For The Best Poached Lobster Tails, Cook Them Off The Heat

Summer is the perfect time to dive into a rich, sweet lobster tail. Lobster meat, when cooked perfectly, is a tender, melt-in-your-mouth dish that needs hardly anything more than a little drawn butter to complement its flavor. But if you're new to cooking lobster, you have to be careful not to leave it on the heat for too long, or it could turn rubbery. And with the price of this seafood, you don't want to mess it up. For the best lobster, it should be poached off the heat for just over four minutes. From there, grill it in a little butter to cook it through and give it extra flavor.

The method comes from Chef Erick Williams, who is the executive chef and owner of four restaurants in the Chicago area, including Virtue Restaurant & Bar. He introduced his technique at the 2022 Food & Wine Classic, and it's his go-to way of cooking the lobster to perfection.

Chef Williams' method never sees the lobster simmering in a pot of water on the stove. Rather, the water is brought to a simmer on its own, and it's later poured over top of a shelled lobster tail. The lobster tail then sits in the water for exactly four and a half minutes, fully covered to keep the heat in.

To finish off the meat, Chef Williams removes it from the shell and sautés it in butter; the butter adds flavor while also helping the meat cook completely through without cooking it too much. In the end, you're left with a perfectly poached — and quickly grilled — lobster tail that's loaded with flavor.

Most lobster in the United States comes from the Northeast; specifically, most lobsters come from Maine. In this part of the country, lobsters weigh between one and two pounds, but the cooking time could vary slightly depending on the lobster's size, so make sure to cook it between 135 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit.

Poaching might be the perfect method for a slightly grilled on the outside, tender in the center lobster, but it's not the only way to get well-cooked meat. Lobster tails can also be steamed, which is one of the easiest methods because the lobster won't overcook easily, giving you some leeway. To steam a lobster, just fill a large pot with no more than two inches of water; let the water boil, then add the lobster. Cooking time will vary based on size, but a 1 ½-pound lobster should cook in about 14 minutes.

Lobster tails can also be oven-baked, but you should be careful with this method because the lobster can quickly become dry and overcooked. You'll have to cut the lobster tail down its center prior to cooking it; then, expose the meat, which allows it to cook properly. Once you've done this, cook the lobster for at least 12 minutes (it could be more, depending on size), in a 400-degree Fahrenheit oven. You can cook lobster tails on the grill, too, by cooking them over medium heat for 10-12 minutes, turning them once.