Sous Vide Lobster Tail (It's Easier Than You Think!) - Umami Girl (2024)

Sous vide lobster tail in a dreamy melted butter sauce couldn't be easier to make, and it's incredibly tender and flavorful. Don't miss this special recipe.

Why we love this recipe

Truth be told, my absolute favorite way to eat lobster is to really get busy with it. If you don't need a bib, I've got questions. That said, there are plenty of instances when you're looking for something a little more refined. So I'll say this: sous vide lobster tail is one of my very favorite ways to eat lobster that doesn't require a shower afterward. This recipe yields:

• Mind-blowingly tender tails
• With so little hands-on work that it's almost hard to comprehend
• And minimal cleanup
• Extremely consistent results with plenty of wiggle room

Plus, it's very flexible. I've provided the basic formula, which is beautiful just the way it is. Or you can infuse the butter with herbs and other seasonings of your choice.

What you'll need

Here's a glance at the (hilariously short) list of ingredients you'll need to make this recipe. With so few inputs, quality makes a big difference, so follow the tips below to the extent possible. And refer to the "Additional flavors" section for suggestions, though additions are truly not necessary.

• Buy cold water lobster tails. You can use smaller or larger tails for this recipe, whatever you prefer. I like to use smaller ones and serve two per person. The tails in the photo and video here are only about 4 ounces each. See the section below for more information on sourcing.
• If possible, use a good cultured, salted butter from grass-fed cows. It sounds fancy but doesn't have to be — Kerrygold is my go-to brand at the supermarket and isn't overly expensive.

How to make it

Here's what you'll do to make this recipe. It's way easier than you may think. You can see the steps in action in the video that accompanies this post, and get all the details in the recipe card below.

1. First you'll remove the tails from their shells. The easiest way to do this is to use kitchen shears to cut all the way down the underside of the shell and then pry the shell open like a book. After that, you'll be able to remove the meat in one piece by gently but firmly prying it out of the open shell with your thumb.
2. Other than a sous-vide cooker (not strictly necessary, but super helpful), you don't need any fancy equipment to cook this or any other sous-vide recipe. Some people use specialty bags and vacuum sealers, but they're totally optional. Place the tails and butter into a gallon-size zip-top bag and partially seal it.
3. Fill a deep pot or food storage container halfway with water. Submerge the partially sealed bag into the water bath so that all ingredients are covered with water but no water gets into the bag. Now you'll perform the water displacement method of sealing the bag. This is a simple, equipment-free alternative to vacuum sealing that works brilliantly. Use one hand to help squeeze air out of the bag (the water itself does the heavy lifting here, but you'll help it out) and the other hand to finish sealing the bag's zip top. Remove bag from water and set aside. Clamp your sous-vide cooker to the side of the pot and set the temperature to 135°F and the timer for 45 minutes. (It wont start until the water reaches cooking temperature.) When water is preheated, carefully place the sealed bag back into the water.
4. When timer sounds, remove bag from water. Tender, buttery lobster is ready to serve, no searing needed. I like to spoon some of the buttery sauce into wide, shallow dishes, set the tails on top, and serve with lots of lemon wedges to squeeze. A little sprinkle of truffle salt never hurt anyone, and the tails are pictured here garnished with a sprinkle of radish microgreens.

That dreamy butter sauce

During cooking, the butter mingles with the juices from the lobster and creates a savory sauce that borders on magical. Once you've chosen good-quality lobster tails and butter, don't need to do anything special to achieve this result. A generous squeeze of lemon juice at serving time brightens and elevates without any fuss.

Additional flavors

I want to start off by saying that lobster is special, and that I tend to shy away from overwhelming its delicate flavor with too many eccentric competitors. That said, it also plays well with a variety of other flavors. Here are a few favorites, all of which you can add directly to the bag before sealing.

• A few sprigs of fresh basil, chervil, chive, cilantro, parsley, scallion, sorrel, or tarragon
• ¼ cup shaved fennel or 1 teaspoon dried fennel seed
• A pinch of saffron threads and a pinch of vanilla seed
• Half of a very thinly sliced small shallot (or 2 tablespoons minced)
• Two crushed garlic cloves
• Two strips of lemon zest removed from a lemon with a vegetable peeler

I always serve these tails with a generous amount of lemon for squeezing, and a little sprinkle of black truffle salt makes me happy, too.

Choosing lobster meat: The difference between cold-water and warm-water lobster tails

Cold-water tails come from the varieties of lobster raised in cold water — the ones with edible claw meat that many of us in North America expect when when we think of lobster — and, in my opinion, the far superior kind for a recipe like this. Warm-water tails come from the clawless varieties of spiny/rock lobster raised in warmer seas.

There are two sets of reasons to choose cold-water lobster tails for this recipe.

• First, the meat itself tends to be of better, more consistent quality. It's whiter, just the right firmness, and has a cleaner, sweeter flavor profile.
• Second, "cold-water" often ends up being code for better-quality processing. As with all seafood, it's important to buy from a source you trust and ask questions. But cold-water tails tend not to contain injected chemicals (which negatively affect both flavor and texture). This unfortunately isn't always the case with warm-water tails.

If you see prepackaged lobster tails in the grocery store and they aren't labeled one way or the other, they're likely a warm-water variety. Feel free to ask, or shop at a local fish market or online.

Fresh or frozen? Fresh seafood is ideal when you can get it, but it's perfectly fine to buy flash-frozen cold water tails, too. As long as they're defrosted properly, they'll retain the vast majority of their excellent taste and texture. Previously frozen tails at a good grocer or fish market will have been defrosted properly, or you can buy them still frozen and defrost in the refrigerator overnight.

A note on sous vide cooking temperature

I prefer to cook lobster tails at 135°F. This produces a slightly softer texture than steamed or boiled lobster, but not meat that's translucent or off-putting in its softness. Opinions on this topic vary, and you'll see recommendations that range from 120°F (very tender and translucent) to 140°F (a little firmer, more like the texture of steamed lobster). The choice is yours.

Sous vide: Expert tips and FAQs

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