Sink your fork into the ultimate tender and succulent decadence of a sous vide lobster tail. This technique utilizes modern technology to keep the lobster cooking at a low and perfectly consistent temperature, ensuring your lobster comes out luscious every single time. Don’t be intimidated by what might be a new technique for cooking lobster because this easy guide will break down the entire process.
If you have ever had a butter-poached lobster tail, you know the magic of cutting into that first impossibly tender bite. There is nothing like that texture. Cooking lobster tail sous vide gives it a similar silky, decadent, and luxurious texture.
Because foods cooked via sous vide are cooked at a low, controlled temperature, the protein’s interior is cooked without the exterior becoming overcooked. If you’ve ever been intimidated about cooking lobster and worried about overcooking it, this may be the method for you.
Scientific Principles Behind Sous Vide
Page Contents
Let’s explore the world of molecular gastronomy, explain the principles of sous vide lobster tails, and explain why this is an excellent method for cooking lobster tails.
French chef Georges Pralus was the first to use this technique in 1974, but it didn’t become prominent until Michelin-starred chef Thomas Keller released his cookbook Under Pressure: Cooking Sous Vide in 2008. The basics of cooking food using the sous vide method start with vacuum-sealing food into a plastic bag and then placing it in a water bath at a steady, controlled temperature, usually around 140 degrees. When the food is removed, it’s cooked to perfection.
Why Sous Vide Works for Lobster
Proteins, like lobster tails, are the most common ingredient in sous vide dishes. Meat comprises about 20% protein, with the rest being water and fat. As the meat heats up, the proteins start to break down, but cooking sous vide retains the water and fat, creating that juicy bite.
In addition to slowly breaking down the proteins, the collagen in the meat also slowly breaks down. Unlike traditional methods of cooking lobster tail, the low and slow method of sous vide allows the collagen to break down without overcooking the meat. This equals tender meat that is never tough.
Sous Vide Cooking: Equipment and Tools
- Sous Vide Circulator—This is an important tool for cooking sous vide. They come in a wide range of prices and designs.
- Vacuum sealer or zip-top bags—While many people opt for a vacuum sealer when cooking sous vide lobster tails, it’s not required. Depending on your sous vide model, you can also use zip-top bags that can withstand temperatures up to 210 degrees.
- Large Container – You’ll need a large container to hold the water the lobster tails will cook in. Some sous vide models come with a container. If not, you can use a large cast-enamel Dutch oven or any pot or container to accommodate water temperatures up to 210, depending on your model sous vide. Make sure to consult your owner’s manual for specifications and recommendations.
Sous Vide Lobster Tail: Preparation and Process
Cooking sous vide lobster tail starts with picking the right size lobster tail. Because the lobster meat will be removed from the shell before cooking, you want to start with at least medium-sized lobster tails or 6-8 oz. Lobster tails. Don’t be afraid to pick out larger lobster tails for this method of cooking lobster, either. This is a great way to cook our monster lobster tails and ensure they don’t overcook and remain completely tender. If you don’t want to deal with removing the meat from the shell, we also sell lobster tail meat that has already been shucked from the shell and is ready to go.
Preparing Your Lobster for Sous Vide Cooking
Because the lobster will cook in plastic bags, you’ll want to remove the meat from the shell. This will prevent the shell from piercing the bag and allow other flavors to infuse into the meat.
Use kitchen sheers to carefully cut down the top length of the lobster tail. Flip the tail over and carefully cut down the bottom half. Now, use your fingers to gently ease the meat away from the shell and then cut it free.
Finally, remove the vein running down the top portion of the lobster. Like shrimp, you’ll want to carefully cut a small, shallow slice to expose it and then pull it free. Give the meat a quick rinse and then pat it dry.
How to Season Lobster Tails for Sous Vide
Once you have picked the right size lobster tails and removed the meat from the shell, it’s time to have fun with flavors. You can keep it simple by adding high-quality butter to the bag or adding additional flavorings. Soft herbs like parsley, tarragon, and chives are popular choices that pair well with lobster’s natural sweetness.
In addition, you can add other savory elements like smashed garlic or sliced garlic, your favorite seafood seasonings, and citrus slices such as lemons or limes. Remember that these flavorings will gently infuse and concentrate into the lobster meat, so pick complimentary flavors that won’t overpower the delicate flavor profile.
Placing Your Lobster Meat in the Bag
The next step in cooking your sous vide lobster tail is placing it in your bag and sealing it. You want all of the lobster meat to be in a single, flat layer. Place your butter and additional seasonings on top of the meat. If you use vacuum-sealed bags, use your vacuum sealer to remove excess air and seal the bag shut. You’ll need to do this manually for zip-top bags, pushing out as much air as possible before closing the top.
Sous Vide Lobster Tail: Cooking Techniques
Now that you’ve seasoned your lobster tails and placed them in the vacuum-sealed bag, it’s finally time to cook the lobster sous vide. Let’s break down the simple, fuss-free process.
