Best Boiled Lobsters With Tarragon Butter Recipes

BOILED LOBSTERS

Steps:

• Fill a large stockpot about half full of water. Add the salt and bring to a boil. When the water has come to a rolling boil, plunge the lobsters headfirst into the pot. Clamp the lid back on tightly and return the water to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and cook the lobsters for 12 to 18 minutes (hard-shell lobsters will take the longer time), until the shells turn bright red and the tail meat is firm and opaque when checked.
• Lift the lobsters out of the water with tongs and drain in a colander. Place underside up on a work surface and, grasping firmly, split the tails lengthwise with a large knife. Drain off the excess liquid. Serve with melted butter and lemon wedges.

WARM BUTTER-POACHED LOBSTER SALAD WITH TARRAGON-CITRUS DRESSING

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil; add 2 tablespoons salt and the vinegar. Plunge lobster head-first into water; cook 3 minutes (meat will not be fully cooked). Transfer lobster to a cutting board.
• Using a kitchen towel to protect your hands, twist off tail and claws; discard body. Twist fan off end of tail, and push meat out of shell. Alternatively, use kitchen shears to cut up length of tail, and pull shell away from meat. Cut tail meat in half lengthwise, and transfer to a plate lined with paper towels; set aside. Separate claws from knuckles; twist and pull off pincers, being careful to keep meat intact. With back of knife, crack knuckle end of claw to loosen shell. Gently remove whole piece of meat; set aside with tail. Using your finger or the handle of a spoon, push knuckle meat out of shell. Wipe any white residue off meat. Meat can be refrigerated in an airtight container up to 2 hours ahead; bring to room temperature before poaching.
• Remove peel and pith from tangelo using a sharp knife. Working over a bowl, carve out flesh between membranes, allowing segments to drop into bowl. Squeeze juice from membranes into bowl. Transfer juice in bowl to a separate bowl; reserve juice for dressing.
• Put 1/3 cup juice into a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, and whisk in butter, 1 piece at a time, until smooth. Add a pinch of salt and the tarragon sprig. Submerge lobster meat in the butter sauce. Poach until opaque and cooked through, 2 1/2 to 3 minutes.
• Whisk 3 tablespoons warm poaching liquid into 2 tablespoons reserved juice in bowl; whisk in pepper and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Add lobster to dressing; toss gently to coat. Just before serving, add tangelo segments and tarragon leaves; toss gently to combine. Season with salt.
• Arrange 2 lettuce leaves on each serving plate. Place lobster and tangelo segments on top. Spoon dressing over top.

BOILED LOBSTER

Steps:

• Pour the water into a large pot and add the onions, garlic, lemons, oranges, celery, black pepper, seasoned salt and jalapeno peppers. Bring to a full rolling boil and boil for 20 minutes.
• Add the lobsters and place a lid over the pot. Boil for 15 minutes (depending on the size of your lobsters). Remove the lobsters from the pot, and place in a colander under cool running water to stop the cooking. Serve.

HOT LOBSTER ROLL WITH LEMON-TARRAGON BUTTER

Steps:

• To par-cook the lobsters: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the lobsters and cook about 7 minutes; they will be about three-quarters done. Drain well and let cool. Cut in half lengthwise.
• Heat a charcoal or gas grill to high for direct grilling. Brush the cut-side of the lobsters with some oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill, cut-side down, until slightly charred. Flip and continue grilling until lightly charred and heated through. Remove the lobsters from the grill and let cool slightly.
• Brush the insides of the hot dog buns with some oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill until just toasty.
• Remove the tail and claw meat from the lobsters. You can cut them, but just enough to give you about 2 very large pieces per bun. Drop them into the Lemon-Tarragon Clarified Butter and give them a good soaking. Spoon the lobster into the toasted buns and serve immediately.
• Melt the butter slowly in a medium saucepan over low heat. Let it sit for a bit to separate. Skim off the foam that rises to the top, and gently pour into a bowl, leaving behind the milk solids, which have settled to the bottom of the pan.
• Put the clarified butter in a large saute pan over low heat. Add the lemon zest, lemon juice and tarragon, and season with salt, pepper and cayenne if desired.

GRILLED LOBSTER SMOTHERED IN BASIL BUTTER

Steps:

• Combine the butter, basil, and salt and pepper to taste in a food processor and blend until smooth. Pack the mixture into a medium ramekin, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Split the lobsters in half lengthwise. Bring the knife down through the tail, making sure to cut just through the meat and to leave the shell connected. Lay the lobster open, leaving the two halves slightly attached. Pull off claws and legs from the lobsters and crack them slightly with the knife handle. Place the claws and legs on the grill over medium-low heat and cover with a pie pan. Cook them for 5 to 7 minutes per side. Brush the lobster bodies with the oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Place them fleshside down on the grill over medium heat. Grill 8 to 10 minutes
• Remove the lobsters and slather with the basil butter.

