Description
Alton Brown’s lobster tail recipe elevates seafood dining with precise culinary techniques. Delicate butter-basted shellfish promises an elegant meal that impresses dinner guests.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 (1.5 lbs / 680 g) lobsters
- 1 small bunch parsley
- 1 small bunch rosemary
- 1 small bunch thyme
- ½ cup (120 ml) onion, finely chopped
- 1 small lemon, zest only
- 2 tbsps (30 ml) unsalted butter
- 10 Ritz crackers, crushed
- extra-virgin olive oil, for brushing and drizzling
Instructions
- Preparation: Chill lobsters in the freezer for 15-20 minutes to minimize movement and ensure humane handling.
- Steam Technique: Create a base layer with river rocks and water in a large pot, bringing to a rolling boil. Position chilled lobsters on herb-infused rocks, steam for 2-3 minutes, then immediately transfer to an ice water bath.
- Dissection: Place lobster on paper towels, split lengthwise using a sharp chef’s knife. Remove and discard green tomalley, separate legs and claws, detaching joint segments with kitchen shears.
- Meat Extraction: Gently roll legs with a rolling pin to extract meat, lightly chop, and repeat for the second lobster. Roast claws on a half-sheet pan for 4 minutes to enhance flavor.
- Flavor Base: Melt butter in a sauté pan over medium heat, sauté diced onions until translucent. Incorporate lemon zest and chopped leg meat, stirring thoroughly.
- Filling Preparation: Remove from heat, fold in crackers to absorb the flavorful liquid completely. Create a custom aluminum foil vessel to support lobster bodies.
- Final Assembly: Fill body cavities with prepared mixture. Brush tail flesh with olive oil, arrange bodies, claws, and foil dish on a baking pan.
- Roasting Finale: Preheat oven to 450°F (232°C). Roast for 12-16 minutes until filling turns golden-brown and tail meat becomes opaque.
- Serving: Crack open claws, extract meat, and serve with a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil for an enhanced dipping experience.
Notes
- Chill for Humane Handling: Freezing lobsters for 15-20 minutes minimizes movement and ensures a more ethical preparation process.
- Herb Rock Steaming Technique: Using river rocks and herbs creates a flavorful base that infuses subtle aromatics into the lobster meat during initial cooking.
- Careful Meat Extraction: Rolling leg joints with a rolling pin helps extract delicate meat without breaking or tearing the delicate protein.
- Golden-Brown Crust Secret: Monitoring the filling during roasting ensures a perfectly crisp, caramelized top without burning the delicate cracker mixture.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2
- Calories: 410
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 160 mg