It’s not as hard to cook lobster as you might think! Whether you boil or steam live lobster, or choose work with frozen lobster tail, this tender crustacean is a superb treat to bring to the family dinner table.

There are several ways to cook lobster — all of which will leave you with a delicious seafood dinner (especially if you’re serving it with warm butter!).

Where to buy lobster near me

Many of our stores carry frozen lobster tails and claws, and they are quite easy to cook with. Once thawed, lobster tails can be broiled or grilled easily, making them great opening into the world of cooking lobster at home. A select few of our stores are equipped with lobster tanks, so if one is available in your area, you can take whole live lobster home to cook. Learn everything you need to know about cooking frozen lobster tails and whole live lobster below.

How to cook frozen lobster tails

Thaw frozen lobster tails

All this requires is a little advance planning. The best way to thaw frozen lobster tails is to place them in the fridge overnight to thaw evenly.

Baked lobster tails

Cut the shell down the centre-back of the thawed lobster tail with kitchen shears, leaving the tail fan intact. Lift the uncooked tail so that it sits slightly on top of the shell. Brush with melted butter and bake at 350 degrees F for about 15 minutes or until the lobster meat reaches an internal temperature of 140 degrees F.

Broiled lobster tails

Another one to do with defrosted tails: cut the lobster tail as you would if baking. Heat up the broiler in your oven and brush the lobster tail with melted butter. Place on a broiler pan and broil until the meat reaches an internal temperature of 140 degrees F.

Grilled lobster tails

Split live lobsters in half lengthwise from the back of the head with a sharp knife (they will die immediately) and remove the stomach sac and intestines. Brush the meat with olive oil and grill, meat side up, over medium-high heat with the barbeque lid closed for 7-9 minutes, or until the lobster is opaque throughout.

Best way to cook whole live lobster

How to boil live lobster

Fill a large pot (it has to be big enough to fully submerge the lobsters) with salted water and bring to a rolling boil. Put live lobsters into the water headfirst and cover, continuing to boil for 7-10 minutes for the first pound of lobster and 2-3 minutes for each additional pound (cooking time will vary depending how many lobsters you put in the pot). Remove from the pot and place the lobsters on ice so that they don’t continue cooking in their shells.

How to steam live lobster

This one also works well with live lobsters. Pour 1” of hot water and some salt into a pot and place a steaming rack inside. Bring the water to a boil. Place the lobsters on top of the rack, cover, and steam for about 15 minutes, until they’re bright red and the antennas can be pulled out easily.

Lobster recipes

Now that you know how to cook lobster at home, here are some recipes to try!