Do you know how long does it take to bake lobster tails at 400 degrees? Well, you are at the perfect place to find the answer to such a question.
You may think lobster tails are one of those fancy foods you only order at nice restaurants, that you would never dream of cooking at home (unless maybe you grew up in Maine).
What if I told you that baked lobster is actually quite easy to make in your own oven? The key is not overcooking, so you must know how long to bake lobster tails at 400℉.
The amount of time it takes to bake lobster tails in the oven at 400℉ will vary depending on the size of the tails. Smaller lobster tails should be baked for around 2.5 minutes per ounce; larger tails will bake for around 1.5 minutes per ounce. Bake until the internal temperature reaches 140℉.
You definitely want to avoid drying out your lobster by cooking it too long. You will need to make sure to check on it so it doesn’t overcook. Read on for everything you need to know about making lobster tails right at home.
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How Long Do I Bake Lobster Tails at 400℉?
It is a little tricky to figure out how long to bake lobster tails, since the smaller tails will cook faster than larger ones. You can see a chart here that will help you avoid overcooking.
The smallest lobster tails will only cook for around 8-10 minutes. You could probably assume that most lobster tails you are cooking at home will cook fully somewhere between 8 and 15 minutes.
If you are cooking smaller lobster tails, you can assume a cooking time of around 2.5 minutes per ounce.
For tails over around 5 oz., you will need to cook less, probably around 1.5 minutes per ounce.
It is always a good idea to start with the smaller amount of cooking time and check your tails so they don’t overcook.
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Can I Bake Lobster Tails in the Oven?
Yes, everyone had heard those stories about boiling live lobsters and the resulting trauma it might cause.
Not too keen on boiling whole lobsters? You can make an impressive lobster dish at home in your oven–starting with just the tails.
It’s actually very easy and requires few ingredients and little time. You will basically need to know how to prepare the tails so the meat cooks evenly, coat the meat with some butter and spices if you desire, and cook for the right amount of time.
Lobster tails are beautiful when they come out of the oven and make a great holiday meal or summer treat at the shore.
How Do I Know if Lobster Tails are Done?
The tails are done and not overcooked when they reach an internal temp of 140℉.
You can cut into one of the tails to check the meat.
The meat should be firm but not dry. It shouldn’t look translucent or gray like raw lobster, but make sure it isn’t rubbery.
The meat should be bright white. The shell should be bright red. They will look great on a holiday table.
What Ingredients Do I Need for Baked Lobster Tails?
You will absolutely need the following. For a purist, this will be enough:
- Lobster tails
- Good melted butter
- Salt and Pepper (chefs disagree on whether white or black pepper is best–use whatever you have or like)
You can also get fancy with your butter. If you like, add the following to your taste:
- 1 tsp Lemon juice
- 2 Tbsp Shallots
- 1 tsp Paprika
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1 tsp chopped fresh parsley
You can use salted or unsalted butter, but you will have to adjust the amount of added salt accordingly.
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How Do I Bake Lobster Tails?
You will probably need to prep your lobster tails if this has not been done for you already.
- Make a cut along the top from the abdomen to the tail. Kitchen shears work best for this.
- Rinse your tails to remove any shell fragments.
- Place your tails on a foil-covered baking sheet.
- Take a spoon along the inside of the shell, dislodging the meat inside. Make sure to keep the meat intact.
- Pull the tail meat out of the tail in one piece and lay it on top of the cut shell.
- Make a cut lengthwise along the top of the meat
- You can unfold the top layer of meat and butterfly it out toward the edges if you like.
- Melt your butter and stir in any additions. Brush the meat with your melted butter.
- Add a little water to the bottom of the pan so your tails don’t dry out.
- Then bake at 400 on the middle rack until done.
Can I Overcook Lobster?
Yes! If your meat starts to look dry or rubbery, or starts to separate, you have cooked it too long. Make sure you stick to the correct cooking time and don’t forget to set a timer.
What Do I Serve with Baked Lobster?
With lobster, butter is key! You may not need to do anything to your perfectly-baked lobster tails other than serve them with some dipping butter and salt and pepper.
If you want to get fancy, add some roasted or chopped garlic to your butter.
You can serve it with lemon juice or lemon wedges as well.
Lobster doesn’t have to be the only shellfish at dinner. You can add clams, mussels, scallops, fish, or clam chowder to make a seafood feast.
Want to pair it with a veggie? Corn on the cob and potatoes are traditional summer favorites at lobster bakes. You can even go with a green salad and fresh, crusty bread.
The lobster tails will be fancy enough that you don’t need to go too crazy on the side dishes.
You can also pair it with green veggies such as asparagus or green beans.
Champagne and Chardonnay pair nicely with lobster as well.
How Long Can I Keep Baked Lobster?
You can keep cooked lobster for 3 days in the fridge, though for best flavor it’s best to eat it right away. If you remove it from the shell, you may be able to keep it for 4 days.
Frozen lobster keeps longer. Remove from the shell and freeze for 2-3 months.
Tips for Baking Lobster
- Many cooks add a small amount of water to the pan so the tails stay moist while cooking. The water shouldn’t touch the meat, the meat should be held above the water by the tails.
- Don’t cut the shell on the underbelly of the lobster or remove it in any way. It will help keep your meat moist.
- Make sure you use good butter.
- You can use fresh or frozen tails. If frozen, you will need to defrost fully first. Let them sit in the fridge overnight or sit in cold water until thawed. Make sure it bends easily. If it doesn’t, it is not properly thawed.
Is Baked Lobster Tail Good for You?
As with all recipes, it depends on what goes into it. Seafood is a delicious lean protein, but if you add a whole lot of butter, well, it won’t really classify as a “lean” dish.
A plain 3 oz. lobster tail will contain around 90 calories, 14g protein, 0g carbs, 0g fiber, 360mg sodium, 80 mg cholesterol, and less than 1g fat. They also contain potassium and calcium.
As prepared, a lobster tail may run around 350 calories, 15g fat, 175mg cholesterol, 950 mg sodium, 44g protein. Of course, this will depend on the size of the tail meat and what you put on it.
If you want a healthier meal, go easy on the butter or substitute olive oil. You don’t need to soak cooked lobster in butter if it is seasoned and cooked well.
Even as prepared, lobster is a healthy choice with low calories, fat, sodium, and cholesterol.
Baking Lobster Tails FAQ
Is it better to boil or bake lobster tails?
It is totally up to you–they cook beautifully either way. The meat should be bright white and reach a temp of 140 degrees.
Keep in mind that broiling will require less time–around 1 minute per ounce. It is very easy to overcook when broiling, so make sure you keep a close eye.
What’s the best way to cook lobster?
There really are a ton of ways to cook lobster. All of them are good, because lobster is delicious any way you cook it! You can steam, broil, boil, bake, or grill.
Do whatever you feel most comfortable with. When you gain a little confidence cooking lobster, you can experiment and find your favorite method.
Super Easy Baked Lobster Tail Recipe| Lobster Tail Recipe >> Check out the video below:
Conclusion
Cooking lobster tails is easy once you get the hang of it and can summon the confidence. Don’t worry–you can’t really go wrong if you set a timer and make sure to not overcook.
Prep your lobsters correctly and check on them near the end of your cooking time. Your guests will be so impressed.
References
https://www.mainelobsternow.com/cooking/how-to-bake-lobster-tails