Optimal Temperature and Time Settings
| Lobster Texture | Cooking Time | Temperature Setting |
| Sashimi-style lobster tails | 45 minutes to 1 hour | 120 degrees/49 degrees Celsius |
| Succulent meat for lobster rolls | 45 minutes to 1 hour | 130 degrees/54 degrees Celsius |
| New England-style lobster | 45 minutes to 1 hour | 140 degrees/60 degrees Celsius |
| Claws and knuckles only | 1 hour | 150 degrees/64 degrees Celcius |
Step-By-Step Sous Vide Lobster Tail Cooking Instructions
- Set your sous vide for your desired cooking temperature. Follow the guide above for optimal texture.
- Place the shucked lobster tail meat and the desired flavorings and butter into your food-safe bag. Seal it shut, making sure to get out as much air as possible.
- Place the bag into the water bath and allow it to cook for the time specific to your target temperature.
- When the timer goes off, remove the bag from the water bath. Carefully remove the lobster tails from the bag. Drizzle them with the melted butter they cooked in or with clarified butter, or use them in a recipe calling for cooked lobster, such as lobster rolls.
Post-Cooking Finishing Methods
Unlike other proteins such as steak, which require searing after being cooked to temperature sous vide, there is no need for any additional cooking for lobster tails. It can be as simple as serving them up with the melted butter from the bag, now infused with the flavor of the lobster, along with any additional ingredients you added. This is also a great way to cook lobster, which you plan on adding to other dishes that may call for cooked lobster tail. Here are just a few examples of how you can use this cooked lobster meat.
- Lobster Tacos
- Connecticut or New England-style lobster rolls
- Decadent lobster mac and cheese
- Creamy lobster risotto
- Lobster pizza
- Kick up taco night with luxurious lobster tacos
Effects of Sous Vide on Lobster Tail Texture and Flavor
- Protein Denaturation: This is when the natural structures begin to unwind, creating the softer, more tender texture achieved in the cooking process. Different meats denature at different temperatures. Using the sous vide method to cook lobster tail ensures you don’t cook the lobster past your desired temperature and texture.
- Gelatinization: Is there anything better than the tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture of perfectly cooked succulent lobster meat? When you cook lobster tail sous vide, the collagen in the meat slowly breaks down into gelatin, giving it more than the tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture of perfectly cooked succulent lobster meat. By cooking lobster tail sous vide, the collagen in the meat slowly breaks down into gelatin, giving it that incredible texture you crave.
- Moisture Retention: Unlike other cooking methods for lobster, such as grilled or baked lobster, the low and slow method of sous vide retains the natural moisture in the lobster instead of allowing it to escape. Say goodbye to dry, rubbery lobster.
- Flavor Infusion: The lobster’s natural flavor intensifies because lobster tails are cooked slowly and low through sous vide with the air compressed out of the food-safe bag. In addition, any flavorings you add, such as herbs or spices, will infuse into the lobster meat during this process.
Advanced Culinary Techniques with Sous Vide Lobster Tail
Don’t limit yourself to sous vide lobster tail. A whole world of exciting molecular gastronomy can turn your lobster recipe into a five-star culinary experience worthy of any fine-dining restaurant. Here are just a few ideas.
- Turn a rich lobster stock or consommé into lobster pearls. These edible little pearls, which resemble caviar, have a delicate gel-like texture and are made through a process called spherification. An alginate bath is combined with calcium lactate to create a gel-like texture on the outside with a liquid center. These can be used to elevate anything from oysters to pastas and crostini.
- Lobster foam takes a rich lobster soup base and uses a binder like xanthan gum and a whipping siphon with a nitrous oxide charger to aerate the mixture into a cloud-like foam.
- Not all advanced lobster cooking techniques rely on modern molecular gastronomy. Classic French dishes like lobster gelee and lobster terrine combine succulent lobster meat with ingredients like unflavored gelatin or eggs and cream to create beautifully molded lobster confections.
Flavor Pairings and Enhancements
- Add your favorite aromatics and herbs to the food-safe bag. Tarragon, parsley, and chives are classic seafood accompaniments. Basil and cilantro are equally delicious and can add excitement and interest. Other aromatics include garlic cloves, shallots, ginger, and even lemongrass. Always consider what flavor profile you want in your finished dish.
- Making delicious compound butter allows you to add a single ingredient without adding anything else. It can be as simple as garlic and herb compound butter, something more classic like a Maître D’ Butter, or trendy like cowboy butter. The best part is that you can make the compound butter well in advance and keep it in the freezer for up to three months.
- Have fun with sauces. Classic sauce pairings for lobster tail include silky smooth beurre blanc butter sauces and bright, garlicky scampi-type sauces.
- Don’t forget the sides! To start, serve your sous vide lobster dinner with either lobster bisque or clam chowder. Add a beautiful, fresh garden salad for an easy and elegant meal. Other sides can include classics like baked potatoes, crusty bread for sopping up some of that glorious lobster butter, or healthy options like roasted or grilled vegetables. The sky, or sea, is the limit.
