Several types of shellfish — including frozen lobster — can be purchased in your local grocer's fresh fish and frozen food section. These selections are available either partially prepared and cooked, completely raw or completely prepared, ready to heat and serve.
Fresh fish is often flash frozen to preserve its flavor and consistency, which is often done with frozen lobster claws and tails. Flash freezing uses cryogenic temperatures to quickly freeze perishable food products in order to retain their natural cell structure. Preparing, cooking and serving 1 pound of frozen lobster takes approximately 30 minutes from start to finish.
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Step 1: Thaw the Lobster
Thaw frozen lobster tails or lobster claws by placing them in a glass dish and placing the dish in the refrigerator overnight.
Step 2: Prep the Pot
Place a 3-quart saucepan filled with 6 cups of water and 1 1/2 teaspoons of sea salt on the stove and bring it to a boil. If possible, use spring water instead of chlorinated tap water, as the chlorine can influence the taste of the lobster when cooked. Boiling lobster is among the quickest and easiest ways to prepare lobster. This process also retains the taste and light consistency of this delicious shellfish.
Step 3: Boil the Lobster
Add the lobster tails or claws to the boiling water, being careful not to splash the boiling water when you drop in the tails. Cover the pot and continue to boil for 10 minutes for 1-pound of lobster. Add an additional three minutes for each additional pound, as instructed by Clemson Cooperative Extension. The lobster shells should turn bright red. Pull a small piece of meat and test for tenderness.
Step 4: Drain, Remove Meat and Serve
Carefully drain the tails or claws in a colander. When cool enough to handle, turn each lobster tail on its back and separate the tail from the body by twisting the tail and body in opposite directions.
Cut away the tail membrane to expose the tender meat, and discard the black vein running through the tail. Remove the meat and place it on a serving dish. Use a nut cracker to break open the claws. Remove the meat with a small fork and place it on a serving dish.
Choose and Store Lobster Safely
When purchasing frozen seafood, check to be sure the package is not open or torn, as advised by the Food and Drug Administration. Packages with frost or ice crystals should also be avoided as this could indicate that the lobster has been thawed and refrozen.
According to the Washington State Department of Health, shellfish must be kept chilled until ready to cook to prevent bacteria growth and possible foodborne illness. If you thaw your lobster in the refrigerator, cook it within two days. Do not refreeze it.
Store leftover lobster in the refrigerator for up to two days or freeze it for up to three months.
Things You'll Need
4 frozen lobster tails (8 ounces) or six to eight lobster claws
Glass dish
3-quart saucepan
Colander
Serving plates
6 cups of water, preferably nonchlorinated
1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt