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It's easy to make tender, buttery steamed lobster tails in under 15 minutes with my recipe for Instant Pot Lobster Tails! This is an easy, fool-proof way to perfectly cook lobster. Use it as meat for lobster rolls, ravioli, surf and turf, or enjoy it all on its own!
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Steamed Lobster Tails
Living in Florida, it's pretty much a requirement to love seafood. One of my all-time favorites is lobster. It's the height of decadence, with its rich, buttery flavor and tender texture!
But if you know me, you know I love keeping recipes simple. This steamed lobster tail recipe is just that. Topped with butter, salt, and fresh lemon juice, this is the perfect dinner for a special occasion, but it's also very easy to make!
My favorite thing about this recipe, though, is how fast it is. Technically, the cook time is only 1 minute. Then, you let the lobster tails sit in the Instant Pot for a bit longer while they steam, and you're done. How cool is that?
It's fool-proof and turns out great every time! Read on and let me show you how to steam lobster tails in the Instant Pot.
Steamed Lobster Tail Ingredients
- Lobster tails: Use fresh, ideally previously frozen or same-day lobster tails, as lobster goes bad very quickly! You can use the shells to make Lobster Stock.
- Butter: Salted or unsalted butter is fine for this recipe, but make sure to use a quality butter as it will lend a lot of great flavor to the lobster. For quality butters, I tend to love Kerrygold.
- Salt: Get a nice, flaky salt like Maldon sea salt flakes to bring that tasty crunch to this dish! Otherwise, use kosher salt. Don't use table salt as it can add an unwanted metallic flavor to food.
- Garlic powder: Garlic is fantastic with lobster. I prefer the powder for Instant Pot lobster tails, as it's in the Instant Pot for such a short time that fresh cloves of garlic won't have the chance to cook.
- Onion powder: Use powder instead of dried flakes to avoid any hard bits in the tender lobster.
- White pepper: White pepper has a sharp, distinct flavor that lends itself perfectly to lobster, but you can use black or green pepper, too.
- Smoked paprika: This is key! Smoked paprika has an incredible, unique flavor that can't be replaced with normal paprika.
- Water: You can also use chicken broth.
- Lemon: A few slices of fresh lemon are essential to seafood dishes!
How to Steam Lobster Tails in the Instant Pot
Step 1: Set lobster tails on a cutting board with the top of the shell facing up. Using a sharp knife or kitchen shears, carefully cut the top of the lobster tail shell down to the tip of the tail. Don't cut through the end; you want to stop before you reach the bottom of the lobster tail. De-vein, and remove any grit if necessary.
Step 2: Very gently spread the cut halves of the tail using your hands. Carefully lift the meat out from the shell without detaching it from the shell, and rest the meat over the top of the shell halves. The meat should rest on top of the shell. This is called butterflying the lobster.
Step 3: In a small bowl, mix together salt, garlic powder, onion powder, white pepper, and smoked paprika. Set aside. You can use whatever seasonings you like best for lobster, but I find this to be the perfect mix.
Step 4: Add a trivet to the inside of your Instant Pot, and place the lobster tails on the trivet, shells facing down. Sprinkle the spice mix over the meat.
Step 5: Add a small pat of butter along the lobster meat as well, then top with a slice of lemon.
Step 6: Pour the water into the bottom of the Instant Pot, then close the lid and pressure cook for 1 minute. Yes, you read that right: 1 minute!
Step 7: Once the time is up, use Quick Pressure Release to quick release all pressure. Make sure to be careful when releasing the pressure from the Instant Pot. Use a dish cloth or oven mitt when releasing the pressure to protect your hand from any steam.
Step 8: Remove the lid, but leave the lobster tails inside. Let rest in the pot for 10 minutes. It's very important you let them rest in the pot, so don't skip this step. After resting, using tongs, remove the lobster tails from the pot. Serve with additional melted butter (or my favorite, garlic butter!), and enjoy!
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Tips for Pressure Cooking Lobster Tails
- Make sure not to overcook the lobster! The instant it gets too cooked, lobster can get tough and stringy. Only pressure cook it for one minute!