Nutritional Aspects of Sous Vide Lobster Tail
- Lobster is an incredible source of protein while being low in fat and calories. Its nutritional benefits include being an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids, choline, which is excellent for brain health, zinc, vitamin B12, and magnesium.
- Unlike other methods of cooking that involve high heat, the low and slow method of cooking lobster sous vide minimizes the detrimental effects on heat-sensitive nutrients.
- Some methods of cooking lobster call for large amounts of butter, like butter-poached lobster tails. However, you only need a little butter to achieve the same delicate texture and rich flavor, making sous vide lobster tails a more heart-healthy option.
How to Sous Vide Lobster Recipe
Start off with fresh lobster shipped right to your door! Defrost the raw tail meat in your refrigerator for at least 24 hours beforehand. Nothing goes hand in hand, like New England lobster and butter. You can also add fresh herbs and aromatics to spice up your plate. The BBQ Buddha uses 2 tbsp of butter and a few sprigs of fresh tarragon per 1lb package of raw lobster tails.
- Total Time: 55
- Yield: 4 1x
Ingredients
- Lobster tail meat removed from the shell.
- 4 Frozen Lobster Tails (optional)
- 4 tablespoons of butter cut into small squares.
- Sea or kosher salt
- Tarragon or other fresh Herbs
- Fresh ground pepper
- 4 lemon slices
- 2 tablespoons of chopped parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Sprinkle sea or kosher salt on the shucked tail meat.
- Place all of your ingredients into a food-grade vacuum seal bag or plastic baggy. Arrange tails in a single layer with pieces of butter and herbs on top of each tail.
- Using either a vacuum sealing machine or doing it by hand, you’re going to want to remove as much air as possible from the bag(s).
- Fill the 7-quart circulator with water and preheat the water bath to 140 degrees.
- Once your water bath has been brought up to the correct temperature, gently lower the sealed pouch with lobster tails, butter, and herbs into the prepared water bath until the tails are fully submerged. Set your timer for 45 minutes.
- Remove bag and lobster tails from water bath.
- Cut open and remove tails from the bag. Discard herbs and butter left over in the bag.
- Top off your lobster tails with clarified butter, a pinch of salt, fresh lemon, and herbs.
Notes
According to Cook’s Illustrated, most high-end, name-brand plastic bags, like Ziploc and Glad, are safe to sous vide in.
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 45
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Sous Vide
- Cuisine: French
- Diet: Gluten Free
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 lobster tail
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 0
- Sodium: 201mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Protein: 10g.
- Cholesterol: 9 g
Sous Vide Lobster FAQ
In addition to having a device to keep a precise temperature while cooking, it also ensures that you will never undercook or overcook your food items. That means if there is a thicker or thinner end, even doneness will be present throughout. Sous vide will also produce consistent results every time.
It is always best to use raw lobster meat when cooking sous vide to produce a better-finished product. Using cooked lobster, you risk overworking the protein and losing the texture. Lobster can break down into mush if overworked too much.
We recommend removing the meat from the shell or risk tearing the bags with the many projections from the shell.
Looking for More Ways to Cook Lobster at Home?
Check out our recipe for How to Cook Lobster Tails. We also have guides for different ways of cooking live lobsters. There are lots of ways to prepare live lobster at home. See our succinct overview of all the best ways to cook Maine lobster.
- Cooking Lobster
- How to Bake Lobster: The Ultimate Sheet Pan Dinner
- How to Boil Lobster: Get into Some Hot Water!
- How to Broil Live Lobsters
- How to Cook Lobster In an Air Fryer
- How to Cook Lobsters on the Grill Without Ruining Them
- How to Microwave Lobster: Yes, it really works in a pinch!
- How to Sous Vide Lobster – Recipes for Lobster Tails and Meat
- How to Steam Live Lobster: Full Steam Ahead!
- How to Fry Lobster Tails – Easy Dinner Recipe
Citations:
- Chen, S. (2020). Complete Sous Vide Cookbook . Rockridge Press, Emeryville, California.
- Test Kitchen, A. (2018). Sous Vide for Everybody. America’s Test Kitchen.
- Roberts, D. (2021). The Complete Sous Vide Cookbook for Beginners. Daniel Roberts.
- Delany, A., & Leone, B. (2018, January 24). So, what is Sous Vide, anyway? Bon Appétit. Retrieved April 1, 2022, from https://www.bonappetit.com/story/what-is-sous-vide-cooking
- Electronics, Inc, A. A. (2021, August 26). Anova precision cooker. Anova Culinary. Retrieved April 1, 2022, from https://anovaculinary.com/anova-precision-cooker/
- López-Alt, J. K. (2020, March 6). How to cook sous vide lobster: The food lab. Serious Eats. Retrieved April 1, 2022, from https://www.seriouseats.com/food-lab-complete-guide-to-sous-vide-lobster