chicken fried lobster
Chicken-Fried Lobster Tails!
There are several ways to cook warm water rock lobster tails, but none are as satisfying as this one. For those of you used to the typical grilled lobster tails, or broiled lobster tails, this recipe should be a welcome change due to the texture and flavor.
The only technical part about this recipe is getting the lobster meat out of the shell without breaking it up, and without injuring your fingers. Unlike cold water lobsters, these warm water Caribbean lobsters are armed with serrated shells and some even with spikes! So, handle them carefully.
To get the meat out of the shell, take a pair of poultry shears, and cut the top of the shell down each side towards the tail, separate the top of the meat from the shell, and peel the shell off.
To butterfly the tail meat, you can cut down the back of the tail, folding over the two flaps, remove the vein (if there is one), and then score the “belly” side of the tail with a chef knife, so that the tails don’t curl up when you cook them. You can pound them very gently with the chef knife or a mallet to make them flat.
Once the lobster meat is flat, you’re going to give them a classic French breading by first dredging in flour, then dredging in egg, and then dredging through breadcrumbs. Now that they are breaded, drizzle some olive oil on the bottom of a baking pan, place the lobster tails on the oil, and drizzle a little more olive oil over the top of the tails.
Roast them (oven-fry) in a 400 degree oven for about 15 to 20 minutes until they are golden brown, and serve with your favorite sauce, condiment, or even incorporate them into a lobster sandwich! For this recipe, the tails were served with a side of cucumber tzatziki sauce.