Sous vide lobster tail is an absolute game changer. Cooking the lobster sous vide creates a tender, juicy lobster that you just can't get with a traditional method. Then, add in some butter and garlic and you've got yourself a foolproof butter poached lobster.
The key to this recipe is its simplicity. The recipe takes almost no prep work, and is practically foolproof. Just add butter and garlic to the lobster and let the sous vide work its magic!
Also, lobster is one of the few proteins that does not need a sear after the cook. Simply put it on a platter, douse it with butter and chives and enjoy!
Packaging
An essential part of cooking sous vide is putting ingredients in an air-tight bag or container. The two most common techniques to package your ingredients are vacuum sealing and using the water displacement method.
A vacuum sealer removes all the air and seals the contents of a plastic bag through a vacuum. This process ensures the food is airtight and properly sealed, and prevents the bag from floating which can result in uneven cooking. If you are in the market for a vacuum sealer, I’d recommend the Anova sealer.
The displacement method is a technique where you first place your food and marinades in a sous vide bag. Next, submerge the bag in a container of water, and allow the pressure to force all the air out of the bag. Once all the air is out, zip up the bag and you’re all set!
Both techniques work for this recipe, so use whichever you feel more comfortable with!
Lobster Tail Time and Temperature
Cooking lobster tail at 55C/131F for 45 minutes is our favorite time and temperature. Cooking it for 45 minutes is the sweet spot for a juicy lobster. Also, cooking at a temperature of 131F results in a tender shellfish with unbelievable texture, every time.
Just make sure you have a reliable sous vide that accurately regulates the temperature of the bath or your results may vary (check out the Anova or Joule).
Although this combination of time and temperature is our favorite, we recommend you test different combinations to find your personal favorite. To explore other time and temperature options, check out our cooking guide here.
Can You Sous Vide Frozen Lobster Tail?
The quick answer is, absolutely! Cooking frozen foods sous vide is an ultra convenient, safe way to prepare your protein. Just take the food directly from the fridge, repackage it (unless you know the bag is sous vide safe) and let the sous vide work its magic.
That being said, make sure the lobster tail is removed prior to putting it in the water bath. This may be challenging if the lobster tail is frozen solid in the shell. If this is the case, place the tails in cold water for 30 minutes to thaw out, then remove the shell.
At this point, the only thing you’ll need to adjust is the cook time. If you are cooking frozen lobster sous vide we recommend adding an additional 30 minutes to the cook time, so one hour and 15 minutes total for the tails.
Special Equipment
Sous Vide Machine – This one is obvious. To cook sous vide, you’re going to need a device to precisely regulate the temperature of the bath water. The two best sous vide machines in the game right now are the Anova Precision Cooker and the Breville Joule.
The main difference between the two is that with the Anova you can control the device both manually and with a mobile device, and with the Joule you can only control the device by using your mobile device. Either way, both sous vide machines are top class and you can’t go wrong with either choice.
12-quart Container – Although you can use a basic stockpot for your sous vide cooking needs, I highly recommend buying a large plastic container. They are inexpensive and spacious, so you won’t have to worry about cooking a big roast in a small pot. I recommend a 12 quart Rubbermaid container, as it is BPA free, sturdy, and large enough for just about anything you will be cooking.
Container Lid – If you are going to buy a plastic container, I highly suggest buying a compatible lid for it. When you sous vide for a long duration, the heat of the water causes evaporation. With a lid, it eliminates a majority of the evaporation so you can cook for hours care-free.
Next Level Sous Vide –Looking to take your sous vide skills to the next level? The Next Level Sous Vide eCookbook will push your culinary boundaries with 65 delicious recipes that are equally approachable and tasty. With pro tips and a detailed explanation of the sous vide process, you will be on your way to maximize your sous vide skills.
Check out our full list of recommended gear here.
Sous Vide Lobster in Garlic Butter Sauce
Ingredients
- 4 lobster tails, shells removed
- 8 tablespoon salted butter
- 3 cloves garlic, pressed
- 1 tablespoon fresh chives, finely chopped for garnish
- 1 lemon, sliced into wedges for squeezing
- salt to taste
Instructions
Preparation
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Set sous vide machine to 55C/131F.
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Place the lobster in a freezer bag with butter and garlic, and remove the air through a vacuum sealer or the displacement method. Drop lobster in the bath for 45 minutes.
Finishing
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Remove bag from bath. Gently take lobster tails out of the bag and place on a serving platter. Pour melted butter from the bag on to the lobster. Garnish with fresh chives, fresh squeezed lemon, a pinch of salt and enjoy!
Sheryl says
The lobster turned out perfect for me. I dumped the butter from the bag on top and it provided that garlicky butter flavor I wanted. Also squeezing a fresh lemon on it was delicious. Thanks for the recipe.
Patricia Tondreau says
hello Jason,
I would like to try this for our special anniversary dinner, could you please tell me what size (oz) tails you used for the required 45min. sous vide time and temp. Thank you in advance! I have followed your steak and pork chop recipe so far, Yum! and looking forward to trying others as well! your instructions and timing have been very helpful for those of us who are newer to sous vide!
Jason Veselak says
Hi Patricia,
I used 4 oz lobster tails for this recipe at 131F for 45 mins. However you could go up to 8 oz tails with the same time and temp. And so glad you have been enjoying my recipes. Thank you so much for the support and hope you have a great anniversary dinner.
LFK says
This was delicious! I was looking for something other than tarragon butter, and this fit the bill. The only thing you might consider adding to this recipe would be how to get the tails out of the shell. I perused the web and found the following approach https://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2016/12/sous-vide-lobster-recipe.html. Basically the tails are par boiled for 1 minute and plunged into ice water to set the surface meat so it doesn't stick to the carapace. A squeeze of the tail in the palm of your hand (back side down), causes the back to crack and allows the meat to be pulled out. It worked pretty well, though I rather mangled the first tail. The other thing the SE URL did was to run bamboo skewers through the backs of the tails to avoid curling. I'm thinking I might do something similar during the sous vide process, as I did have one tail that curled into a ball (though it was still exceedingly tasty!!)
Sasha says
Can this be done in advance and reheated for service?
How to reheat if so?
Jason Veselak says
Yes it can, I would try to serve the same day or the day after though. You can reheat using the sous vide. Simply set the temperature of the water to 100F and heat until warmed through, about 30 minutes to an hour.
Jeannie says
Just to clarify, If I used only two 4oz or 1 8oz tail, the time and temp would be the same???? Can’t wait to do this.
Jason Veselak says
Hi Jeannie, yes the cook time should be 45 minutes for either 4 oz or 8 oz lobster tail. If you have a really thick 8 oz tail, you might want to increase the time to an hour to be safe, but the temperature will remain the same no matter what. I hope you enjoy!