- A steamer basket insert will work if you don't have a trivet.
- You can add extra flavor by topping the lobster tails with fresh herbs before cooking them!
- If you don't want to serve these steamed lobster tails plain, you can use this recipe to perfectly prepare cooked meat for lobster rolls, pasta, salad, sandwiches, and more! I personally love making lobster ravioli.
FAQ for Steaming Lobster Tails in the Instant Pot
Lobster tails don't turn red until after they're cooked. That bright red color comes from heating them fully, so until that point, most lobster tails will be a mottled green, black, and blue color.
The choice to boil or steam lobster is up to you, and depends on both the tools you have, and how you want the meat to turn out. It's important to note that you should never boil lobster tails, but only whole lobster. Boiling just the tails will mean water will get in direct contact with the meat, making it watery and flavorless.
You should always check the internal temperature of meat with an instant-read thermometer to make sure it's fully cooked and safe to eat. For lobster, the meat will be cooked at 135°F. You'll be able to tell as the meat will be bright white and flaky, and the shell will be brilliant red.
Storing and Reheating Steamed Lobster
- Fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator, in or out of the shell, for no more than 2-3 days.
- Freezer: For longer storage, you can absolutely freeze the meat! Frozen cooked lobster lasts up to 4 months when tightly wrapped in plastic wrap and stored in a freezer-safe bag.
- Thawing and Reheating: Thaw frozen lobster in the fridge overnight, then reheat it in the oven at 350°F for 5-10 minutes in a pan with extra broth or water. Alternatively, briefly heat it on the stove in a nonstick pan, just until warmed.
Easy Seafood Recipes
- Seafood Chowder
- Shrimp Bisque
- Grilled Crab Legs
- Tilapia Tacos
- Or one of my great Shrimp Recipes!
If you enjoyed the recipe, leave a comment and a rating below!
Instant Pot Lobster Tails
Video
Equipment
- Sharp knife or Kitchen shears
Ingredients
- 2 Lobster tails
- 2 Tablespoons Butter - divided
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Onion powder
- 1 teaspoon White pepper
- 1 teaspoon Smoked paprika
- 1 cup Water - or lobster stock
- 1 Lemon - cut into thin slices
Instructions
- Set lobster tails on a cutting board. With a sharp knife or kitchen shears, carefully cut the top of the lobster tail shell down to the tip of the tail. (Don't worry about hitting the meat too much as it will create a "butterfly" appearance). De-vein and remove any grit if needed.2 Lobster tails
- Carefully put the shell down, so the meat looks like it is sitting on top of the shell and open.
- In a small bowl, mix together salt, garlic powder, onion powder, white pepper, and smoked paprika. Set aside.½ teaspoon Salt,1 teaspoon Garlic powder,1 teaspoon Onion powder,1 teaspoon White pepper,1 teaspoon Smoked paprika
- Add a trivet to the inside of your Instant Pot, and place the lobster tails on the trivet, shells facing down. Sprinkle the spice mix over the meat.
- Add a small pat of butter along the lobster meat as well, then top with a slice of lemon.2 Tablespoons Butter,1 Lemon
- Pour the water into the bottom of the Instant Pot, then close the lid and pressure cook for 1 minute.1 cup Water
- Once the time is up, use Quick Pressure Release to quick release all pressure. Be careful and use an oven mitt or dishcloth to release the pressure.
- Remove the lid, but leave the lobster tails inside. Let rest in the pot for 10 minutes. This is a very important step, so don't skip it!
- Using tongs, remove the lobster tails from the pot. Serve with additional melted butter (or my favorite, garlic butter!) and enjoy!
Notes
- Make sure not to overcook the lobster! The instant it gets too cooked, lobster can get tough and stringy. Only pressure cook it for one minute!
- A steamer basket insert will work if you don't have a trivet.
- You can add extra flavor by topping the lobster tails with fresh herbs before cooking them!
- If you don't want to serve these lobster tails plain, you can use this recipe to perfectly prepare cooked meat for lobster rolls, pasta, salad, sandwiches, and more!
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