Can You Microwave Lobster Tail? Ultimate Guide

Yes, you can cook a lobster tail in the microwave. However, the lobster tail should first be defrosted before using the microwave to prepare it. And within a few minutes, your tasty lobster tail is ready for consumption. 

The lobster is the king of crustaceans. This seafood is a delight for many meat lovers, especially the tail. Lobster tails can turn any meal into a feast with their tender, sweet flavor and juicy meat.

You may have tasted a lobster tail that has been steamed, cooked, or grilled. But probably not one that has been microwaved.

So in this blog post, we will discuss all you need to know about preparing a lobster tail using a microwave. 

What Happens If You Microwave Lobster?

When you use a microwave to cook a lobster, it makes the lobster cook in its juices. The reason is that the microwave uses heat to cook food. So it heats the lobster from within. This way, the lobster is tastier and can stay warm for a longer period.  

To microwave lobster, take the following steps:

• Place your lobster in a microwave-safe bag, add one teaspoon of water, and seal the bag. 
• Then leave it in the microwave for some time, maybe six minutes if your lobster is about one pound. 
• Then for every quarter of lobster you cook in the microwave, you should leave it for another minute.  

Even though using a microwave for cooking your lobster may not be the first thing that readily comes to mind when you want to prepare a lobster, still, it does the job perfectly more than other methods of preparing the dish. 

How to Microwave Lobster Tails

When you microwave lobster tails, you must keep an eye on them. This is to avoid the lobster tail cooking unevenly. 

Here are the steps involved in preparing a lobster tail in the microwave: 

• The refrigerator is used to defrost the lobster tail. 
• After it has defrosted, put the lobster tail in a microwave dish bowl. You need to arrange it so that the lobster tail will be in the middle of the bowl. 
• Then cover these lobster tails with plastic wrap, leaving a corner of it open so that the steam can escape. 
• To prevent the scenario of an unevenly cooked lobster, add ¼ of water to the plate before keeping it in the microwave.
• And if you want your lobster tail to be moist, you will need to use a microwave steamer. 
• It takes about six minutes to cook a medium-sized lobster tail with shells. And when you are cooking many lobster tails, add at least an extra minute. 
• After allowing it to cook for some time, turn the lobster tails to face the edge of the bowl or dish.
• Once your lobster has cooked for about 6 to 7 minutes, you can recheck it to ensure it is properly cooked.
• The lobster tail is now ready to be eaten.

If you follow the above method in preparing your lobster tail, you will enjoy the flavors. 

The reason is that the liquid did not evaporate while cooking; instead, they are used in cooking the lobster tail.  

3 Easy Ways To Defrost Lobster Tails

A lobster tail can be defrosted in three ways.

Ways to defrost lobster tails:

1. Overnight Method

If you are not hurrying to cook your lobster tail, you can use this method to defrost your lobster tail. 

For example, let’s say you intend to cook it in three or four days; you can put them in the refrigerator so it can defrost overnight. 

The refrigerator has a constant cold temperature, so you can safely thaw your lobster tail without fearing it breeding bacteria or endangering your health.

Even though this method is slow, it still gets the job done. And it is appropriate for people that plan their meals. 

To defrost your lobster using this overnight method, follow the simple steps below:

• Take the lobster tail out of the freezer and keep it in a bowl. 
• Keep the bowl on the last shelf of the refrigerator. And it should not be near opened food packages, already cooked foods, or fresh foods like vegetables and fruits.
• Leave the lobster tail in the refrigerator for about 8–12 hours. Check back in the morning; it should be completely thawed by then. 
• After successfully defrosting a lobster tail, it can stay four more days in the refrigerator. 

2. Cold Water Method

This method comes in handy when you are in a hurry to prepare your lobster tail. The cold water method will help you defrost your lobster tail without wasting much time.

All that is needed is to leave the lobster tail in cold water for some time. One hour should be enough to get it completely thawed. Afterward, it is ready for cooking. 

Below are the steps to follow if you want to use this method to defrost your lobster tail:

• Pour cold water into a large bowl. 
• Take the lobster from the freezer and put it into the bowl filled with cold water.
• Ensure that the cold water covers the lobster’s tail.
• The number of lobster tails you have determines how long it will take to defrost. But generally, it will take between 30 to 45 minutes. Within this period, change the water at intervals of 10 minutes. 
• Take your time cooking the lobster once it’s defrosted. 

3. Microwave

The fastest way to defrost your lobster tail is using the microwave. But as much as it is fast, you should be careful when using this method. 

The reason is that microwaves are used primarily for cooking food. And there is a possibility of your lobster tail getting cooked even when you only intended to defrost. 

So you need to monitor the lobster tails closely to ensure they don’t stay too long to get cooked in the microwave.

Take the following steps when you want to defrost your lobster tail with the microwave:

• Bring your lobster tail from the refrigerator and place them in a microwave-safe dish.
• Use the defrost or low power setting for 5 to 8 minutes, depending on your microwave brand.
• Constantly check when they are thawed. But if some parts still haven’t wholly defrosted, keep them back in the microwave for about three more minutes. From time to time, check to ensure that the lobster tails aren’t cooking in the microwave.   
• As soon as they have defrosted, cook them immediately. 

How To Reheat Cooked Lobster

There are times you will have leftovers. At such a point, you may have few options to explore rather than reheating the lobster tail. So when you are reheating your lobster tail, use an adequate temperature. 

This is to get rid of cold spots that could breed bacteria. And you wouldn’t want to get sick due to your carelessness, would you? 

So, you should know how to reheat a lobster tail safely while ensuring the taste is still the same. 

Follow the steps below to reheat your lobster tails with shells safely:

• Wrap your lobster tails in a damp paper towel before putting them on a microwave-safe plate. 
• Your microwave’s “High” setting should be used for this purpose. 
• Allow the lobster tail to stay in the microwave for about one or two minutes. Then use a meat thermometer to check the temperature of your lobster tail. The appropriate temperature is 140 degrees. 

The steps above still apply to lobster tails without shells. But this requires about 30 to 60 seconds to reheat.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Conclusion

We hope you are aware that a microwave can cook lobster tails. A microwave is the best of all the methods available to cook this seafood. 

And microwave cooks faster, and just in a few minutes, the sumptuous meal is ready for consumption.