seafood restaurants in Maine when I was in high school - mostly bartending - and part of my job was to teach tourists how to get into lobster.... I was good at it!
Now, because my mother had worked on lobster boats, she wanted NOTHING to do with them...
So, I never had my first lobsta until I was 18 years old! (And fell in love... )
There's a restaurant around here that I'd take you to in heartbeat - they serve hot buttered lobster rolls. No shell to mess with - just pure Maine lobster meat on a grilled roll with hot butter. They serve them in half-pound, pound, and large amounts. And they're not priced too badly either - and YUM... I wish they were open!
Lobster rolls and Corona w/ lime.... that's summer!
Down here, live Maine lobster is expensive. Lots of restaurants offer "lobster tails" but they are *always* frozen and that severely affects the consistency. Its mushy. Yech!! But for those who will pay the price we have a few restaurants with lobster tanks.
Some of these places will take a big pair of scissors and cut the abdomen area (on the ventral side) so that the tail meat just hangs out. That way, the only thing you have to use the utensils for is cracking the claws. And if I may add my personal preference.. I prefer them broiled.. not boiled.. so I don't get squirted with hot water when cracking the claws!
If you have the lobster steamed you won't get that much water either...
(...And if when you remove the big claws, you twist them and push down, so that the part that is broken off is facing down in the plate when you snap it off, then you won't have a lap full of water.)
I remember how expensive lobster was when I was in the south. Here we get it for about $4/lb this time of year and cheaper in the summer.
Lobster, steamer clams, corn on the cob, baked potato, salad, and of course, a good beer (Sam Adams Summer Ale) or wine - and that's better than Thanksgiving dinner anyday!
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doojable
I found this link for you;
How To Cook Lobster Tails
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RottieGrrrl
doo: that's a great link. They do curl up too. I have metal skewers I can use though. But getting the meat out was the tricky part. When I order lobster tails at a restaurant, the meat just slides out. How the heck can you get the meat to slide out when you cook them yourself? I had to massacre the darn thing. It was really messy. Poor tail.
Especially if you boil it. You can't open the tail like you do when you are baking. So do you let it cool and then open it? Geez. I think cooking a whole lob and just ripping it apart would be easier!
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ChasUFarley
A Mainer to the rescue...
To get the meat out of lobster tails you have to twist BACK the end of the tail that has the little semi-circle shaped shell flap. Twist them back until they snap off.
Take your index and middle finder and insert them in the opening you have now made at the end of the tail where these little flap things used to be.
As Dr. Ruth would say, Firmly but gently, push against the meat with your fingers until it begins to slide out of the wider opening of the tail.
Sometimes it helps if you flex the tail a couple of time - like straighten it out and curl it back up.
Once the meat begins to slide out of the wider opening of the tail, you can grasp it better and finish taking it out.
Note: There will be a dark vein that runs along the "top" of the tail meat, sorta in the middle. This dark vein is the intestines. Just pull it off. It won't hurt you if you eat it but I just remove it. The tails may have been cleaned and you won't see this vein - but that's doubtful.
By the way - are these Maine lobster tails? Or is it Langastino?
(And if you just steam the tails and eat them with butter - yummmmm!)
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RottieGrrrl
Chas thanks. The tails are HOT though after cooking! How do you do this when they are piping hot? Do you have to wait a few minutes for them to cool down?
And at the risk of sounding like a total dummy, how would one steam tails?
I visited Maine twice, btw, and had my first lobsters there. I remember I just ripped the thing apart and ate it. I never thought I would have this much trouble with a tail!
And yes, these are genuine Maine Lobs. The steak is from Chicago (I ordered lobs and steak) but the lobs are sent straight from Maine. I don't know what Langastino is!
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doojable
I once saw and amazing recipe with Julia Childs and a guest chef - the lobster tails were cut before cooking and then braised on the stove in wine and broth. If I can find it I'll post it.
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RottieGrrrl
That sounds delicious. I was just thinking of Julia too. How funny.
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doojable
I searched for this segment - but I can't find it. I do remember that the chef had a more humane way of killing the lobsters - at least that's how it was touted - it involved a French knife and splitting the head in two I believe.
Perhaps you can find a segment of her series with guest chefs on PBS. I haven't had any luck - although I could definitely see myself experimenting with what I remember.
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ChasUFarley
Yes, you take a sharp French Chef's knife and run it between the top of the back shell and the head - it's not fun to do, believe me (I used to work in a raw bar.)
Langastino is lobster that comes from warm waters - like around FL, Cuba, etc.
To steam the lobster, you just put a few cups (maybe 6-8) of water in a pan, add salt, and then get it boiling hard. Then drop the tails in for about 5-7 mins. They will curl and turn red.
Now, I'd steam them and serve them with maybe rice pilaf, corn on the cob, salad, and maybe a nice Chablis. Oh, and melted butter. HELLO!
Eat the other stuff while the tails cool - let everyone crack his or her own tail, you know. If the meat is a little cool, its no big deal. If its too hot to touch with your fingers, why would you want it in your mouth?
If you serve the butter hot, that will sorta warm up the meat anyhow.
Now, if you're doing whole lobster, you should get yourself a good nutcracker set with the little pointy hooks and nut cracker to get at the meat.
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RottieGrrrl
doo thanks for searching. I could give it a shot.
Chas thanks for your help. I think I will just let it cool and crack it open. I will give this another shot this weekend! Thanks all for the help!
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Sudo
Chas,
Your posts make me drool for lobster! I'd love to attend a New England clam bake sometime.. its just so far away from us here! Ummm... lobster, clams, crabs and oysters..... with lots of beer.
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ChasUFarley
Thanks!
I used to work in seafood restaurants in Maine when I was in high school - mostly bartending - and part of my job was to teach tourists how to get into lobster.... I was good at it!
Now, because my mother had worked on lobster boats, she wanted NOTHING to do with them...
So, I never had my first lobsta until I was 18 years old! (And fell in love... )
There's a restaurant around here that I'd take you to in heartbeat - they serve hot buttered lobster rolls. No shell to mess with - just pure Maine lobster meat on a grilled roll with hot butter. They serve them in half-pound, pound, and large amounts. And they're not priced too badly either - and YUM... I wish they were open!
Lobster rolls and Corona w/ lime.... that's summer!
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Sudo
Chas,
Down here, live Maine lobster is expensive. Lots of restaurants offer "lobster tails" but they are *always* frozen and that severely affects the consistency. Its mushy. Yech!! But for those who will pay the price we have a few restaurants with lobster tanks.
Some of these places will take a big pair of scissors and cut the abdomen area (on the ventral side) so that the tail meat just hangs out. That way, the only thing you have to use the utensils for is cracking the claws. And if I may add my personal preference.. I prefer them broiled.. not boiled.. so I don't get squirted with hot water when cracking the claws!
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ChasUFarley
If you have the lobster steamed you won't get that much water either...
(...And if when you remove the big claws, you twist them and push down, so that the part that is broken off is facing down in the plate when you snap it off, then you won't have a lap full of water.)
I remember how expensive lobster was when I was in the south. Here we get it for about $4/lb this time of year and cheaper in the summer.
Lobster, steamer clams, corn on the cob, baked potato, salad, and of course, a good beer (Sam Adams Summer Ale) or wine - and that's better than Thanksgiving dinner anyday!
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coolchef
don't forget blueberry cake and more wine for dessert!
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