How to Butterfly Lobster Tails

A step by step guide to preparing lobster tails for cooking

by SoPo Seafood's Jacqueline Clark

There are several easy techniques to use to prepare a lobster tail for a recipe. Whether you like them boiled, broiled, baked, or grilled, lobster tails are deliciously versatile ingredients that require much less time and effort than cooking with live whole lobsters.

Learning how to cut lobster tails doesn’t need to be intimidating. It’s surprisingly easy, and is the key to the “gourmet look” seen on magazine covers and upscale seafood restaurants. When butterflying lobster tail, you’re essentially just cutting lobster tails through the hard shell so you can easily spread the tail meat into two even halves. The lobster tail meat puffs up as it cooks, resulting in a juicy, delicious bite.

Thaw & Rinse the Lobster Tails

If you are working with frozen lobster, you will need to give yourself at least a half day of preparation to properly thaw the lobster tail. To do so, place the frozen lobster tail in your refrigerator for 8-10 hours (or overnight) to thaw prior to cooking. Do not thaw in the microwave, which will make the lobster meat tough and overcooked.

Before preparing lobster tails, always make sure you wash the shell, and pat dry to ensure easy handling.

To Butterfly Lobster Tails

1. Place the lobster tail on the cutting board with the hard shell side facing up.
2. With sturdy kitchen shears, cut along the length of the shell until you reach the fan of the tail.
3. With the shears, or the tip of a knife, make a ½-inch-deep cut along the length of the meat.
4. Loosen the meat from the shell by running your fingers along the inside of the shell.
5. Gently pull the meat part-way out of the shell. Squeeze the shell halves back together beneath the meat so that the meat rests on top of the shell
6. Place the lobster tails on a parchment-lined baking sheet, hard shell-side up.