GRILLED LEMON-TARRAGON LOBSTER

Steps:

• Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Stir butter lemon juice and lemon peel in heavy small saucepan over low heat until butter melts. Mix in chives and tarragon; season with salt and pepper. Set pan at edge of grill to keep sauce warm.
• Meanwhile, bring large pot of water to boil. Drop lobsters headfirst into water. Cover pot; boil lobsters 2 minutes. Transfer lobsters to work surface. Using heavy large knife or cleaver, split lobsters in half lengthwise. Scoop out and discard gray intestinal tract, gills and sand sac from head. Leave any red roe or green tomalley intact if desired. Crack claws. Brush cut side of lobsters with 1 tablespoon butter sauce.
• Grill lobsters, cut side down, 4 minutes. Turn again so that cut side is down and grill until lobster meat is just opaque but still juicy, about 2 minutes. Transfer lobsters to plates. Brush lightly with sauce. Serve, passing any remaining sauce seperately.

GRILLED LOBSTER WITH TARRAGON BUTTER SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat an outdoor grill for medium heat and lightly oil the grate.
• Cut lobster tails lengthwise with poultry shears. Cut open claws to allow sauce to reach the meat.
• Combine butter, lemon juice, onion, parsley, garlic, tarragon, and hot sauce in a bowl. Slather meat with sauce and place face-down on the preheated grill.
• Cook until lobster begins to char, 5 to 6 minutes. Flip and continue to grill until meat is opaque and firm, 5 to 6 minutes more.

BOILED OR STEAMED LOBSTERS

Steps:

• To boil: Fill a very large (4-gallon) stockpot three-quarters full with cold water. Bring to rolling boil; add salt. Plunge lobsters, one at a time, headfirst into the water. Cook, uncovered, 12 to 14 minutes (from the time lobsters enter pot).
• To steam: Fit a very large stockpot with a steaming basket (or use a round wire rack or an inverted metal colander). Fill pot with cold water just to reach bottom of basket. Cover; bring to a boil. Quickly set lobsters in one layer in pot (or cook in batches). Cook, covered, 15 to 17 minutes.

BOILED OR STEAMED LOBSTERS

Steps:

• To boil Fill a large stockpot three-quarters of the way with cold water. Bring to a rolling boil and then add a generous amount of salt (the water should be very salty, to match the brininess of the ocean; at least 1/2 cup in a 4-gallon pot). Plunge 4 live lobsters, one at a time, headfirst into the water, and cook uncovered until they turn bright red. This will take anywhere from 8 to 14 minutes, depending on their size. Use tongs to remove them from the pot and transfer to a platter. Allow lobsters to rest for several minutes until they are cool enough to handle. Serve with butter and lemon wedges.
• To steam Fill pot with enough cold water just to reach the bottom of the steaming basket (or an inverted colander). Cover and bring to a boil. Quickly arrange 4 live lobsters in one layer in the basket (or cook in batches). Steam until bright red, 15 to 17 minutes. Use tongs to remove lobsters from pot, then allow to rest for several minutes until they are cool enough to handle.
• Ingredients
• Purchase lobsters no more than a day before you plan to use them. They can be stored, with their claws banded, on moist seaweed (if your fish market provides it) or damp newspaper in an open bag in the refrigerator until you are ready to cook. (To avoid getting pinched, always hold a live lobster by its body, with the claws facing down.)
• Look for lobsters that are not only alive but lively. Those that are 1 1/2 pounds are ample enough for individual servings. Don't be surprised by their black or bluish-brown color; they will turn their characteristic red only after cooking.
• Equipment
• A large (at least 4-gallon) stockpot is needed to boil or steam 4 lobsters at once. Or you can use smaller pots to cook lobsters in batches. When steaming lobster, an inverted metal colander is a good substitute for a steamer basket.

BAKED LOBSTERS WITH TARRAGON-CREAM SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 500 degrees.
• Remove and discard the rubber or wood claw holders from lobsters.
• Bring the water to a vigorous boil in a large kettle and drop the lobsters into it. When the water returns to the boil cook the lobsters for exactly 2 minutes and drain. Arrange the lobsters shell side up in one layer in a baking pan. Place in the oven and bake exactly 12 minutes.
• Break off the lobsters' claws. Crack the claws in several places. Place the lobster carcasses shell side down on a flat surface and crack each lengthwise to cut them in half. Pull away and discard the tough sac at the beak end of each lobster. Scoop out the soft mass (the tomalley, coral, liver and so on) from the inside of each lobster. Spoon and scrape this into a saucepan. Save any juices and add these to the saucepan.
• Add the shallots to the saucepan and bring to the boil, stirring.
• Arrange the lobster halves shell side down in one layer on a baking pan. Pull and discard the upper half of each claw shell. Add the remaining claws to the baking pan.
• Add the cream to the mixture in the saucepan. Add salt and pepper and bring to the boil. Add the lemon juice. Cook about 2 minutes.
• Line a saucepan with a sieve and pour the mixture into the sieve. Rub with a rubber spatula to extract as much liquid as possible. There should be about 1 cup. Discard the solids.
• Put the sauce on the stove and bring to the simmer. Swirl in the butter and tarragon.
• Spoon the sauce over the cut portions of each lobster and serve.